"The Space Between"

Lunel has a new TATOO -- and several people have asked about it.

This Kanji symbol has been a talisman I have carried with me for about 20 years, on a small inscribed agate.  When asked “what does it mean” I fumble for words – there are SO many meanings to me.  Kanji symbols are beautiful calligraphy that has been adopted from Chinese characters and is used in modern Japanese writing. 

For me “The Space Between” represents the true state of the Universe – which is always in an in-between state whether that is matter and energy as they change from one to the other, or light functioning both as wave and particle. In the vast reaches of space, unseen Dark Matter (between all the stars) is now understood to be the "stuff" that actually “holds” the universe together.  And, at the smallest quantum level even the smallest sub-atomic particles are surrounded by mysterious space. 

The symbol touches on that which is "between" is and is not.  Although referred to by many names, The Space Between is a common theme in many ancient mystical teachings from Tao to Zen, and from Christian mysticism to Sufism .  Neither "this" nor "that" but simply I AM.

On a personal level, it means consciously living in the “nowness” of things because we exist neither in the past or the future.  For almost two years now, we have lived in “the space between” Eureka and the Big Island of Hawaii.  Our home is located in a area that has the Hawaiian “place name” of Keahialaka which has a similar meaning for it is referred to as a "space" where the land folded together to create a dark shady spot that supposedly kept King Kamehameha safe.

 

 

House for Sale!

Eureka House for Sale

Here's our house in Eureka!  and if you click on the link, you can take a virtual tour of the inside of our house and the beautiful gardens.  We have really enjoyed being here for 20+ years and enjoyed the history of the house and the neighborhood.  The house was first built in 1860's and then was added on to in 1885 with the front two-story addition.  
If you know if anyone looking for a great house, please refer them to this link -- and our fabulous realtor, Dean Kessler.

http://agent-53459.pages.tourfactory.com/Tours

PS.  The first three days there were three showings, and we arrived a smidgen too soon on the third.  So we parked across the corner -- and just sat there waiting and looking at our cute little house -- and THEN, we remembered!  21 years ago, on the day we made the offer on the house, we took our lunch back to the very same corner and sat quietly while we ate our lunch and stared at we hoped would become "our house."  We saw it the in the morning, made the offer at noon and by 4pm that same day, the offer was accepted.

This week as we sat there in quiet reflection, I think both of us were wishing that the same thing would happen.  Then, out the front door walked a young woman who's body language seemed to say "oh, look, this could be MY house."  It seemed a delightful sign -- someone could love it as much as we have all these years.   And, just who would have guessed!  Yes, she loved it, made and offer, and we accepted!   OMG

Form and Emptiness

While taking photographs for listing our house for sale, we again have had the pleasure of simply appreciating both the original house we bought 21 years ago -- in its very sad state and the beautiful home we have created. 


While the house is empty except for major pieces of furniture and minimal essentials, there is an elegance to the sparsity akin to a Sacred Emptiness referred to in an ancient Sanskrit sutra:


The translation of part of the chant include the lines:

Form here is only emptiness - emptiness only form.

Form is no other than emptiness -- emptiness only form.

Heart of Perfect Wisdom.

All of the creativity, love and inspiration we have found here, we are packing and taking with us!  We can appreciate all this and...AND look forward with expectations to the play of form and emptiness -- in a new land.

  

Aloha Wardrobe!

A few days ago, we packed up our new wardrobe and mailed it off to our new home so we'd have something to wear besides sweatshirts, and the layers we have become accustomed in Eureka.

The closets and house are nearly empty now. The only remaining things to pack are the dishes we eat on, the pots and pans we use daily and a minimal amount of clothes and toiletries. Now that we are winding things up in Humboldt County, we are starting the countdown to our move -- only eight weeks away!

Typical of Eureka though, October promises to offer a few weeks of sun -- a real bright spot in a year where about 300 days were grey and the temperature rarely got above 60 degrees.

  

Farewell Sweet Girl

We knew it was coming, but like most pet people, we just kept thinking "tomorrow."  But, alas, tomorrow was today.

"Goodby My Comrade"

Goodby, my comrade, you are gone.
The evening wears a darker hue.
The moon and I are left alone
To live upon the thought of you.
Moon, broken fragment in the sky
Where once you reigned in full delight,
You are not lonelier than I,
In your far, solitary flight.
O Moon, we are but halves tonight.

                         Charles Erskine Scott Wood


On this Full Moon -- to our sweet Abbey Enis Puddin'chin -- the best and sweetest girl -- YOU WILL BE MISSED!