"Bloody hell Tanya I'm just going to have to give the pedal some wellie and hope we make it!" Such was my entrance to Plum Village Buddhist Centre and home to Thich Nhat Han (or 'Thai'). A venerated and well known exiled Vietnamese monk.
There followed a bumpy ride through a very muddy gateway and across a car park - read upwardly sloping soaking wet grassy field - to the highest and hopefully driest point. Good old Sadie. With a bit of side slipping and skidding she made it and this is now where we are perched until tomorrow morning when hopefully the downward slope will help facilitate a not too indelicate exit. The last two days have been wet though. Thoroughly wet. Thankfully this is a wine growing area and the land is light stony soil which although slippery on the top is firm and solid underfoot.
For 3 years I meditated with a Thich Nhat Han 'Interbeing' group in Glasgow. I was looking forward to visiting his community and once again spending a little time meditating with a community as opposed to solitary practice.
As usual Tanya necessitated compromises. This is a full Monastic community. These guys are serious monastics and 'into' community. They are also very friendly and accommodating within the boundaries of their practice. I knew that dogs were not allowed within the centre. Hence my depositing 'us' in the, 'outside of the community' parking/camping field which is a lovely peaceful west facing location from which we have had 2 wonderful walks and one long and extremely muddy bike excursion. It really is a very picturesque area. Just a pity about the weather!
That is where the fleas come in. The centre and grassy field cum car park are on the top of a hill with a steep bank at the edge at the bottom of which is a large badger set where the vineyard starts to stretch away on down the slope.
To me it looked deserted but it stretched a long way along the bottom of the bank. I have a suspicion Mr Chateaux Vineyard owning Frenchie does not suffer the same, shall we say 'sensitivities', as farmers in the UK when it comes to large communities of night working, 'excavator supreme' black and white furry vermin.
What I do know is that our furry friends homes, which are often used by other furry creatures too, are usually full of little guys called fleas who of course find the regular passing by of furry creatures a superb taxi and mobile home service.
So; as I arrived breathless at the bottom of the bank still calling "Tanya" she was nowhere to be seen. It never occurred to me that my sweet little well groomed and cuddly Tanya would dive in to a Badger set tunnel after some unmentionable smell or furry being.
I soon figured out that is just what she had done and I had started to resign myself to the inevitable. I figured if Mr Badger plus his mates were down there Tanya was in big trouble. Then; all of a sudden, up she pops all a shaking and flapping her ears. I dived and grabbed her back leg as she attempted a second dissapearing act off down another tunnel. She was not happy at that and it took several minutes of dragging her away from the set before the madness started to leave her.
Then I actually saw what a state she was in. Filthy, to put it mildly, jumping with fleas and with 2 more ticks in her ears! I tell you. That has been a wee challenge to deal with in a motorhome. Also a lesson learned and acknowledgement of the fact a Schnauzer, underneath the black fur and fancy beard is really a Terrier at heart and loves nothing better than an underground rat, cat, or fox chase and to boot if there is something down there that's been dead for about 6 weeks, they'll eat it!! I know, it came back up later. Luckily outside of Sadie.
Settling down to evening communal meditation and chanting after such a day, was also challenging. But good. Today, although wet, has been much better. We've managed 2 long walks, last of the fleas got their marching orders this morning (I think!) and this evenings meditation practice was 'the business!.
Next day.
That's it! We're on the road again and heading SSE to warmer climes. We were up early this morning in order to join the convoy to 'New Hamlet' where Thai, just back from his tour of the UK and Ireland, was giving a meditation/teaching. The journey was about 25km and New Hamlet is a female community.
Mmmmm. It was good. In fact it was very special receiving a teaching amid this large community, from someone who has had a big influence on both my practice and my journey. I need, in one form or another, to regularly touch base spiritually. Throughout my years of counselling I found the same applies for most human beings. The way spirituality appears though is different for each individual. It knows no boundaries and never ceases to amaze me with it's infinite creativity.
The teaching/meditation was a good two hours and by the time I returned to Sadie the barking reminded me little dogs have spiritual needs too. And I'm her God/Guru/Guy who feeds me!!
Soooo; a quick walk and a sad exit from Plum Village Buddhist community. I have a feeling I will be back.
I'm not particularly a community type guy and I enjoy my solitary travel, adventures and meditation. It's just good to touch base with the Sangha (Community) every now and again.
It is also good to touch base with blue skies and warm sun. So Med coast here we come.
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