Thursday, September 27

Laparoscopic Nephrectomy Coincidences And Synchronicity

Door
I'm pleased to say that my laparoscopic nephrectomy operation (removal of a kidney) went okay and I am now back at home - they 'released' me on Sunday afternoon.

Immediately following the operation, and once settled on the ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, my wife was allowed to see me. One of the first things she said was, "I see you are on eBay."

I was a bit dopey because of some of the drugs that had been administered and said something like, "You won't get much for me at the moment."

The whole thing was then forgotten as the nurses started their routine checks and I kept dropping off to sleep.

Two days later I was up on my feet and walked a short distance with Karin along a corridor to stretch my legs. As we made to return to where my bed was situated we had to go through a swing door. "See," she said, "You are on E Bay." There was a large sign stating this on the door.

It was then I realised I was on Tolgus Ward and along the corridor were different bays for patients. So she hadn't put me up for auction after all!

When I left the hospital they gave me a bag of assorted tablets I was supposed to take for a couple of weeks. On Monday morning I opened the first box at breakfast. The capsules were a garish green and orange and matched the tablecloth.

I asked Karin where the tablecloth was from as I hadn't seen it before. She told me it was one we collected from my mother's belongings several years ago.

Green and orange capsule on tablecloth

For ages we have used one of two tablecloths for use at breakfast. Strange that, out of the blue, Karin decided to change this for one with the colours of green and orange. Think of it as you will!

After breakfast I went up to my office, the door and windows of which had been closed while I was in hospital. On the windowsill was a lovely butterfly. I took a quick snap - sorry, it's not very clear - left the room and when I returned the butterfly was nowhere to be seen. Interesting to me is that in some cultures, butterflies symbolize rebirth after being inside a cocoon for a period of time.

Butterfly on my office windowsill

Anyway, all I intended to say today was really a big thank you to everyone who sent me their good wishes by emails and in comments prior to my operation. Also a big thank you to Trish and Rob at synchrosecrets who published the post Healing Circle for Mike Perry and also The Circle of Light for Mike Perry.

Karin and I have been greatly touched by such kindness within the blogging community. There is much goodness in the world.

Going back to Trish and Rob's Healing Circles, this is a wonderful idea whereby we can help each other with our thoughts and meditations.

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Tuesday, September 18

Capitan's Six Year Graveside Vigil

German shepherd dog art work

A sad little story today illustrating a dog's love and friendship for the human in his life.

Miguel Guzman lived in Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina and died back in 2006.

He had a German Shepherd dog called Capitan and, after Miguel died, Capitan ran away from home.

A week later, when Mr. Guzman's family went to pay their respects, they discovered Capitan howling by the grave.

Mr. Guzman's widow, Veronica, said, "We had never taken Capitan to the cemetery, so it is a mystery as to how he found his way there."

That, in itself, would be very touching and a little mysterious but Capitan is still at the cemetery, six years later, and refuses to leave Miguel's graveside.

The cemetery director, Hector Baccega, and his staff feed Capitan every day. He said of the dog, "He turned up and started wandering around until he found the tomb. During the day he sometimes has a walk, but at 6pm sharp he lies on the grave and stays there all night."

Treat a dog right and they will love you for life and, it seems, beyond.

Kindly note:
I am having my op tomorrow - a laparoscopic nephrectomy - and will therefore be away from blogging for a few days while I'm in hospital. Hopefully I won't be in too long.

Will catch up with you soon. My thanks to everyone who has kindly sent me emails or has left comments - appreciated very much.

Best wishes,
Mike.

See also for more info: Worse Things Happen At Sea

Monday, September 17

The Devil's Great Thunderstorm Of 1638 At Widecombe On Dartmoor

Widecombe Church - St,Pancras
Widecombe Church scene of the Great Thunderstorm of 1638
As I mentioned in my post Haytor On Dartmoor while on the moor we also visited the village of Widecombe mentioned in the English traditional folksong which begins:

Tom Pearse, Tom Pearse, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee
For I want for to go to Widdicombe Fair


Widecombe is a pretty English village that has become a tourist attraction because of the song. While we were there they were preparing for the fair, which still goes on every year.

