BS: mooman in the monastery

Subject: mooman in the monastery
From: GUEST,mooman in the monastery
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 02:28 AM

Hi folks!

As I mentioned in another thread, I'm now down in Southern India at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the jungle where I'll be teaching science as part of a "Science meets Dharma" project.

Today's the first day's teaching but I'll be posting here from time to time in this thread to let you know how I'm getting on and to answer any questions anyone might have about such an odd and interesting experience.

For the purist! Yes there is some music...though I'd be hard pressed to define it in exact terms

All the very best,

mooman

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: alison
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 02:40 AM

I knew you'd get bored eating all that Belgian chocolate sooner or later.... *grin*

sounds like a nice change.... have fun

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 05:13 AM

Yo Richard! Exactly where are you? Anywhere near Simla, or Mysore, Bangalore, perhaps. My crumblies were in coffee out there, but got involved in Hitler's war, and never made it back there. I've never been, but I'm crazed to go, someday soon, I hope.

Yes, please tell us all the griff. I'm fascinated to hear about the place and the people. We'll hopefully raft up in the UK in September and you can tell all. Is the memsahib with you?

I haven't looked in the Locator, but I guess you are the only Injun Catter!

Skipjack

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: alanabit
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 06:03 AM

Talk to you when you get back. I haven't forgotten our conversation. Have a good time down there. Alan.

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: An Pluiméir Ceolmhar
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 06:43 AM

You're excused for missing last night's session.

Go easy on the poppadums, apparently they're bad for one's embouchure.

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: catspaw49
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 08:54 AM

Lemmee see here........You're living in a beautiful, cultural, city and then you run off to the ass end of nowhere to commune with celibate guys in robes, tigers, and cobras..............Ya' know Moo, whatever is wrong with you is no little thing. Frankly I'm beginning to believe that your Family Tree is shaped like a wreath..........Keep us posted on your project and if you see a monk with a gas can, head the other way.

Thinking of that, I saw something yesterday that I should have both taken a picture of and called the cops about. We have quite a few Amish living around here and when I passed the gas station I saw an Amish guy with a 40 gallon, thin plastic barrel, rope-strapped on the back of his buggy. He was at the pumps and filling the barrel with gasoline!!! I don't know what they use the gas for, but this was obviously the Amish version of a "tanker" (the picture), and if I could think of anything less safe than this, it just didn't occur to me! Now I admit that a horse and buggy ain't got a lot of ignition sources, but somehow I can envision a stray spark getting to the considerable fumes that an open barrel of gas would be emanating. It was also a "Non Approved" container obviously(the police). Anyway there were no headlines today about "Amish Guy Blown to Kingdom Come...Horse Follows" or anything so I assume he got home safely somehow.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: alanww
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 11:50 AM

Hi Richard! Please let us know when and how you discover yourself. [But you and Mrs McMoo seemed to know yourselves more than adequately already at the Brussels Mudcat Gathering at Easter!] I know you will enjoy the experience and you will gather plenty of stories for telling at future dinner parties!

We're climbing up the sunshine mountain, where the little breezes blow ...!
Alan

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 11:52 AM

Funny mind-picture, Spaw! The only way I can think of that the Amishman was going to use the gasoline was for small engines. My uncle used a gas engine in the milking parlor of his dairy. And my cousin has a small-engine repair shop.

Just part of the illogic they use. I can, however, agree that finding alternatives for generating electricity may create a deliberative approach to conveniences and thus to life itself.

Just as some (non-Amish) friends here purposely didn't plumb their home, but get their spring water from a pipe on the hillside.

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 Jul 02 - 11:55 AM

Oh, and Mooman- what an opportunity! Yes, please keep us posted. Will you eventually write a book, I hope?

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: GUEST,mooman and the monks
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 02:26 AM

Hi guys,

Glad the post got through. You know it has to be carried by elephant to the nearest telegraph line.

Skip...I'm about six hour drive South West of Bangalore, about 2 and a half hours further on the Mysore. The locals are great as are the Tibetan monks and community here.

You're right 'Spaw...something definitely amiss with the genes in my case. Haven't seen a monk with a gas can yet but I'll be sure to avoid him if I do (apart from the obligatory cup of cha that is!). Like the "first Amish in space story".

Plumber...my embouchure was never any good in the first place so I'm told!

alanabit...have had a lot of conversations following our chat and I think something's definitely on...will be in touch when (if) I get back.

Alan...thanks for the nice thought and good wishes.

Ebbie, I'm keeping a journal and will post a full account and picture on my website eventually if you're interested.

Peace to all

mooman (the serene)

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Noreen
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 05:45 AM

*wave*

Hi Richard (and friends). What exactly are you teaching? Sold any microscopes? :0)

Remember to get up carefully after meditating...

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Letty
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 07:28 AM

Are you teaching the monks to play the banjo?
That would be a sight!
Anyway, I'm off to Dorset with Dad and dog (!), walking the Southwest Coast trail. Something completely different!

