Slán Abhaile

11 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, Death, Deep Stuff!, Grief, Heartbreak, Love, Poetry

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Bhante, poetry, Sangharakshita, Slan Abhaile, Worldly Winds poetry, Yorkshire poet

Yesterday I attended the funeral of my Buddhist teacher Urgyen Sangharakshita along with over 1200 other Buddhists. It was a beautiful, poignant, moving ceremony. I have never experienced anything as immense in my lifetime. Despite the heavy downpour of rain, the birds still sang, and the wind played in the autumn trees. By the time the procession to the burial ground took place, the sun came out and lifted the heavy skies.

I cannot adequately put into words my gratitude to Bhante. I met him twice, once at a shared meal at the Sheffield Buddhist Centre, and later in Birmingham (2011). He guided and inspired my Buddhist practice, and encouraged me to take my writing seriously. Without his guidance and teachings I doubt I would be where I am today.

How do I say thank you, and how do I say goodbye? I started to write this poem on the way down to the funeral and finished it on the way back. This poem relates to the loss of significant people in my life – Safe Home Bhante Urgyen Sangharaksita, go well.

20181110_155143~2

Slán Abhaile

How do I say goodbye?

When I am living at the speed of life,

the eggshells I am walking on

pricking at my soul.

Remote and inaccessible,

with drawbridge raised to love,

how do I say goodbye?

The Trinity and Trilogy

conjoined in parse asymmetry,

seem so insignificant.

How do I say goodbye?

Slán Abhaile by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

10.11.18

Alexandra David-Néel

23 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, Poetry

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Alexandra Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra David Neel, Buddhism, Buddhist women, Elise Wortley, explorers, female explorers, poetry, Silver Birch Press, Woman with altitude

Alexandra

A little time back, Elise contacted me and asked if she could post my poem on her blog – naturally I was delighted! Elise is an explorer who is hoping to recreate the journeys taken by Alexandra David-Néel. You can read all about it on Elise’s blog (the link is below).

https://www.womanwithaltitude.com/single-post/A-Poem-about-Alexandra

I first came across Alexandra many years back when browsing the shelves of the Buddhist Centre bookshop. I was taken with her fascinating life and decided to read about this remarkable person.

There were similarities that struck me, and since reading the book I have felt an affinity towards this unique Buddhist. Alexandra seemed to be a woman beyond her time. She was a socialite and a famous opera singer, who became an explorer in the pursuit of learning about Buddhism. She managed to gain entry into countries where outsiders were not permitted, let alone women. She disguised herself in order to gain access to Tibet.

I originally wrote this poem for a series run by Silver Birch Press called ‘Same Name’.

You can see the original posting by clicking on the link below.

https://silverbirchpress.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/alexandra-david-neel-poem-by-alexandra-carr-malcolm-same-name-poetry-and-prose-series/

Many thanks to Silver Birch Press for publishing my original poem, and thank you to Elise for also featuring it on her blog Woman with Altitude.

Finding The Silent Ones

10 Sunday Apr 2016

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, NaPoWriMo 2016, Poetry

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Buddhism, finding the silent ones, napowrimo, NaPoWriMo 2016, NaPoWriMo16, poetry, UK poet, writing, Yorkshire poet

I wrote the poem below whilst on a retreat called ‘The Mythic Context’. It is a metaphor for seeking – it could be seeking happiness, seeking wisdom or seeking where we fit into the universe. This is one of my favourite poems. The sequel is in my latest anthology ‘Counting Magpies – Limited Edition’ and is titled ‘No Bell’. If you would like a copy please contact me direct 🙂

Finding the Silent Ones

I will scour the darkest forest

and glide through mango groves

searching for the silent ones

who travel the same road

I will fight the fiercest oceans

and plunge to deepest depths

searching for the silent ones

who sing with silent breath

I will trek across the deserts

leaving no grain of sand unturned

searching for the silent ones

for whom my heart doeth yearn

I will scale the highest mountain

and dwell within dark caves

searching for the silent ones

whom I hope to find some day

I will raft the rabid rapids

and abseil from peak to floor

searching for the silent ones

whom they say exist no more

I will comb the Sunkist beaches

and skim the silvery surf

searching for the silent ones

rumoured to roam this earth

I will search the church and chapels

and cathedral spires and tombs

searching for the silent ones

whom dwell in catacombs

I will tiptoe to the shrine room

and bow with folded hands

and here I’ll find the silent ones

my kith, my kin, my clan.

