Floral Notes and Bardo: Estranged into Love
By Travis Newbill Floral Notes and Bardo: The Creative Chronicles of a Shambhala Mountain Resident is a daily feature on the SMC blog in which a member of our staff/community shares his experience of existing as part of Shambhala Mountain Center. In the wee hours, I stepped outside the yurt to wee. It was frosty and blue. The moon nearly full in the western sky, so the east-facing ridge was kissed, aglow. Everything so still, frosty. The Stupa illuminated, and the bare aspens, unconcerned. My mantra: no rush. I’m realizing — again and again — how bent I am on doing so many, many, things. Today at breakfast, I skipped the grapefruit, rather than inhaling it so that I could make it to meditation on time. Less and more fully. No rush. I spent some time last night in the shrine room, by myself, studying the dharma. So cold outside, and cozy in Pushpa with my tea and the heater, and lots of space to read, reflect. I felt connected to my journey. When the session …