Ideas by Candlelight

An empty building, old furniture scrabbled together, a ramshackle group of diverse dreamers and some candlelight... a couple of beers and introductions later and the ideas began to flow... how could this place 'under construction' ... become a place of 'rebuilding hopes long devastated' a hub for making material the wildest imaginings for a different world. A future re-envisioned through the undimmed aspirations of a child.

(left : first gathering @agorahub -photo www.julianmarinov.com)


Yet beware, the flickering candlelight a sober reminder of the fragility of the hopeful and the ever-increasing challenge to be guardians of such light against the encroaching darkness. Change doesn't come overnight but it is likely to have to live through a few.


Un edificio vacío, unos muebles trastos tirados en conjunto, un grupo destartalado de soñadores diversos y unas velas ... un par de cervezas y las presentaciones y luego las ideas comienzan a fluir ... ¿cómo podría este lugar "en construcción" ... ser convertido en un lugar de la "reconstrucción de las esperanzas devastadas durante mucho tiempo" y un HUB para la fabricación en lo material, de las fantasías más descabelladas para un mundo diferente. Un futuro re-imaginado a través de las aspiraciones no decepcionadas de un niño. (a la izquierda: primer encuentro @ agorahub) Sin embargo, ojo, la luz de las velas parpadeantes un sobrio recordatorio de la fragilidad de la esperanza y el desafío cada vez mayor de ser los guardianes de la luz contra la oscuridad como usurpación. El cambio no es día para otro, y es probable que tenga que vivir a través de unas noches mas.

Mini Pilgrim

On Fri of last week I went on a mini adventure on my bike into the unknown. I wanted to see how far I could get; I wanted some time with the Creator and the landscape. The great thing about going on any journey like this, is that it can be a small mirror to the bigger adventure of life. If you allow yourself to reflect on this, you have a pilgrimage in the making. For me it was interesting to note not only the content of the adventure…beauty, danger, relief, effort, diversion, surprise.. but also my approach to it.. poor planning, risk embracing, positive thinking, independent yet rescue awaiting, a stubbornness for the goal but an openness to the unexpected. I realise that, for better or worse, these ways of operating are characteristic of my general approach to life. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this way of walking? (Don’t all scream with frustration at once!) What is your way of walking? You could pick any journey or adventure you’ve had recently and reflect on not only the ‘what’ but the ‘how’ of your ways –what are you footsteps/bike tracks telling you?

Adventures in simplicity -the Three Pie Rule

I have heard it said that if you are a preparing a speech, it's worth considering that people can rarely retain more than 3 points for any length of time. Rather like goldfish ..but 3 times as intelligent. Go us!
Continuing discussions on the simple life, it has been suggested that part of the trick is being contented with doing less, and doing it well. However as those of you who know me would confirm, I am one for having my fingers in a lot of pies - my favorite one being the headless chicken pie.. mm tasty. But I'm going to propose to myself and others who wish to try it, the all new 'The 3 Pie Rule'. ..

• Select those things you feel really connected and called to at this time (if necessary write a list)
• Reduce to 3 areas of focus.. have a good smell of those 3 tasty pies
• Then stick your fingers right in (arms if you like) and feel no guilt for the other pies - someone will eat them -or you will eat them later ;-)

And note how I have tried to squeeze my 3 pie recipe into 3 points and remember them, you gorgeous goldfish you..

Keeping life simple ;)

'Abbey National- because life is complicated enough' ..do you remember the ad campaign?..Abbey National is now Santander! And that's just it really - it's hard to keep things simple when the world around us is in constant flux and change. So when a dear friend launched the question at me last week of  'How do we keep life simple?' I was more than happy to chew upon the bone and invite others to do the same.
I think what I perceive as a generalised hunger for simplicity in our society, comes from the ever increasing range of choices open to us as modern man. In the arena of choice we are blessed with options and cursed with the fear that we will take the wrong one. Thus we experience a constant state of consumer anxiety and not just for material products but for life products too. 'Happiness' 'well-being' 'success' are the new more elusive acquisitions which we spend our time and energy searching for.
We rarely experience the simple connectedness to earth and survival, community and solidarity that we imagine our ancestors did and some of our contemporaries may still. But we cannot go back. The new 'simples' must find a way to navigate the complexities of modern society without negating it or escaping it.
I think to find this simplicity we must look within. Search in the core of our being, for the basic principles that guide us and bring us alive and live from those. 'The simple way' may involve letting go of the quest for happiness well-being and success as products in themselves. It may involve a new humility that accepts our inability to sew-up and conquer reality by making all the right choices and learns how to wonder at it instead. And  learns we are loved, not itemised.
To be continued...

El pan de cada dia - Daily bread

Living in Spain is making me more 'bread-aware'. Bread is a big deal here. Bread with every meal. Bread required everyday. Fresh. If you take a wander down any Spanish street at around 2 you will see people carrying bread to their respective houses for lunch- a sight I have grown very fond of. Opening a bakery is far from a foolish plan.

I think of the biblical prayer 'Give us today our daily bread' and realise that the culture of the time was probably very 'bread-conscious' also, knowing it as central or essential part of their daily sustenance.

In my house we buy or make fresh bread everyday and if there is some left over we share it for supper. I turn my mind to the bread of spiritual sustenance and realise it is the same..we need it fresh.. daily.. and big enough to share. So go fetch, make, share. May our words and thoughts be nourishment to the weary and good company to the friend.

Hunger

After a good knees up with some pancakes this week, I have started having some Lent based thoughts. And it is hunger that I'm thinking about. Fasting reminds us of our hunger. At first we feel hunger for the thing we are fasting- we start day dreaming of chocolate donuts, vats of beer and fridges flowing with pizzas and ice-cream, and then we are moved to contemplate the deeper hunger that led us to fast in the first place. The hunger that goes beyond bread alone - the spirit's longing. Fasting priorities this hunger to our consciousnesses and lifts it to heaven.
So when you are praying and/or fasting this Lent ask yourself 'What am I hungry for?' 'What am I desperate to see?' (more than a chocolate donut in my hand right now). For what we hunger for is our true heart cry to God and I believe, the prayer that will heard the loudest. And I'm also asking 'What might God be hungry for?' What might God be longing for? And can we share in that longing also :-)

El Hambre
Después de una buena fiesta de pancakes esta semana, me he puesto a pensar en la Cuaresma. Y es en el hambre que estoy pensando. El ayuno nos recuerda a nuestra hambre. En primer lugar nos sentimos hambre de lo que estamos ayunando, empezamos a soñar con donuts de chocolate, cubas de cerveza y neveras que fluyen con pizzas y helados, y luego progresamos a contemplar el hambre más profunda que nos ha llevado a ayunar en el primer lugar. El hambre que va más allá de sólo el pan - el anhelo del espíritu. El ayuno destaca este hambre a nuestras conciencias y lo levanta al cielo.
Así que cuando estás orando y / o ayunando en esta Cuaresma preguntate a ti mismo '¿De que tengo hambre? ""que estoy desesperado por ver? (más que un donut de chocolate en la mano ahora mismo). Por nuestro hambre es nuestro grito de corazón sincero a Dios, y creo que la oración que se escuchará más fuerte. Y también estoy preguntando "¿De qué podría tener hambre Dios? '¿Qué podría ser el anhelo de Dios? Y podemos participar en ese anhelo también :-)

Burgos in the snow!