I intended to start by writing about the river (Rivelin), in order to put the blog title into some context. But I expect I'll get round to that before too long.
Last night I became a Buddhist. This wasn't a sudden, road-to-Damascus (Lhasa?) type event, but what the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) call becoming a Mitra.
The most unusual part is the 'Rejoicing in Merit', where someone tells the gathered audience all about your very best attributes. I can't think of any other occasion in one's life when anything like this happens. Except for funerals, perhaps, although we wouldn't be listening to that;Tibetan Buddhists may disagree.
Anyway, 'Rejoicing in Merit' - and the presents that accompany it - is such a positve event that it really ought to be more widely adopted.
Last Tuesday (7 April) I stayed a night at the Tibetan monastery, with a view to writing a travel piece. While I've visited quite a few times, I've never stayed. The stupa, large golden buddha and statue of Padmasambhava are quite something, as is the temple - one hour silent meditation were a challenge. However, what really appealed were the Tibetan Tea rooms - sensory desire proving quite resilient - and the Cloutie tree, which is, according to the sign, a Tibetan tradition as well as a celtic one.
