Hoshi Ryoku, oldest spa in the world? Built in 718 AD

In the year 717 AD a Buddhist monk climbed Mt Hakusan in Japan.  

Mt Hakusan

To put this period in historical perspective the Roman Empire had fallen and the world was dealing with the aftermath.  There would have been people alive in those days who would have lived in the time of the Prophet Muhammad.  Great Britain had not yet been invaded, but soon would be, by the vikings.  That lets you know how far back we are talking about.  

His name was Taicho Daishi and he spent a year there carrying out rigorous spiritual practices.  At the end of this period he had a dream.  In the dream he was told, 

”Lying 20-24 kilometers from the base of the mountain is a village called Awazu. There, you'll find an underground hot spring with wondrous restorative powers that Yakushi Nyorai (the Physician of Souls) has bestowed upon it. The people of the village, however, do not known of this good fortune. Descend the mountain and head to Awazu. With the people of the village unearth the hot spring-it will serve them forever."

Daishi went down to the village, uncovered the hot spring, and it was noticed that some sick people immersed in the water were cured immediately and their health restored. He bestowed the task of building a spa building at the site upon his disciple Garyo Hōshi, who really took this task to heart.   In fact, Hōshi’s family have diligently run a modest business at the site for nearly 1300 years. Hōshi has survived the rise and fall of the Samurai, the Ninja, many Japanese emperors and two world wars. His family have been running the business continuously for 46 generations.  It is still running to this day as a spa.  One of the oldest spas in the world. 

With such a history, when the Guiness Book of Records investigated the Hoshi Ryoku, for inclusion imagine their disappointment to discover that there was in fact an even older spa in Japan. This spa had been founded in 705 and had been running for 52 generations, the Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan!  But I reckon the Hoshi Ryoku has a whole mystical side that keeps it high on my list of favourite places to visit.

http://www.gizmag.com/worlds-oldest-hotel-hoshi-japan/13017/

Why are the Wealthy buying all the Water?

Sometimes the immediate problem is so overwhelming that it does not allow a broader perspective. Scenes of thousands or tens of thousands of refugees fleeing to Europe has tested the heart and integrity of many institutions. Since so many European leaders were elected to reduce newcomers to their borders, there was a major landslide of right wing groups to positions of power. Contrast that, with the overwhelming humanitarian response engendered in so many European citizens at the obvious helplessness of refugees fleeing war.  That photograph of a tiny drowned three year old on a beach in Turkey hit home. 

The media shows its ingrained amoral approach with headlines screaming, “Build a bigger wall to keep the hoards out!” or “Our Culture under threat!” The next day they proclaim self righteously, “How many more must die getting to Europe?”  Our frenetic bipolar media is driven by circulation figures and set their moral compass by the prevailing wind direction. It seems our politicians, institutions or media are not to be trusted. So perhaps a clearer perspective can be gained by examining not what they are saying but what they are doing? 

George Bush (net worth $20 million) is busy buying huge qualities of land, 300,000 acres in the sparsely populated wastes of Paraguay, in South America. His land, though not impressive in appearance, rests atop one of the largest freshwater aquifers in the world: Acuifero Guarani.

Acuifero Guarani covers roughly 460,000 square miles under parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina and is estimated to contain about 8,900 cubic miles of water.  Other major companies are following his path, as water has been identified as a critical commodity. Wall Street banks and multibillionaires are acquiring water assets as fast as they possibly can. Philippine’s Manuel V. Pangilinan (net worth $508 million), Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing (net worth $26.6 billion) and T. Boone Pickens (net worth US$1.2 billion) are racing to get their hands on this newest commodity, more precious and vital than oil.  Legal structures are already strengthening their strangle hold on water rights. Gary Harrington’s case in Oregon is an example. He tried to use rain water collected in  three ponds on his own land ended up in prison for 30 days. Contrast this with Boone Pickens draining 65,000,000 gallons of water a year from the Ogallala Aquifer.  Note: Once depleted, the aquifer will take over 6,000 years to replenish naturally through rainfall

Those of you experiencing an endless downpour (as in N. Ireland!), are probably asking what is so special about water? Well, like most things such as mobility, health and security  it is not until you lose something that you begin to appreciate how important it is. In the case of water, man-made climate change has altered our world. To get a broader perspective we have to look at our world and understand where droughts have been happening.

East Africa has suffered from the worst drought in 60 years.  Somalia. Dibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya are suffering and the resulting disastrous harvests mean starvation is not far behind these droughts.  In Afghanistan, as a result of droughts, 60-80% of their livestock has died.  In India 130 million people have been affected by water shortages.  Iran has just had their worst drought in a hundred years.  Morocco’s worst drought in a decade has affected 70% of its arable land.  Three million people in Pakistan face starvation due to drought devastated crops.  Brazil has faced its worst drought in 80 years and São Paulo with a population11.8 million (a megacity) is dealing with a nasty water crisis.   South Africa has had their worst drought since 1992 (twenty three years ago).  Syria, from 2006 to 2011 suffered their worst drought and crop failure in recorded history.  Is the picture becoming clear?  Climate change is happening and the resulting water shortages with crop failures are destabilising, creating wars and millions of refugees.

