Coast to Coast Walk

David. Fearless Leader

I am just back from helping Lionheart Tours guide a lovely group of Americans on the above walk. It is one of the top ten walks in the world and in my view fully deserves that accolade. Passing through three national parks from Irish Sea to North Sea it is truly beautiful. It is also a challenging walk, quite tough and not always easy to follow. This trip however was blessed with exceptionally good weather and visibility so route finding was not as difficult as it can be in rain and low cloud. I feel privileged to have been with this group and to make new friends. Also with David ( Lionheart Tours ) providing a historical overview during the walk I looked at this wonderful country with new eyes and through my American friends eyes. To all those fine people I say thank you for the many interesting conversations, for your good humour and above all for your patience with my occasional navigating errors.

Me. Not so fearless leader

John and Gail.Very English Americans
Charming, kind and lovable.

David and Adele. Glamorous couple
On loan from hollywood?

Stephen. Ultra runner. He could run the
whole route in two days but was patient
with us ordinary mortals.

Donna. Everybodies favourite.
Married to Stephen. we shared a
mutual interest in Buddhism.

Tanya. A real trooper. So pleased to
finish and enjoy that glass of celebratory
wine. Terrific.

Blistering Barbara. Not only fast but
with more blisters than feet. Heroic;
True grit.

Mac and Lucy Absolutely lovely couple.
Good company. Great conversations.

Marc. So witty. He inspired me with his
interest in everything. Great company.

Judy and Ruth. Mother and daughter.
What a team. Delightful combination.

kathy. From Canada but living in Texas.
Laconic humour. Big hat and long legs.
Always at the front and bouncing jokes
off Marc.

Free Spirit Again

Last post for a while.

T. S. Elliot wrote " We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time."

I love this line from Elliot's Four Quartets.

I will be exploring The Coast to Coast long distance path, helping Lionheart Tours guide a party of Americans from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hoods Bay in North Yorkshire. It will be an exploration because although I have walked it before it was East to West. Walking West to East makes the quote relevant as I will end up where I started from previously!

After the walk ( about 12 days ) I will take a train to Norwich to see my family, especially my new granddaughter who will be four months. I last saw her in April just after she was born.

This is me on the Coast to Coast. The Heather blooms briefly and gloriously now. Another reminder to enjoy each moment.

Back sometime in August.

Desire

I want to be done with this. I have no further need. Bureaucracy, tax inspectors, vat men. Away with them all. Accountants, bankers, solicitors, landlords. Away with them all.

I want the things that mean the most. Immeasurable things. Valueless valuable things. Unknownable things, unpossessable things.

I want to throw away things. Surplus this and surplus that. Donate this to that and that to this. Here take this. I have too much.

I want to simplify, to prune, to lighten. My needs are few. Less is more. Release the bonds.

I want to feel. Exhilaration. The fresh earth. The sun. The dew. The river. The vibrant interconnected pulse of life. The sea. The grass. The leaf. The insect. The mountain.

I want to close the doors. Hand in the keys. Say goodbye. Duty done. I enjoyed the fight. Now it's time. Let go.

I want to see, to feel, touch, glory in, be absorbed by... wonder. Muse on it. Absorb the beauty of love.

Mind unimpeded. Mind unclouded. By things.

The great escape.
Written when I gave up the day job and before I took the next one!

Form is only emptiness

Form is only emptiness. Emptiness only form.( From The Heart Sutra )

From empty moments in meditation or absorption the form of creativity arises. Like mist rising from the still lake.

Eva's Art

Eva is the delightful daughter of my good friends Gunapala and Suzie. She is only four and a half years old and is always drawing and painting. I think she has something, a talent which should, and will be nurtured. What do you think? Can you see the angel in this picture?

Artist. Eva Jean Tisch.

The Rooks Have Gone

A wood pigeon softly calls, hidden in the tall pine trees. Late July now. I notice the gentle sound. A moment of awareness.