Widecombe Church, dedicated to St.Pancras, has it's own claim to fame being the scene of the Great Thunderstorm of 1638.

Lightning struck the church tower and part of it fell through the roof. A fire-ball then passed through the church and four people died.

Old wallboards inside the church tell of the tale - well some of it, as locals will tell you that the storm and fire-ball was due to none other than Satan himself.

Widecombe church boards tell of the Great Thunderstorm of 1638

The boards (click on photo to make bigger), are in old English where a 'f' is an 's'. They tell of such things as:

Men so perplexed were, they knew not one another's faces. They all or most were stupified that with so strange a smell

and

One man was scorched so that he lived but fourteen days and died

and

Some had their skin all over scorched, yet no harm in their clothes

and

One man had money in his purse, which melted

But not written on the boards is Satan's supposed role in the Great Thunderstorm.

There are several versions but the landlady at the Inn at Poundsgate told of how, back in 1638, a stranger stopped for refreshment and directions to Widecombe. He was dressed in black and had cloven feet. His transport was a jet black horse.

As he drank a mug of ale the liquid hissed as it went down his throat. The mug became so hot it scorched the bar.

This was the devil who then went on to Widecombe Church to collect the souls of four people who had been playing cards while a church service was in progress. One of these was a sleeping Jan Reynolds.

According to Wikipedia the devil, "... captured Jan Reynolds, and rode away into the storm. As they flew over nearby Birch Tor, the four aces from Jan's pack of cards fell to the ground, and today, if you stand at Warren House Inn, you can still see four ancient field enclosures, each shaped like the symbols from a pack of cards."

Going back, to what some would say reality, Widecombe Church dates back to the 1300s and the tower was paid for by money given by local tin miners.

The oldest grave I saw was dated 1673, photo below, the date can be seen in the bottom right corner.

1673 grave inside Widecombe Church on Dartmoor

Near to the church, beyond the Post Office, is an old Saxon Well. It is said to never run dry.

Saxon Well in Widecombe, Dartmoor, Devon

And finally, just in case you feel like singing, here are the full (sad) words of the Widecome Fair Song, so all together now:

Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee.
For I want to go down to Widecombe Fair
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

And when shall I see again my old grey mare?
All along, down along, out along lee.
By Friday soon or Saturday noon
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

So they harnessed and bridled the old grey mare
All along, down along, out along, lee.
And off they drove to Widecombe fair,
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan'l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.

Then Friday came and Saturday soon
All along, down along, out along lee.
Tom Pearce’s old mare hath not trotted home
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

So Tom Pearce he got up to the top of the hill,
All along, down along, out along lee.
And he sees his old mare a-making her will,
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

Tom Pearce’s old mare, her took sick and died
All along, down along, out along lee.
And Tom he sat down on a stone and he cried
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

But this isn’t the end of this shocking affair,
All along, down along, out along lee.
Nor though they be dead, of the horrid career
Of Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

When the wind whistles cold on the moor of a night,
All along, down along, out along lee.
Tom Pearce’s old mare doth appear ghastly white
Wi’ Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

And all the long night be heard skirling and groans,
All along, down along, out along lee.
From Tom Pearce’s old mare and her rattling bones
And from Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney,
Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawk,
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

Uncle

Other Recent Travel Posts:
Haytor On Dartmoor
The Pixies Saved Us From The Evil Serpent
Walnuts With A Chord Of Holiday Camp Synchronicity

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Sunday, September 16

The Kidney Coincidence Story

Nurse clip art free
A friend was talking to his daughter - a nurse - about kidney operations.

"Fancy you asking about that," she said, or something similar, for his daughter had a short coincidence or synchronicity story to tell.

She told him how she was at a party the previous weekend, an anniversary I believe, and got chatting to a young man, about 18 years old. She is now in her late 30s or early 40s.

