Hi Caroline, I wanted to say how much I enjoy / appreciate these weekly openings and refreshing insights into actual stuff when it is so hard to write about in words - a friend sent me your chat to Iain so that's how I signed up to this
We have a small tin church we have renovated on Skye ( not that far from Iain McG actually) in Portnalong - if you wanted to stay there as retreat / whatever for free in exchange for possible tai chi lesson ( can discuss) we have space end sept / oct / and nov - the church is on instagram @the_tin_church as am I although I don't post that often - @carolinedearartist (@carolinedearstring)
Apr 17, 2023·edited Apr 17, 2023Liked by Caroline Ross
Caroline-
I hope you enjoy all the wonders *and* absurdities of The Good ol' U.S. of A. I will always love the place in spite of all the reasons I often don't.
Thank you for your reflections here. Your response to the world has a depth I am still trying to fathom. I want to try to have a better sense of it before I started asking questions, let alone comment on it. But I I thought I would pop up and simply wish you a beautiful time in Ameri-cay.
i'm so pleased to have found your work! Substack is a blessing and a curse: it's wonderful to discover yet another person writing so beautifully and cogently about the work i'm interested in, and also daunting to think about how much catching up i have to do. i'm really looking forward to reading through your back catalogue.
I was going to say I hope you receive a warm welcome, though I would not wish the hot and humid weather upon you! So interested to hear and read your thoughts on the states.
Thanks for the mention! The âapparent thing-ness of thingsâ caught my attention this week. It is, I think, one of the greatest cosmic jokes. I laugh a lot at life these days. Cosmic jokes are becoming a thing.
It started some time ago, I forget when, because the apparent time-ness of time is a similar cosmic joke. One day, on a Taoist Meditation retreat with my teacher, I was deep in silent practice with a big group taking it all very seriously, when the brightest, most dynamic tai-yang part of me suddenly noticed the deepest, darkest tai-yin part of me. It was extreme but beautiful, as though they were separate and had never met, but each instantly recognised itself and the unconditional love and trust in its opposite. There was a momentary, astonished pause in the space between the two parts then, with no warning at all, the tai-yang part of me screeched audibly and excitedly in my inner senses âoh yee-ha we can have some Real Fun now!â It dived deep into the cool, calm, yielding waters of tai-yin, sending ripples of excitement spinning wildly in all directions. It was so spontaneous, natural, timeless and funny that I burst out laughing and couldnât stop giggling for a long time. I tried to giggle quietly, which just seemed to make it louder.
Since that moment thereâs been a growing lightness of spirit and increasing access to a kind of steady, inner joy thatâs still there in the dark moments. Your writing really resonates with this and is acting as a catalyst. I find that words and memories seem to be bubbling to the surface and tumbling out through me too.
I also had, or may still have, old sketchbooks with the âSlade Schoolâ drawing technique made famous by Euan Euglow. We used to call it join the dots! I love the potential of those dotsâĤ any dots in fact. The tiniest dot can contain so much potential. Thank you for all the reminders, Iâm glad our spirits have consciously connected. I hope you have fun in the States, I once spent a year living there. Iâm sure there was a cosmic joke playing out through that too! The locals and I often found each other and our differences very funny indeed.
Ah Carline, listening to your words--indeed letting them flow over me --as I lie flat on my back, spent after hitting âpublishâ on my own Substack, Iâm relishing the idea that there is no âyes.â So much to think about and say but for the moment, word-empty as I am, will make do with a thank you.
Oh gosh, where in the States will you be? I have found you thru Douglas Hines work, and am entranced by what you bring to that conversation. I write and think a lot about Yin in our over-Yanged world, would love to have a cup of tea and a ponder. Iâm in the same set of mountains, further north on central Pennsylvania. These are considered the oldest mountains in the worldâĤ.
Love to read your thoughts ...