All through the spring, frenetic activity, raucous calling. All but the nearest bird song overwhelmed by The Rookery.

The Rooks have gone now. A new generation flown. Another year. I am awake to this moment. To the flow of time.

Awakened by The Pigeon.




Your teacher can take any form

 

The scar

Two Beech trees stand on the footpath to Totnes.

Sentinels overlooking the path from the steep bank.

Beautiful.     Magnificent.    Huge in stately perfection.

On the trunk of one is carved: Sam loves Brooke. On the other: I love Amy. Where are Sam, Brooke, I and Amy now?

                                          The tree remains, growing serenely upwards.

Just as the tree, we bear scars. Scars inflicted by others and by ourselves.

Just as the tree, we do not allow them to stop us reaching our full potential
.

A reminder not to hold on to emotional injury

No painting

The Coast to Coast walk. North York Moors.

Too busy to paint at the moment! So much going on so can't complain. Back from the three day walk on Friday and confirmed with Lionheart Tours that I would help with the leading of the next National Geographic Coast to Coast walk from Sunday. Nice to be paid for doing something I like! It makes a change from the day job. Looking forward to getting back to my painting though.

The Mountain

Hearts pounding steadily. Awed by the encircling bulk. Muscles exulting, working comfortably close to capacity. Sweat cooling the miracle that is the body. In the quiet midst of exertion the mind meditates on the miracle of life.

Ascending slowly, surely, reaching with feet and hands deeper into the corrie. Into the corrie that is the breach in the armour of the mountain.

The sky opens. The ridge reached. Narrow, plunging away immediately into the next valley.

Lochans, streams, sparkle and shimmer away to the north. Past, around and under other shadowed hills.

To the west our spirits follow the ridge, rising sharply to the penultimate peak. Beyond higher still, the power of the greatest peak imposes it's presence on the entire mountain and it's fragile visitors.

Drawn upwards. The final defence. Rocks, cold and icy even on this so benign winters day.

Standing in space. Sun low in the southwest. Sea, diamond flashing to the west. The whiteness of Beinn Eighe eternal to the east.

Joy. higher than the mountain in the completeness of our triumph.

Gremlins

Faintly appearing like Riders of the Apocalypse. Early. Distant at first, then close, so close.

Growing in intensity.  Relentless. There will be no more sleep.

You fight. It's too late. Cold fear grips. You are scared.

Of what?

The Gremlins of possibility and probability.

Powerful beyond the reality which returns with the light of morning.
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This poem was written when I was going through a crisis and it had so overwhelmed me I couldn't sleep. For me it was a prelude to new personal growth. So I dedicate this poem to anybody reading this who is suffering from a crisis point in their lives and wish them well for a post crisis future.

Was it a job? Three day walk

Sitting down for my evening meal on Sunday the 10th when I received a call from Dave Lunn of Lionheart Tours. Dave and I became friendly when he used to pass my shop in Osmotherley when leading groups of Americans on the Coast to Coast walk.

Dave had previously asked me to help with a group on the 24th or 25th July but at the time I felt unable to accept due to other commitments. Now he was asking me to join him for the last three days of his current tour, all expenses paid. However I would have to get down to Osmotherley on Monday 11th! After five minutes thought I agreed and we raced down to Osmotherley to join the group for their evening meal in the Three Tuns. It was great to be back in Osmotherley where I have many friends.

In the morning Dave said " Lead off and I will catch you up" Some hours later still no Dave and I guessed ( correctly ) that I was in charge of this group until we stopped for lunch.Was this a job interview by action I wonder? Thank goodness I didn't lose them! Dave did catch up ( by bus ) later.

We walked from the Blakey Lion on Wednesday and from Grosmont to Robin Hoods Bay on Thursday. It was a great walk, a great three days and a very nice group of people. So thanks Dave and if you are reading this I will shuffle those commitments and join you for the whole of the next tour.

Robin Hoods Bay. The end of the Coast to Coast walk.

