I remember somebody saying The entrenching tool looks like a joke, until you use one. Just so. In the first post on Jade Mountains back in the dim and distant past (August 2003) you will find a photograph. A picture of me holding an entrenching tool. What’s more, as is the custom with first posts, I was contemplating my purpose and intention for starting a blog. Now referring back I am glad to say I still stand by what I wrote, back then.
….spiritual inspiration; inspiration to keep traveling the road and overcome difficulties. They also provide information and insights; information about the practice of the Serene Reflection Meditation Tradition (Soto Zen) and insights into how that practice unfolds in daily life.
My current thoughts around Jade have been about developing the site rather than questioning continuing to write, or not. Just in case anybody was wondering.
Just as with the entrenching tool on first sight Jade might look like a joke or better put, a self-indulgence. A monastic going on about herself, Where’s the Buddhist teaching in THAT? One might well ask. Unfold the site, use it, and hopefully you will find it a useful tool. A good place to return to. But most importantly, Jades meta-message if you like, Buddhist practice is not something outside of daily living or confined within the walls of monastic practice. If that comes through then I’m happy.
Thanks folks for your feedback. If I had more time available I’d write more, and more often.
That’s excellent news, Reverend Master.
On a lighter note, I hope ‘develop’ doesn’t mean adding to the site ‘like’-boxes, scrolling twitter feeds or anything that moves! I don’t think you mean that.
in gassho
Yes, I am open to ideas – that’s on what you all would like and what you would not… Hum, scrolling twitter feeds. Now that’s an idea I’d not thought of!
I do have a twitter account which people keep on signing up to follow. Thing is Jade posts no longer automatically post as tweets. Anybody lost me yet? And so I wonder why people continue to want to follow when there isn’t anything there….
I do get your point Walter and the advice I have alway respected is to NOT have moving stuff on the site.
Loud and clear.
And that helps.
In gratitude.
Miles
I have a Twitter account but rarely tweet. It attracts followers who I have never heard of. They ebb & flow – sometimes new ones come & others disappear. I can only assume there is some mechanism which links certain sites in when perhaps certain words or phrases are on another site. At first it felt a bit like being stalked. Now it’s one of those phenomena of modern technology that I am aware of but don’t understand!
We have a wonderfully all-inclusive, albeit ungrammatical, expression here: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
I’ve been an almost daily follower for years and find no room for improvement nor for change. Thank you for your inspiration.
With bows.
I’m of the “If it ain’t broke, – don’t fix it school” too. Whenever I’m on the PC I look in on Jade Mountains. I may not respond all that often but your teaching is always noted.
Long may it continue.
Norman
No not broke our Norman just a small attempt at reviewing what I offer. That’s taking a look around with a positively critical view. Thanks as always for your support.
Doris you must be an original reader. You have been visiting here since I started I think, back in 2005 and I’m grateful for your steady and loyal presence. One thing I have been thinking of doing is writing a news letter which people can sign up for and receive via email. Much like temples of our order offer.
loud and clear Miles. You too are a long standing reader, and supporter. Thanks. Glad the meta-message helps.
Yes, I’ve noticed that and I’d often wondered why. Odd.
It’s easy to believe that the social media toys, be they Facebook, Google +, Twitter or Linkedin, exist for noble purposes, or at least are innocent in concept. But I see them as darker entities, driven by profiling and advertising, so I try to avoid them. That is increasingly difficult. For example, if you have a Facebook “like” button on your site, then my IP address is logged by Facebook even though I don’t have a Facebook account. It’s becoming very difficult to block this sort of behaviour, especially so from a “smart-phone”. Of course, you may say, “so what”, which is fine if you are aware of the choice you are making, and are fortunate enough to live in a benign democracy, but social media are about knowing more about you, aggregating and selling that information. Jade Mountain also sets third party cookies through the “Share this” button. No doubt benign, but maybe not intended.
I probably sound neurotic, but I’m concerned about how silently we are walking into this. Control today is less physical, more about behaviour.
in gassho
Good to at least be aware of these things Walter. Thank you.