[Byzantine Bindings]

Wednesday 28 February 2018

Day 13 - Gentle Reminder.


Final Judgement



yearning
loosing something
searching at the edges
all the time it’s at the centre
smiling

Tuesday 27 February 2018

Day 12 - Glimpses of the Holy City


Glimpses of the Holy City


words fail
the truth will out
but words are all we have
shadows on the wall of the cave
turn round


snowflakes
looking glass clear
following the breathing
emptiness is pulling the strings
fragments




Seeing the light  blinded him
things were never quite the same
it wasn’t that anything had changed
more that everything was different
his state was divine
yet he did not cling to divinity
knowing he must be empty of self
in order to conquer the world
and all its suffering.

Monday 26 February 2018

Day 11 - Snowfall


snowing
white silence falls
creates happy layers
excited children go to play
wonder

Yesterday
walking mindfully
destinations came 
approached
unsure of how
sure footed in the moment
was I still and the earth turning
the earth turns for sure
my movement relative to it
enhanced coordination
somehow super natural
effortless motion
frictionless movement
movement in perpetuity
glancing eternity 
smiling
in bowls of soup.

Today I am grateful.

Sunday 25 February 2018

Turning Corners

Corners
This time it's serious.

I have myself geared up now for a weeks work on perfecting the pleated corner. I managed the first book I did, sort of ish, with a tutor over my shoulder. Managed several when doing the dos-a-dos style but have since shied away, favouring the box corner. I'm being pulled back to the pleated corner though as it seems more natural, less manufactured the box corner being  a bit too 'right'.

I don't really understand either the art or the craft of turning corners this way it seems a bit like the sorcery associated with the weaver's knot. In an effort to reduce the variables I have cut leather and board all the same size and thickness and will pare the leather to the same thickness around 0.5mm.
This way I will know that the elements are all consistent and it's just the manipulation of the leather that I have to concern myself with.

The paste.
More alchemy. Settling for wheat flour paste the reason being after searching the internet for a silly length of time encountering as many theories and discounted theories as there are stars in the sky, I finally looked in the books on the shelf. (sic).
Kathy Abbott's fine book:  Bookbinding: A step-by-step guide, published by the Crowood Press in 2010, suggests wheat starch paste for paper, wheat flour paste for binding.
The paste I have used so far has been Shepherds paste, but who knows what's in it as it lasts such a long time.
Kathy's recipe is 1 Tablespoonful of organic plain flour to ¼ litre of distilled water to which I am going to add a small amount of ph neutral pva.

Anyway we'll see how it goes.



Saturday 24 February 2018

Day 10 - Unheeded advice results in a crooked path.

Listen
here is advice
sit down with what you have
see yourself as you really are
for once.


Living a little way
from yourself
missing life’s textures
outside your body
is a mistaken view.

World is an illusion
created by mind
to make meaning
out of what appears a chaotic
environment.

Slowing down
stopping the chatter
the universe
has a chance to breathe you
speak its ancient wisdom.


Today I am a messenger.

Friday 23 February 2018

Day 9 - Breathing

Who breathes
follow the breath
no beginning no end
constant pulse of the universe
thank you.

I am breathed.

Thursday 22 February 2018

Day 8 The First Temptation


The First Temptation


Sitting
anywhere else
but here is the centre
bringing it back to the body
waken.

Always ready
looking
under novel and familiar
tree roots
all of them
deepening mystery

surfacing with golden
possibilities
already sampled
hanging by a thread
life seems to go on

slowing down
begins to firm things up
locating the mystery
deep within

silently it comes to me
smiling butterfly settles
now.

Wednesday 21 February 2018

Day 6-7

Day 7

Day 8

Moments
sewn together
patchwork quilt of space time
textured cloak of many colours
wrapped round.


It’s not about
how much you can squeeze out
but how generous you can be
with what you have
listen to the morning muse
record
then return to the web of sleep
wondering from where it came
fleetingly
kissed fevered brow
there there
following breadcrumb trails
homeward
keeping a weather eye
for crows
learning to forget
giving things time
learning that mistakes
are teachers
thankfully.

Monday 19 February 2018

Day 5 Walking

Mindwalk (i)


Through time
space opens up
fractured memory yawning
seeing wonder bearing newness
walking.

Sunday 18 February 2018

Snowdrops

Snowdrops
where life begins
there must be an ending
look more for the continuous
wisdom.

Saturday 17 February 2018

Day 4

Powers
Powers
insubstantial
halfway to paradise
hauling themselves from the river
awkward.

Sometimes I am a stranger to myself.

Friday 16 February 2018

Day 3

River






Walking
by the river
considering who dies
belonging to the universe
always.

Thursday 15 February 2018

Day 2 - There's more...

Yesterday’s messenger came in the form of a hero down on his luck.

Sheltering from the cold rain and having an hour to pass I took refreshment at a recently opened cafe. As I sat in reverie, sipping tea, an awkward and ungainly mass of a man plonked himself down on the seat opposite, smashing his can of Strongbow down onto the table. The tea splashed all over as the table lurched.

“Would ye ever help me out with the price of a sandwich?” he boomed in a voice which resembled the way I imagined Cú Chulainn himself to speak when not best pleased and a little the worse for having drink taken. He’d a smile in his eye reminding me of uncle Tom, also a son of the Cooley’s and prone to amazing feats of storytelling.

At any rate, and after much resistance on the part of the owner, I settled his bill and off he went with his two companions, Deichtine, and the wandering Aengus, thanking me and threatening to see me back tomorrow after he got paid.

The owner apologised, I told him there was no need and nearly said, “There but for the grace of God…” - but chose not to and left thanking him for the hospitality.

