Maiden Trip to the Land of the Rising Sun

Indeed, it's apt to call it such; it's only early summer/late spring and it's already bright at 4.30am. Just as well as I woke up earlier than most of my 40 friends for a early morning workout almost daily (apart from a couple of mornings when it was raining). JP was my jogging companion for most of the sessions as we explored the surrounds of Shiba Park, Kyoto River, sleepy fishing village at Toba and i got very lost in Nagoya snapping photos on my new toy that morning.
I was a little surprised that i actually missed the Food back home despite being chinese. (I guess my genes has been mutated to more south east asian than my chinese genes i gotten from my grandparents). For example, my first experience eating Natto was something i will not forget for a long time. The experiences learnt and shared during the 2 weeks we were together is timeless; something that shows there's hope for the ill-health of our environment; ie if we all start campaigning more action in our respective communities. It is very easy to criticize what others are doing, but always more difficult to clean up our own act. Action speaks louder than words; and I'm hopeful for the future! Click here to view the photos and here for more people photos taken by my jogging buddy during the trip; thanks JP.

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Truths and Lies

A friend sent me this clip on McCruelty.com recently.... I'm sure this is just the tip of an ice-berg; behind the colours and gleamours of shopping malls and excessive consumerism of the modern human society lies all these "dirty laundry" kept away from the public eye. Another example i can think of is the BIG LIE where we are being programmed that we can just go about our daily lives concentrating on the "Consumption bit" and ignore the Extraction, Production, Distribution that came before that and Disposal that comes after that....It's time we wake up from Truths like "Perceived Obsolescence" and "Planned Obsolescence" McCruelty: I'm Hatin' It--Learn More.

Paramita Meditation Centre

8 years ago in Feb, i made my first maiden trip to this beautiful island nation of 30 million. Today, the pretty busy road that serves the main throughway from Colombo to Kandy has been widen, resurfaced and thus i see even huge tour coaches and container trucks passing by as i stand above about 5 storeys high at the main meditation hall as i start my walking meditation before THE SIT. Yesterday, an american-vietnamese resident nun living here gave me a surprise by giving me a local sarong and a illuminated statue of the buddha; she wished my happy new year as the sinhala new year is on the 13/14 Apr. PMC is located up the granite slopes to mitigate the noise from the traffic; however, the train tracks that probably runs at least 5 times a day is on the same height as the Dhamma Hall. Gotten used to the symphony of train, vehicular traffic and the sound of nature (birds, insects, whispering of the leaves).

The Bird Cage

M ore than 3 years ago, when i tasted freedom; tried to fly back into the bird cage recently. Yes, there's a steady and predictable flow of water and food, shelter to protect me from the elements but i lost myself in that process; i was unhappy inside the bird cage... As i look back, I've already know where to forage for food, know where to spend the night (but probably needs to become more mindful to drink enough water and be aware of my breath.) So why on earth do i still yearn to fly back into the cage?

the ART of reBIRTH

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