First, the illustration, it’s from another Haiku challenge from my sister: Autumn evening,there’s joy also in loneliness. Thank you to my friend Vincent V.G. for helping me with the sky 🙂 Now for a verse I wrote: This day, in peace.Whatever comes up,Letting go of everything. I keep this written on a piece of paperContinue reading “This Day, in Peace”
Category Archives: Notes from Ben
Art and Opportunity, Success and the Now
Being a little enclosed with the kids these days in Madrid (locked in due to Corona virus) seems to be a tremendous opportunity on endless levels. As the outside world has come to a near halt, the inner-world has a great chance to calm down too. How madly we usually live! There is much moreContinue reading “Art and Opportunity, Success and the Now”
Drawing and Change…
Over a month ago I proposed 4 changes I wanted to make; now that a fair amount of time has passed, I wish to hold myself to account! Change 1 is to draw more again. It’s going well! The picture above was drawn from imagination after spending two weekends in a row in Granada (Spain),Continue reading “Drawing and Change…”
Being Solid in the Storm
With regards to how to move through life, how to deal with difficult times, how to be with others, how to be with my children and my family, with myself, I am very fond of this text from Thich Nhat Hanh, taken from a talk around 20 years ago (hence the reference to Vietnamese boatContinue reading “Being Solid in the Storm”
A Personal Board of Directors
Every summer we go up to the mountains for a few weeks. It’s idyllic. Everything about it is perfect for de-stressing and relaxing. For several summers in a row I accompanied my time there with great books and podcasts. Three years ago it was Trappist monk Thomas Merton’s autobiography, two years ago it was manyContinue reading “A Personal Board of Directors”
The Farmer’s Peace and Lorca’s Drawings
I’m sure you know the wonderful Zen Story of the Chinese Farmer, here told by Alan Watts: “Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors came around to commiserate. They said, “We are so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.”Continue reading “The Farmer’s Peace and Lorca’s Drawings”
Walk
An interesting way to set out on a walk from A to B is to choose the path of greatest silence. In the city this is just as possible as it is in the suburbs or the countryside – choosing the backstreets instead of the main roads, detouring through the middle of parks – evenContinue reading “Walk”
Change 4: The Body and the Bird Feeder
A few days ago I had a nice conversation with one of my sisters about the bird feeders in her garden, how her family love watching all the local bird life gathering there to eat. ‘I want to buy some bird feeders!’ I thought, so I jumped onto Amazon and entered ‘bird feeder’. Hundreds ofContinue reading “Change 4: The Body and the Bird Feeder”
Change 3: Effortlessness
The first two changes I’m making are tangible, you can hold them in your hands and see them with your eyes: drawing, and reading books. This third change is abstract, but just as real. Change 3 is Effortlessness. To live with Effortlessness. What does that even mean?! I have been going to the physiotherapist everyContinue reading “Change 3: Effortlessness”
The Joy of Rain
Reasons why rain is wonderful… 1. Song It’s raining, it’s pouring,The old man is snoring,He went to bed and bumped his head,And couldn’t get up in the morning. I love singing that to my kids whenever it rains. It takes me back to being a child, and I suppose singing always makes little children happy. Adults too. 2.Continue reading “The Joy of Rain”
