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Thanks, Love

Yesterday was Anzac Day, in Australia, which is when servicemen and women are remembered and honoured. It is also when the shops don’t open till 1 p.m. As it’s a once-a-year phenomenon, people often forget. I, along with a growing collection of citizens, stood outside the local supermarket waiting for it to open. The local homeless man sat next to the entrance, ready for donations. He probably isn’t homeless but I can’t call him a beggar because he is too polite and dignified. He has a profession – he asks for money.

“Got a few spare coins, love?” he always asks. If you say no, he doesn’t object. If you give him something, he always says, “Thanks, love.” 

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Consciousness Awareness

The human psyche gets in the way of spiritual progress. Without understanding it, we will be fighting an invisible enemy. As soon as it becomes more visible to us, its days are numbered. Rather than trying to delete our mental chatter in meditation, it helps to look at it objectively and go into it. The chatter tells us what we are thinking and what our fears and angers are.

In the beginning years of my consciousness-awareness, during my long daily walks, I would start off just naturally thinking about all the things that were currently preoccupying the surface of my mind. It’s easy. You go with the stream of thought. However, rather than becoming blindly immersed in the thoughts, I would watch them. I didn’t stop them. I let them continue, but I would watch and ask myself certain questions:

What are my fears at this moment?
Am I sad or grieving anything?
Am I angry with anyone?
Do I want something?
What are my thoughts telling me? 

Then I would have something live to work with.

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Perfect

My doctor didn’t beckon me into her consulting room with her usual cheery greeting. Noted but unconcerned, I entered.

She paused for dramatic effect and said, “I suppose you could tell by my message that it isn’t good news.” 

She looked at me to make sure that I was suitably concerned. The receptionist phoned, a few days earlier, asking me to make an immediate appointment to discuss test results. I explained that I was interstate visiting family and was told that a few days wait would be fine. Then, I filed the issue in the back of my mind feeling that all would be well. 

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Prana: Community

Mixed Drinks

“Weak latte (no sugar). Hot chocolate,” yelled the Waldmeer barista. 

Merlyn grabbed her coffee and headed for the door. They put sugar in my coffee, she thought as she sipped it. Hang on, that’s not sweet coffee. It’s hot chocolate. The orders have been muddled. Oh, well, it tastes delicious. She then turned her thoughts to the recipient of her latte who would be missing their own order of hot chocolate. Looking around for a likely suspect, she easily spotted a woman, about her age, staring at her drink. Merlyn wondered what her reaction would be. The woman seemed to be weighing up the benefits of caffeine versus sugar and, like Merlyn, decided to go with the flow. Merlyn then realised that the mixed-drink-recipient was Esther, the psychologist.

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Prana: Inspection

Better or Worse

After six months of living in Store Creek with the cold weather, it was good to finally arrive at spring’s doorstep. Merlyn wondered if that was why Ben had decided to visit today. He said it was a rental inspection. But that was just a joke. At least, Merlyn hoped it was a joke. Although it was two years since their separation, they had been married for three years. Nothing needed inspecting.

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No Martyrs

When I was fourteen, a missionary visited my school and gave a little talk. Although I can’t remember what she said, I do remember being impressed with her as a person. I couldn’t put it into words but there was something special about her. It might have been the calm look in her eyes even though, from what she said, her life was far from calm. Certainly, I recognised a very unselfish attitude and she seemed happy without trying to convince anyone that she was.

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Pittown: Moving On

Different and Better

Although there were nicer shops a suburb or two closer to the city, Merlyn made a point of shopping at the Pittown ones. It seemed to her disloyal not to use them. Besides, she found the people interesting. Not infrequently, someone walked past her and turned their head to give her a second look. They looked like they thought they knew her, but then decided that they didn’t. Sometimes, they looked at her quizzically as if they were thinking that she didn’t belong in Pittown.

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