It must have been a deep conversation as he told her how he had to have a kidney removed when he was only three years old. Not sure how they would have got on to such a subject, but there you go.

He obviously told her his name and the hospital where he had his kidney removed ... and then she remembered him and his parents.

She was the nurse who looked after him, following his operation, and she hadn't seen or heard of him since he was discharged - until the party, that is.

I'm pleased to say, he's in excellent health.

Sometimes we appear to meet certain people at exactly the right time.

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Friday, September 14

Discovering Where The Soul Resides


I was writing my eight digit bank account number on a form yesterday and did this without thinking about the actual individual numbers. As I reached the final digit I realised I had completed the task without thinking about it - on automatic.  But more importantly I realised that 'I' had been watching 'me' fill in the numbers.

This got me thinking.

It's happened probably to most of us - this watching ourselves do something. I remember when I was tied to a job in management I sometimes had to make presentations or pass on information to staff and so on. I'm not a natural orator so I would always prepare well - very well.

During the actual speech or presentation I often found myself listening to myself speak to see how I was doing.

My thoughts on this led me to thinking about the soul.

Where is the soul to be found? Providing you believe we have such a thing, of course.

According to the ancient Vedic scriptures of India, for example, the size of the human soul is 1/10,000 the tip of a strand of hair and is located in the heart region and is the actual life force.

This somehow doesn't feel right to me.

If we were to sit quietly and try to find our soul we would probably search for it in various parts of our body: the abdomen, the heart, the head or brain.

But if we do this I don't think we will find it. How, for instance, can the soul be in our brain if we are watching it mentally?

Running through all of this, it suddenly dawned on me - the answer to where the soul resides.

The soul isn't within you. The opposite is true: you are within the soul.

We live our lives on earth within our soul - this is why we can sometimes watch or listen to ourselves as we go about our daily lives.

I did a little research and read something by a Stanley King who wrote: "The fact of the soul being around, but outside of, the body was one of the things deleted from the original teachings of Jesus." I have been unable to verify that what Mr.King says is true.

Our body, however, being within our soul makes sense to me.

When I was filling in my bank account number yesterday it was my soul that was watching me do this. So when we say 'I' it doesn't refer to our body or mind it refers to our soul.

Other Posts Which Refer To The Soul:
The Soul Group Links On Earth
There Is No Teacher But Your Own Soul
The Sixth Sense Between Soul Mates

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Thursday, September 13

Belief Magic For Curing Warts And Attracting Quick Money

Lady doctor

I've been pondering the subject of health recently and how it may be possible to overcome any problems that come our way. My conclusion is that all things are possible with belief, miracles really do happen.

On the lowest of levels lets think of something as simple as warts, which can be a nuisance for some people. There are lots of tales about how these can be cured, but the power behind these stories is belief.

I've collected a couple of wart cures to illustrate this.

(1) "At the age of seven I found a wart on my knee, which in a couple of months, after being knocked, picked at and otherwise damaged, resulted in my upper leg being covered in more than 100 warts.

I was with my mother on a bus one day when an old lady commented on my warts and suggested if they were rubbed with a piece of steak that was then buried in the garden the warts would disappear.

Even at that age I found it unbelievable, but my mother insisted I went through the process and the following day I awoke to find them all gone.

I sill find the result quite amazing." ~ M.E.Trew.

(2) "When my daughter Emma was a child I took her to our doctor with a blemish on her hand. The doctor said it was a wart, and he bought it off her for a shilling, much to Emma's delight, and the wart soon disappeared." ~ Angela Tomlinson

Wart charmers are legendary but it's a similar principle of belief that also makes simple magic spells work. There is usually a necessity to do something that impresses the mind, and in doing so this brings about the required result. A witches example of this follows, for when we might require some 'quick money'.

"On the day of a new moon throw brand new coins into your house from outside and let them roll wherever they will. Leave them where they fall for the rest of the month. As you throw the coins chant, "Money on the floor, money through the door."

Wart cures and magic spells may appear a load of old tosh but it's still an example of belief in action. It's a simplistic form of ritual, investiture, elaborate religious ceremony. They are all carried out to impress on us that they are important and therefore will work - via belief.