Moments

Slowly, slowly we walk. Time to absorb. First past the old Chestnut trees. Pausing we wonder. The white fountain of flowers are examined as never before. Huge with delicate subdivisions topped by red stamens. Beautiful, glowing against the backdrop of green leaves. We observe the lushness and exceptional greenness of late spring, the result of heavy winter rain.

Slowly, slowly we walk. Onto the ancient parkland. The hot sun drawing the vigorous grass upwards. Buttercups and blue flowers populate the grass. So dense in the middle distance the grass turns blue and yellow. Everything pulsates with, throbs with, life's unseen power. The delicate ethereal blue flowers radiate and channel this most strongly. It penetrates us joyfully. We sit and rest in the extensive shadow of an old oak. We admire the gnarled bark and the light and dark greens of it's sun dappled foliage. Further away a low boughed tree casts shadow of such intense blackness that the sunlit Cow Parsley stands out like a light on a dark night.

Slowly, slowly we walk. Into the woods. Enveloped by coolness we listen to the unbridled joy of birdsong. Undergrowth alive with sound and movement. Two squirrels dance the tango of life around a tree trunk. We look at the Bluebells, their full glory gone. A reminder of the changing changelessness of each perfect moment.

Slowly, slowly we walk. Retracing our steps. Past those wonderful aged oaks. Observers of so many seasons of change and renewal, of rain, sun, wind, and snow. In witness today of us, as we enjoy each other and this perfect moment.

This poem is dedicated to a friend who was recovering from an operation when we did this walk. The painting is by me of an old oak tree and is titled Guardian of the Path.

Inishmore Island. Ireland

This poem is dedicated to my son Julian and his lovely new daughter Isla. I spent a few days with Julian on Inishmore and it is a precious memory._________________________________________________________________

Centuries of habitation. Old houses abandoned for new ones beside. Stones overgrown with weeds. Flowers and grass indicating perhaps an older dwelling and hummocks a sign of something ancient.

Amongst the peace and solitude one senses the desolation overcoming those not suited. The island reclaiming each departed souls evidence of existence.




Tenacious Sea Pinks march across the layered rocks at the sea edge and dance to acknowledge the wind. A little further back, in the wild grass of the numerous stone enclosures, dazzling Yellow Vetch and purple Geranium Molle mingle in colourful exuberance.

New prosperity is arriving to Inishmore. New foreign faces from every corner of the globe step ashore daily from the mainland ferries. Bicycle hire, mini bus tours, pony and trap excursions bring employment and money where once there was hardship and struggle.

Nevertheless after the last ferry, the island reclaims it's own, leaving temporary residents in the hostels and guesthouses, who in turn are all gone at the end of the season.

What happens on Inishmore in winter when the westerly gales sweep in from the Atlantic? Do some of the inhabitants use their new prosperity  to descend on other people, on other islands, in another hemisphere?
Do they long to be back on Inishmore when the days lengthen and the flowers awake from their winter slumber?

Tour de France 2

This is what helped us on our journey!

Tour de France 2011

Well we returned from our Tour de France which we completed in record low time. I for one nearly didn't make it as I nearly missed The Bike Bus on the 4th June! I arrived at my pick up point early at Leicester Forest Services having stayed overnight with my friend Maureen but having loaded other people the bus pulled away as I was turning my handlebars ready for the trailer. I ran after it with my bike ( it doesn't push well with turned handlebars ) shouting and hopping along. With the bus approaching the exit slip road and me losing ground the driver saw me in the mirror. After a few choice and unmentionable expletives I was loaded up and 24 hours later was dropped at Orange with my two friends John and Peter.

Our tour took us across The Gorges de l'Ardeche, over The Cevennes by way of the col under Mont Lozere (  never again ) down The Gorges du Tarn, up The Gorges de la Dourbie, down the river Orb and finally heading out of the mountains we picked up The Canal du Midi which we followed to Beziers. We spent two welcome days with my brother Tony who lives between Beziers and Montpellier. It was bliss to sleep in a comfortable bed after nearly a month of Spartan campimg. We then moved to the coast and rounded off the last three days swimming and lazing around before picking up the return bus at Montpellier on the 3rd July.

