Woke up having slept like a large baby, due to the deep quiet of this edge of the island at night. Sloped downstairs to consume a full English and coffee and returned to my room to be booted and out by 9.00am.
A shining, fresh and bright morning. Walked to Icart Point again, alongside the field full of rabbits and magpies. Called First Matie with an aural postcard (her and Gav having stayed here on holiday recently).
Having walked these cliffs on and off all my life I was a bit surprised to be gripped by a paralyzing surge of vertigo after walking on the path for a few minutes. Took me a while to get a grip and walk back to the headland. Once in a blue moon I am ambushed by a sort of agoraphobia but usually when I am really stressed. This dates back to when I was four or five, when I was living in Guernsey. I went through a patch convinced I was going to fall up into the sky and so had to walk about holding onto the hedgerows.
Anway, I walked inland for a while, but later in the afternoon returned to the cliffs for two hours and was fine again. Apart from that one minute, a had an incredibly nice day. Walked to St Martin's Parish Church to see the Gran'mere. I only feel like I am properly back on the island when I've said hello to her. (Photo coming shortly).
After walking for 4 hours or more, went back to the hotel and made some time to meditate with my eyes open. I spent half an hour or so by the open window of my hotel room looking out over a potato field, with the wind catching the curtain. I think the process created an indelible mental snapshot.
Made me feel good, but I am mindful of what the Rinpoche said that beginning your practice again is like taking a shower, and a lot of dirt comes off you to begin with.
Then had a quick snooze then had a quick bob about in the bath-hot hotel pool before showering and going out again. As I walked down the lane I saw the plane coming into land which I knew had Mum and Mason on board.
Wandered up to La Barbarie hotel where they were staying and sat in the bar quietly quaffing a cold pint of bitter and reading a pocket copy of the Tao Te Ching given me by Liz till they arrived after half an hour or so.
Really nice night in La Barbarie, eating big food and having a few drinks. M & M insisted on walking me back to my hotel after down the dark lanes. As they left I nipped out around the corner to Icart Point again, listening to the soft seethe of the wind passing through the pine trees. The sky moonless, with the swathe of the Milky Way and crowds of stars over the dark sea, and all this poetic stuff left me feeling very happy indeed.
Below, Jerbourg from the cliff path.
A shining, fresh and bright morning. Walked to Icart Point again, alongside the field full of rabbits and magpies. Called First Matie with an aural postcard (her and Gav having stayed here on holiday recently).
Having walked these cliffs on and off all my life I was a bit surprised to be gripped by a paralyzing surge of vertigo after walking on the path for a few minutes. Took me a while to get a grip and walk back to the headland. Once in a blue moon I am ambushed by a sort of agoraphobia but usually when I am really stressed. This dates back to when I was four or five, when I was living in Guernsey. I went through a patch convinced I was going to fall up into the sky and so had to walk about holding onto the hedgerows.
Anway, I walked inland for a while, but later in the afternoon returned to the cliffs for two hours and was fine again. Apart from that one minute, a had an incredibly nice day. Walked to St Martin's Parish Church to see the Gran'mere. I only feel like I am properly back on the island when I've said hello to her. (Photo coming shortly).
After walking for 4 hours or more, went back to the hotel and made some time to meditate with my eyes open. I spent half an hour or so by the open window of my hotel room looking out over a potato field, with the wind catching the curtain. I think the process created an indelible mental snapshot.
Made me feel good, but I am mindful of what the Rinpoche said that beginning your practice again is like taking a shower, and a lot of dirt comes off you to begin with.
Then had a quick snooze then had a quick bob about in the bath-hot hotel pool before showering and going out again. As I walked down the lane I saw the plane coming into land which I knew had Mum and Mason on board.
Wandered up to La Barbarie hotel where they were staying and sat in the bar quietly quaffing a cold pint of bitter and reading a pocket copy of the Tao Te Ching given me by Liz till they arrived after half an hour or so.
Really nice night in La Barbarie, eating big food and having a few drinks. M & M insisted on walking me back to my hotel after down the dark lanes. As they left I nipped out around the corner to Icart Point again, listening to the soft seethe of the wind passing through the pine trees. The sky moonless, with the swathe of the Milky Way and crowds of stars over the dark sea, and all this poetic stuff left me feeling very happy indeed.
Below, Jerbourg from the cliff path.
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