Of course we can simply believe in our God or maybe angels or Saints to help us. But whatever we do to create belief I feel we have to fully believe - and this can sometimes be difficult without a crutch of some sort to lean on.

If we can, however, cure warts then the same power behind this can cure or bring about - well, anything. It's up to us how we choose to generate our belief.

Similar Themed Posts:
The Fortress Of Light: How to prevent a psychic attack
Magic Which Brings Coincidence And Synchronicity
Belief Programming From Witchcraft To The Impossible

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Wednesday, September 12

A Mormon Rebuke


I have been rebuked, accused of not doing enough research when I wrote the post Hitler And Princess Diana Baptised As Mormons.

The rebuke is from someone whom, I presume, is a Mormon though doesn't give his or her name. Instead of defending the post and entering into an argument I decided I would publish the complaint in full and unedited.

Always willing to give an opposing view to my own. Enough of a preliminary, see how you view what follows:

1- Everyone that has ever lived experiences an afterlife in the LDS* world view. The immediate afterlife arrived at once a person dies is the Spirit World, a temporary place where the good wait in Paradise and the wicked wait in Prison for the eventual resurrection of the body, which everyone will able to experience. In Mormonism, baptism by a person with authority (other denominations are seen as not having the proper authority) is a prerequisite for salvation in the Celestial Kingdom, the presence of the Heavenly Father. Those who are never baptized receive a lesser kingdom or are cast into Outer Darkness, depending on their actions and whether or not they accept Christ's Atonement (which they still have the opportunity to do after they die). Vicarious baptism for the dead, a practice that existed within the primitive Christian church (as attested by 1 Corinthians and the Shepherd of Hermas), is offered to those who never had the opportunity to receive it in life. The dead can accept or reject the offer once it is extended; labeling those that have had the work done for them as Mormons is incorrect if we cannot know their reply.

2- Within the context of Mormonism, Joseph Smith** was not 'wrong' for re-instituting polygamy, nor was the Church 'wrong' for eventually ending the practice. Monogamy is given as the standard marriage form for members to observe within the Book of Mormon, but the text also mentions that God has the choice to allow polygamy at times when He feels it would be the better principle, as was the case in the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Likewise, Joseph Smith was commanded to revive polygamy in his day, and later Wilford Woodruff was commanded to suspend it for the time being. And since the subject interests you, there are smaller figures for the number of women married to Joseph during his life time (and after he died), and many researchers rely on statements made by Joseph's enemies that are of questionable authenticity.

3- "Stand in brides and grooms" implies that vicarious marriages are made for couples. A valid sealing for a dead person requires that the person they are being sealed to is already alive, and since Woodruff policy requires that the people being sealed were married while alive. Members of both genders can indeed be sealed to multiple spouses, but only if the person that's still alive was widowed.

An understanding of baptism for the dead and the importance of marriage in Mormonism requires being familiar with the concept of sealing, by which families are able to continue on into the next life.

My asterisks:
* Latter Day Saint
** Publisher of the Book of Mormon

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Tuesday, September 11

Haytor On Dartmoor

Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon

I'm not altogether sure why but I like rocks, especially granite rocks like these that are found on Dartmoor in England. This was one of the places I visited recently. The photo above reminds me of men wearing berry-like flat hats - but I am overdue for an eye test!

Dartmoor can be a desolate area but in the sunshine it is something special, full of magic and mystery. To think that people will have been touching and seeing these stones for over 5000 years, what stories they can tell.

Granite rocks of Haytor Dartmoor

Neolithic people began building chambered tombs on Dartmoor in c3500BC and about c2000BC prehistoric tribes started to erect standing stones and circles and burying their dead beneath cairns. Moving on to c1500BC stone huts began being built and the local Dartmoor area was divided into distinct territories and fields known as reaves.

The photos are of the area known as Haytor.