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Buddha Day

10 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, Poetry

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Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Buddha, Buddhism, enlightenment, poetry, UK poet, Uk poetry, Yorkshire poet

Buddha mind

Burning bright

Searing serenity

Luminous light.

Buddha eyes

Warrior’s way

Diamond depth

Gentle gaze.

Buddha nature

Human heart

Sangha sings

Compassionate.

By Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Picture credit:https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/417920040393395405/

Found on imgur.com

Where this is, that becomes

23 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, NaPoWriMo, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Buddhism, Conditioned co-production, Interconnectedness, napowrimo, poetry, Pratityasamutpada, Sunyata, UK poet, Uk poetry, writing, Yorkshire poet

When faced with the woven richness

of each slipping second,

I am confounded by its

mystery, absurdity, improbability,

each a miraculously stitched detail

in varying shades of the same thread.

When meditating

upon physiology of this being,

I can see how the headbone’s

connected to the backbone,

but asking how the heartbone’s

connected to the rainbow,

is a phenomenally fleeting fancy.

Where is the now of this very moment?

An ephemeral essence,

lingering upon the mind’s eye,

to be lost and witnessed,

more subtle than the breath of a bee,

more fragile than the heart of a butterfly

beating the odds – a winding down clock.

This is beyond a sense that is common,

and beyond the grasp of a humble hand;

it is the faint fragrance of a primal memory,

nurtured in the nursery,

played out by the quixotic,

protagonists in the playground of quotidian,

an egotistic boomerang.

So what is mine and mind?

where do I end and you begin?

To see the conundrum, the continuous koan

of life and death, of mind and breath;

do I want to be me or an Oak tree,

aren’t we the same? A branch of humanity,

seasoned with bittersweet reality.

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Picture Credit: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/380906080956976077/

http://www.simply-beautiful-world.tumbler.com

The Hula-Hoop of Hindrance

19 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, NaPoWriMo, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, childhood, childhood games, childhood memories, habits, hindrance, hula-hoop, memories, napowrimo, poetry, UK poet, Uk poetry, writing, Yorkshire poet

I saw it in the playground,

when I was only three,

the hula-hoop of hindrance,

resting by a tree.

It was pretty, pink, and sparkly,

with unicorns and glitter,

it even had, ‘go faster’ stripes,

so I could hula quicker.

I put it ‘round my tiny waist,

and hula’d round the yard,

little did I realise,

that it would make life hard.

I learned to love my hula-hoop,

though I was only four,

when I went to bed at night,

I’d leave it by the door.

I realised when I was five

(and also at aged six)

that I had been quite naïve

my hula habit fixed

This went on – my dearest friends,

throughout my adult life,

attachment to my hula-hoop,

caused me so much strife.

When cooking in the kitchen,

and trying to eat my dinner,

my hula hoop got in the way,

and I just grew much thinner.

and when I met my boyfriend,

I’d hula-hoop for joy,

but holding hands whilst hula-ing,

well… the romance is destroyed.

Showering or getting dressed,

at work, at home, at play,

my pretty, sparkly hula-hoop,

was always in the way.

When I went upon retreat,

there was no problem there;

for there were many hula hoops,

that we could swap and share!

Then, Maitripala gave a talk,

about the hula habit,

if we can see the gateway….

the freedom’s there, so grab it!!

The moral of this story,

is not too clear to see,

but if you choose a skipping rope,

you can set yourself free.

One day I hope my hula-hoop,

will rest against that tree,

and if you choose to have a go,

it’s going, gratis, free!!

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Picture Credit: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/122723158565563869/

picture from childhood101.com

Finding the Silent Ones

12 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, Longing & Waiting, NaPoWriMo, Poetry

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Buddhism, finding the silent ones, napowrimo, poetry, searching for the silent ones, shrine room, silent ones, UK poet, Uk poetry, writing, Yorkshire poet

I will scour the darkest forest

and glide through mango groves

searching for the silent ones

who travel the same road

I will fight the fiercest oceans

and plunge to deepest depths

searching for the silent ones

who sing with silent breath

I will trek across the deserts

leaving no grain of sand unturned

searching for the silent ones

for whom my heart doeth yearn

I will scale the highest mountain

and dwell within dark caves

searching for the silent ones

whom I hope to find some day

I will raft the rabid rapids

and abseil from peak to floor

searching for the silent ones

whom they say exist no more

I will comb the Sunkist beaches

and skim the silvery surf

searching for the silent ones

rumoured to roam this earth

I will search the church and chapels

and cathedral spires and tombs

searching for the silent ones

whom dwell in catacombs

I will tiptoe to the shrine room

and bow with folded hands

and here I’ll find the silent ones

my kith, my kin, my clan.