The photos were taken at St. Ambroix at a fete celebrating the local regional culture of Occitane which we were told has something in common with The Catalan region of Spain. Certainly the language seemed to resemble Spanish to some degree.

So one month older, a bit tanned, maybe a bit fitter but non the wiser I am back to my day job. I did a few sketches and am looking forward to painting them. All in all a very nice trip.

Zen and the art of bicycling

Last post for now.

T. S. Elliot wrote " We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time."

So with this in mind I am leaving shortly for the Gerryactive 2011 Cycle Tour of France. I really love this annual trip with my good friends John and Pete. It is so relaxing mentally ( occasionally tough physically as we cross mountain cols ) to be with two easy going lads just meandering through rural France on our bicycles with our tents and minimum gear. Free spirits. No news, no phone, no computer, no gadgets, no responsibilities. Our world will shrink and therefore become large. Back sometime.

Butterflies and enlightenment

In the fleeting life of the Copper Butterfly the female has sex only once. After this she simply folds her wings when a hopeful male is looking to mate. Does this mean she has gained enlightenment and is ready to return to the source? What does this tell us? That life is only lived in the moment and although we have more moments life is short. There is a quote from The Dalai Lama ( look it up ) that human life is precious and not to be wasted. Enlightenment is available in the continuous present even if most of us only have glimpses as fleeting as the sex life of a Copper Butterfly.

Evening Sail

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Sketch of Hawkshead

Further to my comments on our holiday with Japanese guests. It was a very full week but I did find time to make a preparatory sketch of the magnificent view down to Hawkshead church and village. I look forward to painting it. The photo is from nearly the chosen painting position.

More of me returns home

Back home from The Lake district after an uproarious week. Seven Japanese and three Brits in an old Lakeland cottage with all the cultural differences and misunderstandings you might expect. What a fun week, lots of laughs and unintentional jokes. The Japanese guests were introduced to the strange British habit of walking on cold wet mountains in heavy rain and us British got to sample some extremely unusual food. We had nettle leaves cooked in tempura and local bracken shoots cooked up and served as a side dish to name just two examples. It must have been good as I am definitely stouter around the waist!

Scottish Bracken a hit with Japanese tour group

Our Japanese Lake district tour ended with all guests happy. We cooked up some Bracken we took down from Scotland. It was judged superior to Lake district Bracken. Not to my British taste though!

Peter Rabbit no longer top Lakeland attraction

Our Japanese Lake District tour continues. A straw poll of our guest indicates Fell Climbing has displaced Peter Rabbit on the must see/do Japanese hit list.

Marmite falls from grace

Can you believe this? Denmark has just banned Marmite! It seems it has too MANY vitamins and therefore may be dangerous to children and pregnant woman. Now where do vegetarians get their vitamin B12 from?

Japanese under Water

Group tour took a turn for the worse yesterday. Torrential rain left our Japanese group somewhat bedraggled and were reduced to squelching round Grasmere along with busloads of disappointed American Tourists. All the shops sold lots of wet weather gear!

Japanese on the up

Photo now added

Walked with a party of Japanese to Laterbarrow ( small hill with excellent views of Lake Windermere ) and back to Hawkshead. They loved it. Usually Japanese visitors to The Lake District only go to Beartrix Potters house and then leave so it was nice to show them some of the splendid walking instead of the usual tourist stuff. Photo to follow. For some it was especially wonderful after the trauma of the earthquake and Tsunami.

