Buddhism On The 140 Bus

The 140 bus from Blackheath to Dudley does not seem an obvious choice for profound contemplation but that fifteen minute journey has provided me with ample opportunities to meditate on life.

Today I saw school kids litter picking, yesterday I watched a street dancer rehearse a routine in the bus stop and today I sat next to a lady who told me about her daughter in Australia.

They were simple snippets of everyday life which have opened my mind to appreciate compassion.

There is an old Hawaiian proverb (the complete opposite side of

the world from India where Buddhism began but...)

'There is life in the labouring,'

The saying really rings true and has been giving me great solace of late.

I know in comparison to other people's suffering my problems are minuscule but problems are all relative and that is why things sometimes get me down. I'm flat broke, not in a scary way (I'm not in debt), but I'm living very much hand to mouth. I hate it because it feels like I'm treading water (no pun intended) and at the end of the day the only person I can blame is myself.

Its hard overcoming your pride but this is a fundamental Buddhist principle over come the ego.

Reading Buddhist literature is helping me immensely to get over myself- ok so I can't rub two pennies together but hey I have flesh on my bones, love and above all potential. In suffering there is beauty, truth and enlightenment.

Samsara is Nirvana

(The Buddhist version of no pain, no gain)!

I went for an interview today, it was for a support worker role at a care home for older Caribbean people. The minute I walked in I felt at home. Everybody smiled and said hello, reggae music played in the background and I literally didn't stop laughing with the two ladies who interviewed me. I could really imagine myself there while I do my internship and save up for a masters. The only trouble is my internship is 3 days and the job would be 4 i.e. no days off...

Samsara is Nirvana, Samsara is Nirvana!

I have another interview on Monday which is for a youth worker role with African refugee kids. I cannot articulate how much I would like this job, obviously I've yet to get a real feel for the place but should the 'vibes' be good I'll be crossing every finger and toe to get that job!! A fundamental part of Buddhism is about dedicating yourself to the service of others, you don't necessarily need a job to serve others but I think right work sets up a rigt lifestyle and that breeds compassion. 

*

Its hard not to be defined by your job, gosh I've spent the biggest part of a surfing blog talking about everything but surfing. This sucks. However the big picture is this, if I get a job I have money and if I have money that means more trips to the coast to hone my skills. Its been over a year since I surfed and my craving for the ocean has gone past just being a desire, its palpable like being thirsty (bad Buddhist having desires is not good karma)!

How can I call myself a surfer girl when I can't technically surf and don't get to the ocean often?

...I am a surfer becausethe passion is there, because more than anything this is what I want to do, to surf, to do it well and to be by the ocean.

“The wave does not need to die to become water. She is already water.”

― Thich Nhat Hanh, Heart of Buddha's Teaching

 

Until next time water babies, live well

 

X

Aropa

A friend recently asked what I deemed femininity to be and in all honesty the question perplexed me.

The 21st century woman is much like a Swiss army knife in that she is multi-faceted and expected to solve all your problems. Meredith Brooks best coined our conundrum with the lyrics

'I'm a bitch I'm a lover, I'm a child I'm a mother, I'm a sinner and a Saint...'

You see women don't really know what we are anymore.

In surfing their are two distinct tribes of surfer girl; the charger and the bikini.

The charger dominates the waves with masculine energy, she is one of the boys and plays down her femininity in order to be taken seriously. The latter on the other hand emphasises her sex appeal and uses the advantages of her physiology to get what she wants i.e. waves, endorsements, sponsorships. She is not however outlandishly provocative she is merely aware of her assets and plays up these attributes.

Real women have surfboards.

Real women have curves and surfboards has always been about Marge Calhoun the housewife and mother who learnt to surf and won a world title. That being said my good friend Rosie highlighted that this statement may exclude women who do not in fact posses curves. An hour glass figure does not define a woman which is why for my t-shirt business I'm having a rethink.

Admittedly I'm attached to this name, its like a house plant I affectionately water and certainly as a curvaceous woman myself the title resonates. My aim however with my business and ethos is to empower which is precisely why I'm back to the drawing board.

Aropa.

Aropa means love and compassion for your fellow human being, its a word which has importance in the Anuta tribe who live on an isolated island in the South Pacific. If I'm having a grey skies kind of day, I reach for my Bruce Parry 'Tribe' box set and pop on series 3, episode 4 - The Anuta. 

The Anuta people fill my heart with sunshine and have made me ponder whether 'Aropa' is in fact the name of my business. 

What do you think? 

The delectable Bruce Parry with the Anuta people courtesy of theguardian online (Sept 2010)

  Bristol with the man fellow.



You know what I love most about the UK? The fact that you can drive from one side to the other in under 24 hours. Despite our lamentations we actually have good public transport which is why Antonio and I found ourselves merrily travelling 2 hours down the motorway for a day trip to Bristol city. 

Ant is not only drop dead gorgeous, talented and hard working he's also a really great guide, give him five minutes and he'll have a city sussed out in no time. He's great in developing my creativity and since being with him I've enjoyed dipping into the arts world by gallery visiting and attending strange but wonderful events his friends tend to host.

Despite my hogging of the camera Ant has published very few pictures of himself (or us together for that matter) so I apologise that these mostly contain my ugly mug. 

World please tell Antonio that he is beautiful and people like to see him in photos even when he poses!

THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR THIS WEEK

1) My bbathroom shelf herb garden

2) Lime and soda water

4) Meeting new interesting people

5) Dog walkers who encourage your running.

6) Dogue De Bordeauxs' who jump up you

A face only a mother could love (and me)! This is the dog I am saving up my pennies for (to rescue of course)!

Until next time...