Haytor Dartmoor Devon

There are animals roaming the moorland including ponies and cattle. They aren't actually wild nowadays but are owned by the likes of farmers who have a right to use the common land. This can make driving on the narrow, winding roads a little precarious. We had to stop several times because of ponies and cattle crossing in front of us - they seem to think they have the right of way!

Ponies on Dartmoor - Dartmoor ponies

The Sherlock Holmes classic Hound of the Baskerville is set on Dartmoor. It's said that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was taken on a tour of the area by a local man called Henry Baskerville - thus the name of the book.

The author may well have got the idea of the hound from the local legend of how a pack of spectral dogs known as the Whist Hounds or Hounds of Hell are said to roam Dartmoor.

Dartmoor

After we had spent time walking on Dartmoor we made our way to Widecombe, known for it's traditional folk song about the village fair. It starts off:

Tom Pearse, Tom Pearse, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee
For I want for to go to Widdicombe Fair

With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Day, Daniel Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old uncle Tom Cobleigh and all,
Old uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.

Maybe I'll do a post about Widecombe in the future and the Thunderstorm of 1638.

Dartmoor

Other Posts About My Recent Break:
The Pixies Saved Us From The Evil Serpent
Walnuts With A Chord Of Holiday Camp Synchronicity

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Monday, September 10

Walnuts With A Chord Of Holiday Camp Synchronicity

River at Christchurch Dorset

As I mentioned in my last post we have been away, our first few days in the Bournemouth / Wimborne area staying with friends.

Our friends took us for a walk along the cliffs at Hengistbury Head and then into Christchurch, Dorset for a picnic lunch by the river.

As I got out of the car I wondered if there would be any coincidences or synchronicity to write about - and there was. The first boat I saw as we approached the river had the name MacGregor on it's side. This is the surname of my blogging and author friends Trish and Rob who publish synchrosecrets.

Okay not exactly a big synchro but more was to follow.

Boat called MacGregor at Christchurch

After lunch we strolled along the river and my friend pointed out a new hotel (photo at the top of the post)  which had been built recently. "It's where there used to be an old holiday camp," he explained.

"Ding!" went a bell in my head. I stayed at such a holiday camp when a child with a school friend Graham Barnes. I was taken along to the camp by his parents to keep Graham company. This was after we had both been to a scout camp for a week in the New Forest.

It then came flooding back to me and I realised I had sent my mum and dad a postcard from this very spot (see photo below). And I now have the postcard!

Mum and dad kept all the postcards I sent them from my travels. (Click on any of the images to make them larger)


The bottom left of the postcard shows the river exactly where I was with my friends and the middle section is the Holiday Camp where I stayed when young. Oh and the bottom right pic is of the New Forest where I had camped with the scouts!

I lost touch with my friend Graham Barnes. We lived in the west London area of Hayes when young. Strangely though, I had been thinking about him before I went away on my break - because of a walnut!

Graham and I started a club called 'Nuts'. I say 'club' but there was probably only us two participating in the membership.

I was thinking about Graham recently because I came across the nut that symbolised our club. We both had a walnut on a cord to hang around our necks, with out initials painted carefully on the shell. Goodness knows how it has survived after all of these years.

Painted walnut on a string cord

I don't remember too much about the Nuts other than that people who weren't Nuts were known as Prunes! And Prunes meant: 'People Running Under Nuts Est Stupide.'  Okay, I know that doesn't sound too clever, or make much sense, but we were young - that's my excuse anyway.

Coincidence? Synchronicity? Whatever. But my walk along the river at Christchurch brought back some unexpected happy memories.

As for Graham Barnes he lived in Balmoral Drive, Hayes, Middlesex while I lived at Clynes House, Hayes, Middlesex and we both went to Mellow Lane School.

It's a funny old world at times, the way everything is connected together.

Other Looking Back Personal Posts:
Teenage Memories Unlocked By A Coincidence
Reflections On My Early Life
Finding Myself As A Boy On The Internet

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Saturday, September 8

The Pixies Saved Us From The Evil Serpent

Scandinavian style lodge on the edge of Dartmoor

We have been away visiting friends in Dorset and then stayed in a lodge on the edge of Dartmoor (photo above), which is a National Park in England.