Osmotherley Chickens

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Young Tiger

Went for a cycle ride with Phil today. Phil is ex army, half my age and training for a cycle/run challenge race so it was with some apprehension that I accepted his invitation for a ' gentle run out on our bikes ' We had a great ride and Phil kept up a running commentary about life, his hopes, dreams and aspirations etc. Fortunately he didn't seem to notice my lack of  repartee or the tortured gasps from my heaving lungs. We arrived home and as I stood dripping with sweat on the gravel drive I noticed he seemed completely unruffled and ready for another high octane ride just to build up a bit more stamina.

"I really enjoyed that Chris" he said, " We must do that again soon"

" Yes " I replied. " We must "

Gerry Active

The term jerryactive was coined by four of us on a recent cycle tour of Yorkshire. As we are all not exactly in the first flush of youth but nevertheless all pretty fit examples of mature manhood someone came up with the play on words ' Jerryactive tour of Yorkshire'. I was so tickled by this I have changed my blog name to Gerry Active. My previous blog name was chrisgauntartist which is the same as my artwork website.

Don't Mess With Nature

Farmers in China have reported a rash of ' exploding watermelons ' giving new meaning to the expression ' it's a minefield'.

It seem the melons had been sprayed with too much forchlorfenuron, a growth accelerating chemical! This was an attempt to boost profits by getting the melons to market early.

Seems you don't always want a bigger bang for your buck but let us hope under endowed men don't pick up on this chemical! Three cheers for mother nature.

Shaker The Greyhound

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Speckled Hen at Dawn

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Flooded Meadow

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Plockton Scotland

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Guarding the Path

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Chalky

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Blackrock Cottage Glencoe

To view this and other paintings go to http://www.chrisgauntartist.co.uk/

Your Meditation Instructor

Meditation is creation not imitation. Meditators who imitate their instructors do not go far. Just as the finger pointing at the moon is not the moon so too is instruction not to be confused with meditation. Instruction is merely the invitation to connect with spirit.

Do Horses Read The Prophet?

In the field next to our house there are three horses, a stallion and two mares. After my morning meditation I was watching them and words from Kahil Gibran's book The Prophet came to mind.

The horses display affection to each other by licking and gentle pushing with their noses. They also usually graze quite close to each other but when resting on the ground there is usually some comfortable space between them, although still close.

They reminded me of the words from the section on marriage.

 " Let there be spaces in your togetherness. And let the winds of heaven dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls "

Even if they haven't read The Prophet animals display wisdom!

Commissioned painting with reworked background colour

At the request of the client I have changed the background colour. I have to agree it is better, the previous yellow background didn't work to well. This is a poor quality image as it has not yet been scanned so it is a photo image.

Network Rail Employs Sheep

Yes it's true! Network rail is responsible for a 35 hectare field full of rare orchids and wild flowers. A site of special scientific interest it has formerly cost £50,000.00 a year to protect the habitat at Great Stukeley, Cambridgeshire. Staff were paid to keep brambles and hawthorn scrub in check to prevent the habit becoming unsuitable for the rare flowers. Now however it has discovered the job can be done by Wiltshire Horn Sheep as they eat the scrub and leave the flowers!
Not only are they cheap but they do not belong to the RMT Rail Union and despite Bob Crowes best efforts refuse to go on strike.
Network Rail has named the operation HOOVES ( high output ovine vegetation system )

Travel

It is good to travel, to go on a journey, if only to learn anew that one has already arrived.

Jerry Active Yorkshire Cycle Trip

Back from five days cycling round Yorkshire with three excellent companions. As we are not in the first flush of youth we nicknamed the trip The Jerry Active Tour.

En Route we came across a couple cycling with a Border Terrier who rode behind in a little doggy carriage when he got too tired to run alongside.

Commissioned Painting

Just finished my commissioned painting of Shaker the Greyhound. Quite pleased but not to sure of the background colour. If the client does not like it I can change it.

Bodhi The Skateboarding Terrier

Bodhi the skateboarding Lakeland Terrier got owner Jonathon Fell into trouble with Brighton and Hove city Council for failing to keep Bodhi on a lead.

