Always Being Now.

Sunday afternoon, gazing out of the kitchen window as big fat snowflakes fall on the wet garden. It will not settle because it also appears to be raining. I suppose the correct term is sleet. We are saying farewell to January. What a month it has been. Britain has finally been cut adrift from Europe and the death toll passes 100,000 from COVID-19. When the Titanic sank in 1912 it was a national disaster when 1,500 people perished, but now that figure has been reached nearly every day. In the USA there is a new President trying to repair the damage of the last four years. Let us hope he succeeds. On a personal level I am pleased with some things. Firstly, I have kept my promise to write something on my blog page every day. Sorry if it has been unimportant trivial nonsense on many occasions, but it is the best I can do in the present circumstances. Hopefully, as the weather gets better, and the restrictions of lock-down are lifted I will be able to get out and about and find something interesting to write about. Secondly, I have done some exercise every day, either Tai Chi or Qigong or going for a walk. I can feel the benefit of it. Thirdly, I have got through January without any alcohol, which I am also incredibly pleased about. I have not felt at all depressed during the isolation. I bet I would have if I had been drinking every night. I might treat myself to a glass of wine tomorrow evening though.

Shana Morrison.

So, what have I done since yesterday? Last night when I was looking for something else on YouTube I stumbled across videos by Eckhart Tolle and ended up watching for an hour or so. I think I first became aware of his name at a Van Morrison concert in Bristol about seven years ago. Van’s daughter Shana Morrison sang a few songs to start the show. She asked the audience to please not film or record on their phones and as Eckhart Tolle says, 'just be in the presence of the moment'. She asked so sweetly that I did not try and do any filming at all that evening. Anyway, I did not take much interest in Tolle until now because I thought he was just popularising things that others had said previously, mainly Krishnamurti. However, after listening to him last night I was so impressed that I ordered one of his books called The Power Of Now. I will tell you about it when I have read it.

Apart from that, last night I watched a documentary about The Mamas & The Papas who I had several records of in the 60s. Also, a documentary/concert of The Beach Boys from 1976. I really enjoyed that, apart from Mike Love who seems to be an ego maniac. The Wilson brothers and Al Jardine were great, especially when the surfing police turned up and made Brian get out of bed and go surfing.

That will do for today. As it is February 1^st tomorrow, I will try and think of something special to tell you about.