As usual most of our time was spent walking and, amazingly, the sun decided to shine on us after an unusually very wet summer.

Today's post tells of how we were saved from a serpent - by pixies! Well, perhaps, maybe, who knows.

Becky Falls, Devon

We were walking alongside the rushing river in the ancient valley of Becky Falls on Dartmoor. It was thought that in olden times this was a route from the moor to the town of Bovey Tracey. There was, however, a problem with walking along this pathway. A serpent lived by the brook and he would occasionally pick out a traveller to eat.

Coins for the pixies at Becky Falls, Dartmoor

Fortunately helpful pixies also live in the valley and, if you leave them coins, they will affix to the traveller an invisibility charm so that the serpent cannot see them.

Today there is a tree where walkers and the like should leave their coins. Travellers must never, never take any of the coins for themselves. Otherwise they will incur the wrath of the pixies - and, believe me, you don't want to mess with the pixies.

Needless to say Karin and I left a couple of coins - and it was a good thing we did for the pixies looked on us kindly.

We were walking up some rough rock steps, Karin in front, when somehow she lost her footing and fell backwards. I caught her but had an instant vision of us both falling. Somehow I held on to her and remained upright despite stepping backwards down one of the steps.

It could have been a very nasty fall, especially if I had been in front, as Karin would then have had no one to catch her. The possibilities are frightening.

Fortunately the pixies of Becky Falls offered us protection! The serpent didn't have his way. We were a bit shocked but otherwise unhurt.

Other England Travel Posts:
The Mystery Of The Three Hurlers Stone Circles
The Holy Well Of St Sampson At Golant In Cornwall
The Clapper Bridge Where The Devil Sunbathes

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Friday, September 7

Linked Together By Miles Of Smiles

Autograph book and saying
I like to keep things simple. Why complicate anything with foreign or 'insider' words when it's not really necessary.

Not sure where I'm going with this theme but I've been thinking about how everything and everyone is all linked together and how coincidences and/or synchronicity may happen. Many give this linking together fancy names depending on beliefs, religions, the latest book they have read and so on.

This is fine but sometimes it's something almost simplistic that can get the message across. It did for me when I looked through an autograph book I had as a young child.

I've mentioned this autograph book previously and this morning I was flitting through the pages before putting it somewhere safe in my office.

My Dad's autograph and the verse he wrote, when I was seven, suddenly seemed relevant - that's it at the top of this post. Yes, it's simple, yes, it's quite well known but it does make a point about how we are all linked together and how what we do can affect others and, who knows, perhaps the whole world.

He's was right - one smile can create miles of smiles.

I remember years ago writing something along these lines but from a negative perspective. It was about how a wrong word could set off a chain reaction.

ARAB PROVERB
The spoken word is soon forgot,
By thee - but it has perished not;
In other hearts 'tis living still,
And doing work for good or ill.
I did a whole story about how a boss got angry with an employee. She went home and, as she was upset, had a go at her husband ... he stormed out down the pub where he met a woman ... they had an affair ... and, before you know what had happened, thousands of lives had been touched upon - and all because of a few angry words. In my story the reaction rebounded back to the boss who set the whole thing in motion.

And watching what we say is one of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path of: Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.

It's also a little like that saying about how the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil can set off a storm in Texas. Okay, unlikely in reality perhaps, but there's more on the Butterfly Effect on Wikipedia here if interested.

So there we go, never thought this post would end up being about this!

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Wednesday, September 5

The Feelings And Atmosphere Of Houses And Buildings

Inside Rye Church

My son moved to a new house - not new in the sense of just being built but a house new to him and his wife.

After they had moved all of their furniture and belongings inside and straightened things out a little I sat in their living room and immediately felt comfortable. I thought, "This is a good house filled with happiness."

I remember reading Tennyson when he wrote:

"Woods have tongues
As walls have ears."