Even Though Bodhi makes people laugh and brings joy into peoples lives the council has fined Mr Fell £80.00 and if he does not pay in 14 days it will be increased to £1000.00.

Surely Mr Fell and Bodhi should be congratulated for bringing a little lightness into the world, not fined.

Apparently Bodhi has become famous on U Tube even though he has become a criminal in the eyes of council killjoys!

Acting from a Conscious Mind. The Problems.

One of the problems of being even a little bit awake is how to respond to confrontations, disputes, arguments, bad behaviour etc especially from family members, especially those closest to us. By definition the awakened mind is free of ego and would understand that aggression, bullying, nagging is etc is usually coming from the ego of ( at least in that moment )  an unconscious mind. However even long standing meditation practitioners are usually not always present and free of ego. This means that when provoked the conscious mind can return to the unconscious and react in an unskillful way.
When the mind is in a conscious state it is relatively easy to handle a situation ( say a drunk person with whom you are not emotionally involved ) in a non reactive way. However when close to someone emotionally the ego is often awakened and the result is a return to the unconscious state. This can be a real problem when dealing with bad behaviour from a family member. The conscious person can see clearly and may act skillfully for a while but somehow the situation does not get resolved. Then the ego kicks in. " I am doing everything right but I just get walked over and he ( she ) just thinks I am weak" It is a real problem.
What we have is a mind which being a bit awake tries to act ethically and doesn't get a result. This causes confusion because the mind is awake enough to know in the past it would have reacted without thinking and would not therefore be literally in two minds. It is indeed a very uncomfortable situation. I suppose the answer is to try to make that awakened conscious mind more stable? Then again it may be appropriate to leave the relationship? I am still trying to work on this and may well have to give it more consideration and thought.

Sold this print today

Received a order from The United States today for Black Rock Cottage Glencoe. Perhaps the client had a MacDonald ancestor?

Painting and Meditation

Started work on my commission for a portrait of Shaker a much loved retired champion Greyhound. Painting is like Meditation, requiring full attention to what is really there. There is no future or past, just now, the present moment.

Shaker

This is a picture of Jo Gaunt's dog Shaker. I have been commissioned to do a portrait of him.

New Arrival

Last week I became the proud grandfather to Isla Grace born to my son Julian and partner Vicky. Seen here with Ben and Jayden my grandsons holding their somewhat unwilling little sister!

Sangha. The First Jewel?

In the Triratna Buddhist Community traditionally we begin a period of meditation by saluting the shrine while paying homage to The Three Jewels. The Three Jewels are The Buddha, The Dharma ( The Teachings ) and The Sangha ( The Spiritual Community ) in that order.

In  view of The Buddha's central teaching, that is to say impermanance and continuous change and the importance he gave to The Sangha I wonder if actually the order should be The Sangha, The Dharma and The Buddha.
 I know this is heresy but consider this. Ananda his loyal monk and continual attendent said to The Buddha in a conversation about spiritual friendship.
 " Venerable Sir, this is half the spiritual life, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship"

To which The Buddha replied.

"Not so, Ananda. Not so Ananda. This is the entire spiritual life Ananda. That is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship."

Why did I also put The Dharma second and The Buddha last? My reasoning is as follows; The Dharma has undergone subtle changes over the last 2500 years or so, especially as it was taken up in different countries and cultures, but nevertheless still continues. The historical Buddha while of course continuing as an ideal to emulate is dead. The Sangha as the vehicle for The Dharma is always changing as members leave and others join but is the powerhouse behind our practice.

So perhaps The Buddha would be horrified at the possibility of his teachings being ' fixed ' by rigid doctrinel methods in which he is made a God and not just the great awakened man and teacher that he was?

Consider also this quote by The Buddha from the Kalama Sutra;

Do not believe just because wise men say so.
Do not believe just because it has always been that way.
Do not believe just because others may believe so.
Examine, and experience yourself.

Ritual has an important place in our practice but we must not let it obscure or stop us thinking about the meaning of The Buddha's teaching.