Love is all around!

Today is the anniversary of the death of the Roman soldier whose legend says he slay a dragon and saved a princess, and the cross of St George is worn joyfully both for sport and for more traditional values to mark the occasion, unlike the Union Jack which has been displayed sometimes in less favourable ways.

My life is largely routed in myth and ancient wisdom, so the legend of the person known as St George has a deeper connotation. He represents for me, the pure being that we all are inside, the unblemished spirit within each human being. His “dragon” is his base human nature, the Kundalini if you will, the writhing serpent of the personality and thoughts of which we are all composed, that he gains mastery over. The princess he rescues describes for me, the divine and pure aspect in all of us that we seek to discover within ourselves and release.

Spiritual practices vary from nation to nation and belief structure the world over, but one thing we all share in common are the things we do on a daily basis to live our lives, look after our families and loved one, make a living however best we can, and provide the basics that our physical lives demand of us; beyond that are our minds and hearts that also need food in the form of inspiration, love and compassion, humour and challenge; in this all human beings are no different. The striving comes from a higher purpose that we frequently are unaware of and spiritual practices give us an insight and connection to that part of ourselves.

From today and in forthcoming days, take moments of mindfulness and kindfulness, not just to others, but to yourselves, as you also need that hug to get you though physical life’s hardships so that you can celebrate life’s joys.

So today, and every other day “love is all around”

Across the divide

Getting back late from a freezing November bike rally on a Sunday, I nipped up to the local Tesco to get a few supplies, still wearing all my bike gear and bundled up against the cold. As I went through the entrance, the security guard, who resembled the Middle Eastern version of Lou Ferrigno, lunged toward me, which freaked me out and I jumped backward. He was full of apologies and as he softened his stance, he began chatting away to me.

He explained that the linen biker scarf that I was bundled up in, was a distinctive weave only made in Palestine, and that he was from Palestine and thrilled and surprised to find something so rare away from his home land. He kept touching the scarf and shaking my hand. He wanted to know where I had got it from as it was the only one he'd seen since being in the UK in recent years.

All I could tell him was that I had bought it from an army surplus stall at a bike rally in the Midlands and it was the best scarf I had ever owned because it was warm in winter and shaded me in hot sun. We stood for ages talking until I realised my friends would wonder where I was with the food and beer. I said my goodbyes and he put his arm around me and thanked me with tears in his eyes. I never saw him again on any of my late night emergency shopping trips but have thought often of him, and especially today in light of the current news.

You have to be taught to hate. Children from other ethnic and religious backgrounds don't see differences, they just see other children. We could learn a lot from them if we wanted to.