Hi Caroline, I wanted to say how much I enjoy / appreciate these weekly openings and refreshing insights into actual stuff when it is so hard to write about in words - a friend sent me your chat to Iain so that's how I signed up to this
We have a small tin church we have renovated on Skye ( not that far from Iain McG actually) in Portnalong - if you wanted to stay there as retreat / whatever for free in exchange for possible tai chi lesson ( can discuss) we have space end sept / oct / and nov - the church is on instagram @the_tin_church as am I although I don't post that often - @carolinedearartist (@carolinedearstring)
all the best for all your ventures
Caroline
(Caroline Dear ) email is best - carolinekgdear@gmail.com
Caroline, Wonderfully loaded with lots to ponder. Thank you. D
I love the thought fox.
Caroline-
I hope you enjoy all the wonders *and* absurdities of The Good ol' U.S. of A. I will always love the place in spite of all the reasons I often don't.
Thank you for your reflections here. Your response to the world has a depth I am still trying to fathom. I want to try to have a better sense of it before I started asking questions, let alone comment on it. But I I thought I would pop up and simply wish you a beautiful time in Ameri-cay.
-Jack
i'm so pleased to have found your work! Substack is a blessing and a curse: it's wonderful to discover yet another person writing so beautifully and cogently about the work i'm interested in, and also daunting to think about how much catching up i have to do. i'm really looking forward to reading through your back catalogue.
I was going to say I hope you receive a warm welcome, though I would not wish the hot and humid weather upon you! So interested to hear and read your thoughts on the states.
Thanks for the mention! The âapparent thing-ness of thingsâ caught my attention this week. It is, I think, one of the greatest cosmic jokes. I laugh a lot at life these days. Cosmic jokes are becoming a thing.
It started some time ago, I forget when, because the apparent time-ness of time is a similar cosmic joke. One day, on a Taoist Meditation retreat with my teacher, I was deep in silent practice with a big group taking it all very seriously, when the brightest, most dynamic tai-yang part of me suddenly noticed the deepest, darkest tai-yin part of me. It was extreme but beautiful, as though they were separate and had never met, but each instantly recognised itself and the unconditional love and trust in its opposite. There was a momentary, astonished pause in the space between the two parts then, with no warning at all, the tai-yang part of me screeched audibly and excitedly in my inner senses âoh yee-ha we can have some Real Fun now!â It dived deep into the cool, calm, yielding waters of tai-yin, sending ripples of excitement spinning wildly in all directions. It was so spontaneous, natural, timeless and funny that I burst out laughing and couldnât stop giggling for a long time. I tried to giggle quietly, which just seemed to make it louder.
Since that moment thereâs been a growing lightness of spirit and increasing access to a kind of steady, inner joy thatâs still there in the dark moments. Your writing really resonates with this and is acting as a catalyst. I find that words and memories seem to be bubbling to the surface and tumbling out through me too.
I also had, or may still have, old sketchbooks with the âSlade Schoolâ drawing technique made famous by Euan Euglow. We used to call it join the dots! I love the potential of those dotsâĤ any dots in fact. The tiniest dot can contain so much potential. Thank you for all the reminders, Iâm glad our spirits have consciously connected. I hope you have fun in the States, I once spent a year living there. Iâm sure there was a cosmic joke playing out through that too! The locals and I often found each other and our differences very funny indeed.
Ah Carline, listening to your words--indeed letting them flow over me --as I lie flat on my back, spent after hitting âpublishâ on my own Substack, Iâm relishing the idea that there is no âyes.â So much to think about and say but for the moment, word-empty as I am, will make do with a thank you.
Oh gosh, where in the States will you be? I have found you thru Douglas Hines work, and am entranced by what you bring to that conversation. I write and think a lot about Yin in our over-Yanged world, would love to have a cup of tea and a ponder. Iâm in the same set of mountains, further north on central Pennsylvania. These are considered the oldest mountains in the worldâĤ.
I'm about 2.5 hours away, west of New Tripoli. Are y'all driving from Rutherfordton to New Tripoli? I can offer a nite's lodging.....or two....
My mother's mother's family was Emerick. There are a lot of us in one form or another in these parts.....
Wow â¤ï¸
If it doesn't make sense to drive this way, please send me an address in New Tripoli--I'd love to send you a copy of my book on Yin....