The rain had stopped an hour passed.
I made a quick sketch of the three visitors.


The Three Visitors

Wednesday 14 February 2018

Day 1 - Ash Wednesday

ego
hides from the sword
change comes nowhere to hide
I will build three tabernacles
of ash

Remember you are dust
and to dust you will return.
Repent and believe the Good News

and what is that
it is truth itself
no illusion
no matter what
you are whole
forgiven
whatever you want to be
everything
nothing

which is it easier to say
God loves you
or
you belong to the universe

either way 
you are not yourself
you belong to the universe
without you there is no universe
and without the universe there is no you

the same is true of all beings
we are one

everything is on a journey
in the process of becoming
shapeshifting
on the way to nirvana
the reign of God
suffering along the way


perhaps that is why the advice is 
go to your inner room
and pray
Our Father…

no more
no less

see how daily
you sustain and are sustained
forgive and are forgiven
are tried and tested
again and again

generate compassion
for yourself and all creation
liberation from suffering 
is within your grasp

let go
the constructs of mind
fall
into true nature
emptiness of tomb

extinguish
the fires of fear and anger
bless yourself with 
the ashes of your
true self
daily.


Who am I
I am ash.


Tuesday 13 February 2018

Anticipating the Journey

Anticipating the Journey

Hoping
the bird knows how
desert joins east and west
time and sand run through my fingers
no end.

Monday 12 February 2018

Making Ready

Morning
glowing sunshine
start to live mindfully
being in the moment for lent
slowly.

Giving up something for lent.
This year I will attempt to give up striving to be who I am not and take up being who I am.    I envisage this to be a struggle.

Who I am not is far more attractive than who I am. Shattering this illusion will not be easy it will require constant vigilance.

The method I mean to employ is mindfulness.
By this I mean
Attempting to live in the moment, being aware of my breathing, relaxing my body, contemplating the precariousness of all life, letting go of aversion and attraction.
Becoming aware of my place in the universe, considering the suffering of others, feeling compassion for all beings, letting my love for all beings grow.

When asked what his monks do the Buddha replied that they worked ate and meditate, the enquirer asked what the difference was between his monks and other monks in this regard he said that when his monks ate; they know they eat. When they work; they know they work. When they meditate; they know they meditate.*


The past is gone, the future yet to be; where does the present reside?

I remember being fascinated when I was younger by the conundrum, “Where was the man when he jumped from the bridge?”
In the air?
That was after he jumped.
On the bridge?
That was before he jumped.

This was long, long before the internet.
Google now furnishes many answers!

This is a preamble, a small preparation to move towards the lenten season from the season of epiphany. From manifestation to longer days, showing forth to lengthening.



*I hope to find the source for this story but not knowing will not prevent me from chewing it.





Sunday 11 February 2018

Unintended Outcome

Rich Tapestry


Struggle:
journey
organised dirt
interconnectedness
given life by all my mothers
where now


journey
ever changing
part of the universe
looking deeply my true nature
smiling

breathing
always changing
part of the universe
seeing my true nature smiling
gently


wonder
in the moment
vastness of the ocean
compassion grows with every breath
slowly

rain drop
lands in the sea
wonders for a moment
sees the reflection of a cloud
mother

Resolution:

journey
ever changing
part of the universe
compassion grows with every breath

mother

Thursday 8 February 2018

Process Work

Refinement:

Gifted
drawn by the dawn
shiny starting daylight
splintering newness everywhere
wonder.


Underpainting:

Glory be 
for shiny starting days
splintering newness
everywhere

spring morning
bright sun through thin veiled high cloud
frost on the shed roof
always signs

early spring and late winter 
walking hand in hand through the land
glory be for all those things unseen
supporting us

drains
water pipes 
and electricity
thank you for those

who support us 
with unseen hands
making  our
survival possible

may I treat these things with respect
understanding their precariousness
their transitory nature
their momentary blessing

look to the morning
breaking of dawn
walk slowly breathe deeply
drink in the wonder of it all. Amen

Canvas:

Soul's landscape

Brushes:

Mindfulness
Breathing

Medium:

The poetry of experience




Wednesday 7 February 2018

Who?



Who?


merging
easy as pie
encouraging new growth
seeing myself in the moment
brightly



The two run as one
laughing as they go
in and out of
dusty bluebells
falling all over the show
lost in the arms of discovery
singing the song of their soul
happiness mingles with sorrow
sunshine blesses the day
can it be that simple
easy as pie
uncomplicated
free.

Monday 5 February 2018

Attachment



Wordy Wizard


swimming in new waters
aware of dangers
words slipping sliding
slithering
outside context 
meaningless
within discourse 
only partial 
partiality is contingent
contingency fragile
round stones
to touch
somehow
evoking something
hinted at
in a dream
truer for their promise than 
definition
held against the skyline
that’s all I know today

Friday 2 February 2018

Enough

Moonsun



Simple
breathe in breathe out
no secrets hidden here
watch the moon set in the morning
present.

Thursday 1 February 2018

The First of Spring

Springwriter


Sometimes
you miss the boat
due to random agents
like the like a hacking cough and the moon
what then?



A good question
play catchup
pick up where you should be
go with the flow
do something different
what is the one rare thing
that which cannot be omitted
jewel in the crown
do that and hang the rest
sunshine brings out the best
in me and others
at playtime.


There we are then
that was yesterday 
this is today.

First day of spring
cold wind sunshine
generous Brigid comes
paving the way
for allotment fun
this year will be a riot
of fruit and flower
no excuses now
just an hour
go to do one thing
replace the glass
clear a bed
come home
that’s two things
ah well.