Green Man Marathon Update - Don't Panic - Mirek is Fine!

First of all, and most importantly, I want to start by letting the readership know that Mirek is perfectly fine in spite of the travails and tribulations of the Green Man Marathon which supporters and friends of the Drala Jong Retreat Centre Appeal walked (slipped, slid, tumbled and almost swam) on Saturday.

The walk started well, with the Vanguard heading from Blaise and linking up with the main body of walkers coming down off Dundry Hill. 

Sky Larks were playing over the heads of the wheat fields, and spirits were high. . .

. . .although after a while the Gaveller was starting to look pensive, perhaps due to his weather sense kicking in. . .

. . . and then, it came. . .

Of course the benefit of a day that saw wind and stillness, rain and bright sunshine, thick black clouds, and clear blue sky (and an occasion that is supporting the vision of Kyabjé Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche), is that a rainbow was inevitable.

The final leg is where 'Uncle Mirek' nearly came unstuck, and started at the Compton Inn.  Here the advance party of Drowang, Thrinlé, Shé-zér, 'ö-Dzin, Mirek, Isa, and A-gyür were joined by Namgyal, Libby and the four children (Raechel, Tom, Milan and Jana) for the final 3.7 mile section - all seen on their way by Khandro Déchen, for whom a knee injury had alas sidelined her from being able to take direct part in the walk itself.

It turned out that following weeks of heavy rain, and a downpour during the penultimate section of the walk, the final leg had somewhat treacherous footing.  Fortunately however the six inch deep mud cushioned the various impacts that happening during the home stretch.

Two of the team of walkers did take major tumbles during the 22.5 mile 'Moon-wise' secton of the Green Man course, which follows the Bristol Community Forest Path around the City.  A-gyür took the first dip in the murk, shortly followed by Isabelle.  Despite this, fortunately 'Uncle Mirek' survived his nasty brush with death (aka a mud-soaked Isa) without a scratch upon him.

Various records were set during the walk (albeit none of them relating to the pace of travel), including most biten by horseflies (Thinlé - 5) most times having a shoe sucked off her feet (Jana - 3), most times teased about not wanting to get even a spot of mud on him, whilst his wife was virtually swimming through the murk & mire (Mirek - 547) and most times staring down a charging Bullock that seemed intent on attacking the walkers from behind (again Mirek - 1).  Also Drowang (The Gaveller of the Honorable Order of Woodwoses) has officially declared that this was the muddiest excursion ever for a Green Man event.

All who participated enjoyed the event immensely, and are thinking of walking the other half of the 45 mile route next year.  Well, nearly all. . .

. . . and in addition to the mud, they are all now proudly sporting a Drala Jong Appeal wristband (send £2 + £1 P&P to sncd.treasurer@gmail.com for yours. . .)

Having been introduced by Drowang, run by Rin'dzin (the Mad-as-a-Snake Khandro) last year for Aro Ling, and now walked by sangha, friends and family this year, the Green Man (now renamed by those who walked it the 'Green Man, Brown Woman' walk looks set to be a sangha fixture

With about half the donations for the event declared, we're delighted to advise that so far £488 has been pledged to the appeal. 

If you still want to make a contribution you are of course most welcome to do so, by sending a credit or debit card payment via paypal to sncd.treasurer@gmail.com

My profound thanks to all who took part, Lama 'ö-Dzin who took the photos, all who came along to support, all who couldn't attend but have pledged their petrol money to the appeal, to those who donated, or who just wished they'd been there to see Mirek jump a full 12 feet in the air when Isa approached him covered in mud.

Here's to brilliant blue skies, and the swift establishment of the Drala Jong Retreat Centre, and the enactment of Kyabjé Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche's vision.



Green Man Challenge

On Saturday June 30th - fifteen apprentices and friends of the Aro Tradition will be undertaking the Green Man Challenge as a sponsored walk to raise funds for the Drala Jong Appeal.

The Green Man Challenge follows the 45 mile course of the Community Forest Path around the city of Bristol.

We will be undertaking the challenge as a relay team with people undertaking legs of between 4 and 22 miles each depending on their age and ability. Two hardy souls - Naljorma Thrin-lé and Drowang Pawo have both committed to completing half the walk each - 22 miles, and our younger participants Tomas (age 5) and Raechel (age 9) have committed to walk 4 miles each.

If you would like to sponsor our team effort you can do so via Paypal or for other methods please get in touch. 

