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Archive for the ‘life’ Category

A different autumn

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, personal growth, photography on November 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I’ve taken a lot of autumn photos over the years, mostly in Scotland and Japan. But now I’ve moved to an area of France which is full of vineyards. Have you ever seen a vineyard in the autumn? Isn’t it beautiful?

So, these autumn views got me thinking again about why I love this season so much. It’s not just about the colours. It’s that it, like Spring, feels a season which is abundant with becoming not being. The changes in the countryside are not only striking but they are constant at this time of year.

It’s great to feel in the full flow of change, to be living a life of daily becoming…..

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There’s not a day goes by……

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, perception, personal growth, photography on November 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Every single day I encounter something which amazes me, inspires me, or thrills me.

Every single day is unique.

This is the first time I have experienced today.

This will be the last time I experience today.

In France there is a phrase for this approach to life – l’émerveillement du quotidien. (the every day marvel or amazement)

I’m sharing this particular photo of a sunset, taken from my garden a couple of days ago, because I’ve never seen this actual phenomenon before. That burst of sunbeams or reflections in the cloud, above the setting sun…..like the spreading folds of a fan.

Beautiful.

Amazing.

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The A to Z of Becoming. Part 2. T for Trust

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, personal growth, philosophy, photography on November 16, 2014| 1 Comment »

In the second part of the A to Z of Becoming, T stands for Trust.

Trust?

Trust in the Universe, God, another person? Trust that, as the sign above declares “everything is going to be alright”?

Trust will mean something different to different people, but for me, it’s about a mixture of confidence, hope and experience in the processes of resilience and adaptability.

I don’t trust predictions. I don’t trust outcomes. I don’t trust politicians’ promises, drug companies’ claims, the certainties of the arrogant.

What I trust is that as I live this life I learn and develop skills which enable me to cope with what comes my way. More than that, I learn to trust that it is worthwhile thinking the best of people, and expecting them to be friendly or helpful. Expecting, at least, that the next person I meet will not wish me harm. That doesn’t mean that they won’t harm me. What I trust, is that I will cope if they do, that I’ll learn something from the experience, and that I’ll learn something about them.

Trust for me involves hope, and it does involve a kind of faith….the faith that the Universe is developing consistently towards ever greater complexity, ever greater integration, and ever deeper consciousness. Trust in the growth of diversity, uniqueness, and the extending network of links and bonds.

I trust that every day I will be amazed, or surprised, or inspired by something….and I am!

What does trust mean in your life? How do you experience trust? And what does trusting add to your life?

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Robin

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, photography on November 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »

When I lived in Stirling there was a robin which was very fond of the bush right in front of the space where I parked my car. I looked forward to seeing him, and the familiarity was really satisfying.

Well I moved to France a week ago, and over the last few days was pleased to see a robin frequenting my new garden. This morning I stood very still with camera in hand and, finally, he came and sat on the fence post to pose while I adjusted the zoom and the focus till I got this photo.

Isn’t it beautiful?

Now I don’t imagine the very same robin has followed me, but I’m sure glad his cousin has turned up!

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Rhythms of the day

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, photography on November 13, 2014| 9 Comments »

My my days have a new rhythm.

For most of the last 20 years my days have been topped and tailed by Scotrail as I travelled to and from work in Glasgow from my home in Stirling.

Now I have moved into a typical Charentaise house in France, and you’ll see from this photo that one of the main features of the house are the wooden shutters on every window.

So now my day begins with a trip round the house to open all the shutters and welcome in the light. And as the sun sets each evening my day is marked by the “closing of the shutters”.

There is something immensely satisfying about this new rhythm, marking each day with the opening and the closing of the shutters.

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A brand new sunset

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, personal growth, photography on November 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

For many years I’ve photographed the sunsets I could see from my window looking across to Ben Ledi. Well, I’ve moved now, and I’m living in a South-facing Charentaise house near Cognac. Tonight I saw the sun setting over the vineyards – a view which is brand new to me.

Then I thought, actually, every single sunset is a brand new sunset. So don’t miss it! You’ll never have seen it before, so approach it with your new, this present moment, mind, and see for yourself – a brand new sunset.

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The A to Z of Becoming. Part 2. S for slow

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, personal growth, photography on November 9, 2014| 3 Comments »

In the second part of the A to Z of Becoming, S stands for Slow.

Slowing down allows you to notice more, experience more, savour more, enjoy more.

Our lives often seem to fly past at top speed, but that’s partly because we are on automatic pilot, or so keen to be somewhere else (in time or place) that our hearts and minds have already zipped ahead and the present passes us by almost unnoticed.

I’ve just moved to the Charente region of France, and here they have a snail as a kind of mascot. In fact, one of the nearby villages, Segonzac, is a part of the “Cittaslow” movement – a slow town.

Yesterday, I stopped in at a delightful little cafe in Cognac. They might serve expressos, but the whole experience is delightfully slow. Is that an oxymoron? A slow expresso? Anyway, I recommend it. Sit down, take your time, and slowly enjoy the whole experience!

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How we make the world

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, personal growth, photography on November 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »

We shape this Earth we live on.

We make our unique marks, leave our personal traces, create the world anew every single day.

We co-create the world. Together, and with every other creature, element and force on this planet.

Through DNA, twisting with other strands, passing on characteristics, tendencies, possibilities……

Through the stories we tell, the thoughts we have, the songs we sing, the images we make……

Your time on this Earth is a singular time, a unique and special time, and you are the active player, dancer, maker.

See what a world has been created by our forebears.

See what a world we leave for the children yet to be born.

See what a world we make, you and I, today……

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Landing

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, perception, personal growth, photography, science on November 5, 2014| 1 Comment »

There is something magical about flying through clouds. They look so solid, but they’re not. It’s impossible to be sure about their edges….where does a cloud begin? Where does it end? Despite their absence of a solid nature they make pretty impressive shadows on the Earth below. And they are in a state of constant becoming, perpetual change.

I saw these particular ones above the Garonne as the plane was landing in Bordeaux carrying me to the next big chapter of Life.

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Heading South

Posted in from the dark room, from the living room, life, photography on November 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Cold snap on the way in Scotland….maybe I’m like the geese I see flying South these last few days, because I too am heading South, swapping the views of the mountains for views of vineyards….