That's sort of true. Houses and buildings somehow absorb attitudes and perhaps temperaments of the people who have lived there previously. If the last tenants were full of family love this permeates the atmosphere. The opposite is true as well. If there has been hate and ill feeling these vibrations linger and can be felt by the new owners.

All buildings have a mood. I love visiting churches and places of worship wherever I travel in the world - even though I don't belong to any organised religion. Lots of churches give an instant feeling of peace and tranquility.

Other buildings give off different vibes. Obvious ones are places such as airports, where everything seems to be hustle, bustle and confusion. A doctors surgery may give off anxiety, restaurants a sense of expectations and so on.

Rye church tower stairsSome people say they see ghosts in their houses or in other buildings who repeat the same thing. These apparitions walk down the same stairs, in the same way or across a room in a certain direction over and over again. Some strong emotion has imprinted this into the house.

It's interesting (or maybe worrying!) to consider what the walls of our own houses are taking in as they observe our moods, tone of our voices, thoughts and so on.

Shelly said, "One wandering thought pollutes the day." As well as polluting our minds perhaps these thoughts also pollute our living areas.

Wonder how people feel when they walk into our homes?

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Monday, September 3

A Child's Precognition Saved His Family From Death

This is a story which I have taken from an old book by David Adams called Test Your Own Super Mind. I don't think it's still in print. The theme of the incident is a 'life-saving precognition'.

WitzenhausenThe story starts with a German housewife, Margaret Woellner, who lived with her husband and two children in Witzenhausen.

Margaret was in her house, back in 1972, with her then three year old daughter, Ulrike, while her ten year old son, Joachin, played outside in the garden. It was a normal Tuesday and she had no reason to believe that moments later she would have a miraculous escape from death.

Shortly before noon, Margaret went to the kitchen to start making lunch, Ulrike was playing happily on the floor next to her.

Suddenly Joachin rushed into the house, his white face a mask of horror. "Mother," he screamed, "Get out of here! Something terrible is going to happen."

Frau Woellner saw from Joachin's expression that this was not a childish stunt and, after picking up Ulrike, she ran from the house.

Seconds later there was a deafening explosion, followed by a ball of fire which quickly engulfed the house. The kitchen, where minutes earlier Margaret was standing, was reduced to a black and smouldering crater. Nobody could have survived the blast and fire.

The explanation for the blast was a leaking gas pipe but how did Joachin know about this and that he should warn his mother? When questioned all he could answere was, "I just had a strange idea. It was as if there was a voice inside me saying 'Go and fetch your mother and sister, otherwise it will be too late.'"

Fortunately he listened and acted upon his intuition.

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Saturday, September 1

King Farouk And The Ditty Sung By The Airmen

King Farouk of Egypt and the song

An amusing story from when Egypt was ruled by King Farouk (February 11, 1920 – March 18, 1965) and at a time when it was occupied by large numbers of British troops.

Christmas was approaching and two British airmen were hitch-hiking from Port Said to a large army camp at Fanara, near Bitter Lakes, for the festive celebrations.

The two men had been consuming quite a lot of alcohol when a large limousine pulled over and offered them a lift.  By coincidence it was heading to the same camp with some important looking Egyptians spread out comfortably on the back seat.

Full of high spirits, as the journey got under way, the two airmen started singing popular songs and then moved on to a risque ditty that British troops seemingly often sang. This went: 'King Farouk, King Farouk, hang your ******** on a hook.'

The limousine eventually reached the camp at meal time and the two airmen sat at a table waiting for service.

The waiter arrived at last and was carrying a bottle of champagne and said it was, "With compliments of the King," 

He pointed to an Egyptian sitting three tables away from them who gave a friendly wave when he saw them looking at him. It was only then that the penny dropped.

The airmen realised he was one of the occupants of the back seat of the limousine - and that it was none other than ...

... His Majesty Farouk I, by the grace of God, King of Egypt and Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, of Kordofan, and of Darfur.

"Quite a coincidence," they told their pals as they remembered the ditty they had been singing over and over on their journey to the camp.

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