Letty (already planning the next Gathering)

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 07:52 AM

Yo Letitia! Hope the monsoon evaporates for you, and you aren't required to perform your national stereotypical behaviour involving digits and dykes. Hope you have a braw time.

Skipjack

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 08:21 AM

So mooman......Check it out!!.......Personally, I already pre-ordered but since you're off in India and all.......................

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 04:03 PM

mooman - I can't imagine any experience rendering you any more serene than you already are! Anyway, have a good time and tell us all about it. (Such as: WHO are you teaching, the monks, the locals, anybody else?)

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 04:23 PM

Wow! How very kewl! Can't wait to read more and see any piccies when you get back. Hope you have a few pet mongoose hanging about; that, or you've learned to tootle to the cobras. Thanks for keeping in touch!

Namaste,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Aug 02 - 07:16 PM

This is very interesting, mooman. I hope you have a great experience while you're there. Looking forward to hearing (reading) more about it.

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: GUEST,mooman tootling cobras
Date: 02 Aug 02 - 09:20 AM

Dear All!

Kat...I took the troublr to pack a little something in my bag knowing I would probably have to tootle a few cobras...this is far preferable to trying to blow up their asses! (though I suppose I COULD try tootling up their asses...that might be a world first and would certainly out-Spaw the below-mentioned Spaw!)

Letty...I thought about that and was very nearly tempted to bring my banjo. But like nearly everyone else in the world I thought they might take exception to a long handled egg slicer so thought better of it.

Noreen...I'm teaching biology (as much as I can in three weeks ranging from basic form and function (someone else already did all the biochemistry-type bits), through ecological systems, food chains and trophic levels (such as we have here in Mudcat with the bottom feeders and all that sometimes...) through to plant and medical biotechnology and nanotechnology. Language is one of the main problems but I luckily have a charming Tibetan PhD-level biologist assisting me. No the real main problem is the different conceptual frameworks west and east approach problems from but fortunately I prepared with that in mind. Haven't sold any microscopes but I gave a few to the project and their mad about them!

Thanks CarolC...your good thoughts, as always, are much appreciated and I'll be certainly posting more over the next few weeks and will put up a section about the trip on my site when I get back.

Suzanne, are you trying to gret the right side of me or what! Really, thanks a very kind thing to say but I DO hope to comre back more serene (and enlightened perhaps as I have managed to persuade two very senior monks to give me an intensive personal course of the philosophy and practice underlying meditation which I already try to do in a humble sort of way.

'Spaw...so already having ruined my life once you're trying to do it again! I swear I'll throttle that Thile character if I ever see him for setting my mando playing back 40 years! Great stuff! I'll send a message to Lady McMoo to preorder it for me!

Right...now where's my cobra tootler (a new line for the makers of the Aussie-Amish moustache tuner 'Spaw?)!

Peace to all

mooman (tootle, tootle...ouch..you nasty little snake, that hurt!)

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: GUEST,mooman lost in the jungle
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 01:36 AM

Hi all!

Just a quick update for anyone who's interested!

I've been here teaching in this Tibetan Buddhist monastic community for two weeks now and have a week to go (my "working holiday"!).

The teaching is going superbly well and I am managing to "integrate" a lot of detailed but perhaps contextually new (for the monks) science such that they can relate the different disciplines better.

So far I've managed to do crash course in botany, redo some of the cell chemistry, DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, photosynthesis,e ct so they understand the processes better, some basic ecosystem, biogeography, biome and energy flow in systems work. I'll have to leave a bit of the detail of that behind for them as they are mad to learn something and biotechnology and nanotechnology next week (medical applications of these sciences are currently what I mainly work on back at base). These subjects raise many ethical questions and the final week should be a very interesting one.

As for myself, those who know me might know that I'm heavily intested in meditation and I managed to find two very senior monks who were willing to spend time most days on helping me improve my understanding and practice of meditation. These discussions have been amazingly open and interactive with a real two-way dialogue.

I've made a lot of friends amongst the community here and can say the whole experience has been really enriching. The photo count is now above 100 so I'll be making something of an illustrated journal available once I'm back on my own website for anyone who's intested to read more.

Now...where does that path lead? ....look out....charging white elephant!

Peace to all

mooman

P.S. Specially for 'Spaw...I haven't had my head completely shaved yet!! And yes, the completely vegetarian diet is providing an infinitely enriched atmosphere!

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Giac
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 08:04 AM

What a great experience!

Keep tootling and taking pictures -- and hurry with that next installment.

~;o)
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 10:47 PM

Snakes and Elephants!! (Beats saying 'Sakes Alive!' )

How about a commentary on a typical day?