Just 5 pence per mile for Thrin-lé & Drowang's efforts would make all the difference.  Send your £2.20 donation to sncd.treasurer@gmail.com via www.paypal.co.uk and if you are a UK income tax payer include your name, house number and post code marking it 'Gift Aid' and we'll claim 55p tax relief on your donation.

 Now we're just hoping it won't rain. . .

Earthen Spirituality

Sky McCain will be signing his book Planet as Self, an Earthen Spirituality in Aro Ling at 2pm on Saturday 24th March. 

In his book, Sky McCain challenges us to stop and and think about possible alternatives in the way we look at the planet and to question our suppositions as to what it means to be part of a living planet. 

As a response to this challenge, Chris Bloor (Dro-wang Pawo) will lead an Earthen Spirituality Walk before the signing at 11am from Aro Ling. The walk will explore Green Spaces around the Gloucester Road in search of a practical and experiential answer to Sky's challenge.

The walk will be from 5 to 6 miles long (or less than 4 if we catch a bus to cut off the last bit) depending on the abilities of those who turn up. You will need to be fit enough to walk at least 4 miles and to have appropriate footwear and clothing. The walk is free, but you will need money for bus fare and refreshments.

In the afternoon (2pm) Aro Lamas She-zer Khandro and Namgyal Dorje will be exploring a Buddhist respose to Sky's challenge.

There are no charges for the walk, talk or discussion, all donations on the day will go to the Drala Jong Retreat Centre Appeal. Refreshments will be available on a donation only basis.

Humble Beginnings

Looks like Kate Humble thinks Drala Jong is such a good idea she is going to copy it (sort of!): www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-w​ales-south-east-wales-14330147. Nice to see support for rural skills from some imaginative councillors and a TV celeb! It is interesting to read the headline that Kate and her husband are looking to invest around £500,000 in the project - as that coincidentally is how much we are looking for to establish Drala Jong on a firm footing.

The local press have presented the idea as being like 'Monmouthshire's answer to River Cottage'. They appear to have missed the fact though that River Cottage has gone through some shaky times recently, including job losses. Whilst local, rural, green, organic matters are still fashionable, that doesn't necessarily mean they are automatically sustainable on a financial front - even when there is a celebrity (be it Hugh Fernley Whittingstall, or Kate Humble) heading up the operation. It's going to be interesting watching how how Kate Humble's project develops over coming months. I certainly plan to pay a visit once the doors open and see what we can learn that can be applied back into Drala Jong - just as we did down at River Cottage HQ in Dorset.

BTW The Forest of Dean Review (yes, THE Forest of Dean Review) has their own article here:
http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=27942&headline=TV

Book Review - Planet as Self - An Earthen Spirituality

Sky McCain is a long-time supporter of the Drala Jong project. Later this year his work Planet as Self - An Earthen Spirituality will be launched.

Having had sight of a sneak preview of the text, herewith is a review of his work.

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One definition of stupidity is 'Doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting a different result'. Sky McCain explains how we participate in a form of cultural stupidity by believing that our thoughts and ideas about the planet upon which we live are truly our own. In reality - he demonstrates - they are the result of a philosophical shaping that has been driven for centuries by the thinkers and spiritual traditions that have come before us. In taking us through a literature review that spans more than two millenia of thought, Sky demonstrates that this process is a natural one - a cultural, societal process - yet one that can lead to the most unnatural of conclusions. The conclusions that we accept, unchallenged, have resulted in a disharmonious way of being - a dissonance - a persistent act of mass stupidity in which we all participate, that fails to appreciate the poetry of being. Recognising that we are unconscious slaves to the ideas of others is a vital first step if we are to break free of preconception, and develop a real, open, communicative relationship with the world around us and the very earth upon which we walk. As Sky puts it '. . . out-dated beliefs can linger. . . if they are not consciously examined'. Planet as Self makes that challenge, and suggests some steps that can be used to sustain that challenge and avoid falling back into inherited ways of thinking.

It is important to be clear - this is not a Buddhist book. The conclusions drawn from Sky's challenge lead him to what he describes as an Earthen Spirituality. Readers will find that spiritual view compelling - or not - depending on their personal proclivities and passions. However the deconstruction of the cultural processes that have driven our corrosive effect on the environment is something valuable for everyone to understand. The author's passion for his subject sings out of the pages.

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Planet as Self - An Earthen Spirituality is published by O-Books (http://www.o-books-com/) and will be out 27th January 2012. You can learn more on this subject at http://www.earthenspirituality.com/