Heroes Not Zombies

In my twelve monthly themes, July has a theme of rest or of taking a pause.

Traditionally, these summer rest days, or rest weeks, are thought of as holidays. In Scotland there is a tradition of “Fair Fortnights” or “Trades Fortnights”, when all the businesses in a particular town would close for the same two weeks. In Glasgow, “The Glasgow Fair” is still a two week holiday period which starts with a Monday holiday. It’s a long time since all businesses shut down for the same two weeks, but a lot of Glasgow people will book an annual holiday for the two weeks of “The Fair”. In France, there is still a widespread tradition of taking a holiday in August, to the extent that the first day of the August holidays is known as “Le Grand Depart” (don’t think I have to translate that one for you, do I?)

If you do have a holiday coming up this month, what are you going to do during that time? Spend it alone, or with family, or friends? Stay at home, or go and live somewhere else for a few days (a tent, a caravan, a guest house or hotel)? Whatever your choices, I expect that your days will be quite different from your “usual” days, and I think that gives you a real opportunity.

Here’s your time to pause, to stand back, to see things from on high, to reflect. Yes, it’s a time for rest, or for exploration, or adventure, but it’s also something like what the Tibetan Buddhists call a “bardo“.

The term bardo can also be used metaphorically to describe times when our usual way of life becomes suspended….