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Picture Credit: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/462533824202914590/

Meditation

02 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, NaPoWriMo, Poetry

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alex Carr-Malcolm poetry, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Buddhism, poetry, UK poet, Uk poetry, writing, Yorkshire poet

Meditation

In a grove, a daisy grows,

against all odds, between the crags,

in harshest winds, its body bends,

and in sun’s rays, its beauty plays.

Just like this, our heart should kiss,

sublime compassion, on the cushion,

let our mind dance with divine

integration through meditation.

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Picture Credit: https://uk.pinterest.com/Harmonysdream/simply-beautiful/

Finding the Silent Ones

13 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, Poetry

≈ 19 Comments

Tags

Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, Buddhism, poetry, silent ones, UK poet, Uk poetry, Yorkshire poet

I will scour the darkest forest

and glide through mango groves

searching for the silent ones

who travel the same road

I will fight the fiercest oceans

and plunge to deepest depths

searching for the silent ones

who sing with silent breath

I will trek across the deserts

leaving no grain of sand unturned

searching for the silent ones

for whom my heart doeth yearn

I will scale the highest mountain

and dwell within dark caves

searching for the silent ones

whom I hope to find some day

I will raft the rabid rapids

and abseil from peak to floor

searching for the silent ones

whom they say exist no more

I will comb the sun-kissed beaches

and skim the silvery surf

searching for the silent ones

rumoured to roam this earth

I will search the church and chapels

and cathedral spires and tombs

searching for the silent ones

whom dwell in catacombs

I will tiptoe to the shrine room

and bow with folded hands

and here I’ll find the silent ones

my kith, my kin, my clan.

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Photo Credit : Arabiian

http://arabiian.deviantart.com/art/Mystical-Forest-212656024

The Hula-Hoop of Hindrance

13 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by Worldly Winds in Buddhism, Humour, Poetry

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

abusive relationships, Alex Carr-Malcolm poet, Alexandra Carr-Malcolm, bad habits, Buddhism, eating disorder, freedom, habits, hindrances, humour, poetry, UK poet, Uk poetry, Yorkshire poet

I saw it in the playground,

when I was only three,

the hula-hoop of hindrance,

resting by a tree.

It was pretty, pink, and sparkly,

with unicorns and glitter,

it even had, ‘go faster’ stripes,

so I could hula quicker.

I put it ‘round my tiny waist,

and hula’d round the yard,

little did I realise,

that it would make life hard.

I learned to love my hula-hoop,

though I was only four,

when I went to bed at night,

I’d leave it by the door.

I realised when I was five

(and also at aged six)

that I had been quite naïve

my hula habit fixed

This went on – my dearest friends,

throughout my adult life,

attachment to my hula-hoop,

caused me so much strife.

When cooking in the kitchen,

and trying to eat my dinner,

my hula hoop got in the way,

and I just grew much thinner.

and when I met my boyfriend,

I’d hula-hoop for joy,

but holding hands whilst hula-ing,

well… the romance is destroyed.

When I went upon retreat,

there was no problem there;

for there were many hula hoops,

that we could swap and share!

Then, Maitripala gave a talk,

about the hula habit,

if we can see the gateway….

the freedom’s there, so grab it!!

One day I hope my hula-hoop,

will rest against that tree,

and if you choose to have a go,

it’s going, gratis, free!!

by Alexandra Carr-Malcolm

Photo Credit: Photo By Fotolia/Stockshoppe

Worldly Winds

~ It's not easy being me!

Category Archives: Buddhism

Slán Abhaile

Alexandra David-Néel

Finding The Silent Ones

Buddha Day

Where this is, that becomes

The Hula-Hoop of Hindrance

Finding the Silent Ones

Meditation

Finding the Silent Ones

The Hula-Hoop of Hindrance

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