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 11:01 PM

hello mooman, i was in town last yeer and sume monks came up to me, and said "do i want a free meel", i thought this sound very good and sais yes pleese straight away, them told me were to go and when, but when i got there , it was all nuts and stuff, and there was no chairs, 9everybody siting on thr flooor), so i thought bugger this, and went to the pub.one of them said, 2why you going aready, i said yoor food is a bit crap and i fancy a pint.john Ps , then he said pleese stay, weve got sume rice as well, i said no thanks mate, i fancy a pint and meat pie, them he give me sume leeflits about how to be a munk.and he asked me to say curanga before i went.john

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 Aug 02 - 11:07 PM

They seamed like nice peepol, but i think been a mink is propably a bit boring.john

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 12:39 AM

Oh MooMan, the Tootler! Great reports...you are showing a very proper balance of serious and humour...those senior monks must be veddy good indeed!**bg**

I am still green with envy, but delighted to hear all of the details. What a truly wonderful experience, esp. the lessons in meditation. It must please them that you have so much interest and knowledge. Oh, and my neice, the microbiologist, is going to enjoy reading about your teaching and sharing microscopes, etc., too!

Looking forward to your pix and stuff when you get back.

With all good wishes for Peace Profound,

kat

Oh, Spaw..have you got those plans drawn up, yet? Gotta have them for the patent office. Oh and we might have to refine them after Mooman reports back...got any idea of the size of them cobras?

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 11 Aug 02 - 05:34 AM

Do you have to beat yourself daily with a bundle of sticks? If so -can we watch? Love (and to Mrs Moo) LindaX

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Noreen
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:17 PM

How's the nanotechnology going? :0)

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: GUEST,mooman, still avoiding cobras...
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 02:17 AM

Dear Friends,

Sorry I haven't been on for a couple of days...the internet is velly, velly slow here and has been operating at about 1 byte/secfor the past couple of days. This morning it seems a little better and, as I'm returning tomorrow (the three weeks have gone by in a flash!), this will be my last posting from South India. I'll post again when I get back, maybe Saturday night European time.

Giac: thanks...if your interested I will post up a "journal" on my website plus a selection of piccies.

Ebbie: I'd be pleased to do that as part of the above and I could cut and paste a "typical day" into this thread if you like.

John from Hull: You will be totally appalled to here that I haven't touched even one 9drop of alcohol here and that I have been eating9 that 6"monkish food" for the whole time I've been here. You're absolutely right, the monks are very 9nice people but I don't think I could manage to be one! Thanks for your postings as always!

Dear Kat: Many thanks as always for your kind posting. Yes...the meditation classes and understanding of the philosophy behind them have been a truly enriching and strengthening experience. And at no times have my two senior mentors from the monastic community tried to force any dogmatism onto me. These have been really two-way, open and honest exchanges. I'll post an account of the teaching experience on my website to be shared with anyone who's interested...I have covered some topics that your niece will definitely be interested in. Peace to you also...

P.S. Since 'Spaw has become a fully paid up member of "Idlers Anonymous" he has most probably forgotten about the patent for the "Cobra Tootler"! Some of the cobras are actually pretty big and some of them live under my lodgings!

Linda" I would enjoy that or have somebody (e.g. your good self?) do that for me but didn't find anyone with a big enough bunch of sticks uyest ("Yes you can...", "No I can't!"...."Yes, you can!!!"). Of course you can watch! Love to you...

Noreen: On a very small scale as usual! (:>) Love...

So over and out to all from the jungle (yes it is REAL jungle here!) and will be in touch when back home.

Peace to all,

mooman

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Aug 02 - 02:37 AM

hElloo Moomaan, you meen to tell me you gone sumewere were there is no pubs? I think it might be a good idea to eat vegi food in india anywat, i know sumebody who went to India and he had the shits for a week! I think they dont cook there chikens properley, i think there ovens are very old and dont work properley or something, im not sure really.john Ps. you sould take some Pot Noddles with you next time 9very eesy to cook).john

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: GUEST,Matthew (in Whitby)
Date: 17 Aug 02 - 06:37 AM

Just sending an online postcard fom Whitby- glad to hear all about your life and times in the moonastery -it sounds a wonderful experience!

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: mooman
Date: 17 Aug 02 - 07:05 AM

Dear All,

Just arrived back via a four-leg journey (Bylakuppe to Bangalore to Delhi to London to Brussels!) a wee bit jetlagged!

John in Hull: You'll be glad9 that I didn't get the shits at all and that I wasn't bitten by a wild mink either! Perhaps I shall have a pint tonight to celebrate my return and the excellent last three weeks!

Matthew: Thanks for you're kind thoughts and I hope Whitby is sunny and enjoyable!

Be back later...

mooman

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: paddymac
Date: 17 Aug 02 - 08:11 AM

Moo- I sure hope that you had an opportunity to gather some recipes from the monks in the kitchen, or at least took good notes of the food. Discovering the local cusine is one of my favorite aspects of travel.

Subject: RE: BS: mooman in the monastery
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Aug 02 - 08:46 AM

Thanks for the last installment in situ and for letting us know you made it back, safely, Mooman. Still wonderful and fascinating reading. I look forward to pix, tales, and teaching info as you are able on your website. Welcome back!

kat

P.S. I'll get Spaw to clean up that litter in the back garden where he and the faeries were kicking up, then remind him about the Cobra Tootler plans. I imagine Cleigh will be pleased to know that none of his distant *kin* took a bite out of you.:-)