How does the world respond?  Will nationalism, xenophobia and chaos do anything other than empower the really rich and really powerful to proceed with an agenda that beggars belief.  The gap between rich and poor has never been greater.  “Billionaires and politicians gathering in Switzerland this week will come under pressure to tackle rising inequality after a study found that – on current trends – by next year, 1% of the world’s population will own more wealth than the other 99%.” Don’t expect those without water, food or security to stay and die at home quietly.  They cannot be the price the rich are willing to pay for their bottom line.  Ask yourself, if it was your family what would you do?  Would staying put even be an option?

By not standing back to see the broader picture we can waste so many valuable resources.  When Southern and Central Somalia’s acute malnutrition rose from 16.4% to 36.4% in 2011 the world was having to spend three million dollars over five months to truck in water.  Spending only 900,000 dollars to mitigate the drought and build up water resources beforehand would have saved money and more lives.

We have an obligation to ask the larger questions.  Why, when the earth is facing global challenges  that are frankly more scary than anyone wants to admit (climate predictions) are we allowing the flames of nationalism and economic greed prevent us from finding a sensible and sustainable way forward. When people get annoyed at an influx of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan or Somalia at least let us be armed with the facts behind their heartache and suffering.


1. http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-new-water-barons-wall-street-mega-banks-are-buying-up-the-worlds-water/5383274
2.  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/corporations-grabbing-land-and-water-overseas/
3.  http://www.citymetric.com/horizons/drought-megacity-sao-paulo-withering-after-dry-wet-season-1244
4. http://agorafinancial.com/2015/04/24/why-did-george-bush-buy-nearly-300000-acres-in-paraguay/
5.  http://www.wri.org/blog/2015/06/global-tour-7-recent-droughts

which player are you?

This is a quiz to figure out what kind of player you are. First spin the wheel at the bottom of this posting and then find the account that represents that chess piece.

King

As the most important player there are many that forget you are central to the purpose of the whole game of life. The fact that your speed and strength is minimal only disguises your position of importance. Don’t let slow small daily steps blind you to this reality. Without you all is lost. Everyone can sacrifice themselves in your defence because your protection is vital. You are like a royal falcon that soars but if you allow yourself to become besmirched with unworthy pursuits you will miss the whole point of your existence.! 

Queen

You tower above everyone in strength of character and inner power. Such capacity and drive is found very rarely. At times it is hidden, like a sheathed sword, but when you take action your true nature dominates and influences beyond your conception. Remember that high thoughts have little significance unless translated into the field of action. Make sure your strengths and capacity find correct direction and focus. Your excellence will arise from service to humanity not in personal glory or adulation of others. Don’t let how others perceive you become a veil between you and your own heart.! 

pawn

The most insignificant piece and the most common. The slowest and least agile. But the first to initiate and with perseverance can go to the final scene of life totally transformed into the most powerful player on the board. Such an unexpected metamorphosis lies in your own determination and patience. The person you are meant to be is closer than your life vein, believe it!! 

Bishop

By associating with those in power or with with wealth you can lose the purity and power that becomes you. Breaking free of the confined set/court your ability to dominate across wide fields of activity is clear. Your vision once cleared enables action in areas that are of inestimable value to humanity. See with your own eyes and not through the eyes of others.! 

Rook/Castle

You begin constrained and confined. These early days do not allow you the movement and sweeping endeavours that call to you. Gradually, your real worth will become apparent. You are a salve to those around you. A shelter in testing times and a real fortress of well-being. With the right partnership in life your considerable powers become enhanced and unbeatable. 

knight

You are unique in nature but also in how you operate. This distinction gives you traction when others are blocked in or confined. Being different from all the rest gives you skills that can match and indeed surpass much stronger players. Have confidence in who you are not in what others expect from you. Don’t be of those whose words differ from their deeds! 

Finding yourself among the lemmings

Am listening to Guardians of Galaxy sound track.  Don’t know why I like it so much.  There is a lightness about the songs that lifts my heart.  Years ago we all made cassettes of our favourite music and surrounded ourselves with that daydreaming space that they brought.  Then life becomes more serious and we get older and somehow listening to music became something that you do when you put the radio on, or overhear in the background on films.  Incidental and by accident as if an hour of listening to exactly what you wanted was an indulgence too far.  

I also remember playing non stop an American self help tape about making goals and achieving them.  Very assertive and formulaic.  In sure tones you were told that everything in life was possible you just had to have a clear vision of what you wanted, plan the steps to get there and have a clear finishing date for completion.  Reflection was a tool to be used to adjust to set backs and accelerate achievements.  People could and would he pointed out get in your way.  You had to build up momentum to weather such blocks.  Like a sailboat you needed movement to catch the wind and avoid becoming be stilled.  Keeping moving also did not let people cling to you and slow your progress.  Having go getters around you helped your goal attainment, he said.  Learn from the winners, he repeated twice in ringing tones.

What a load of shit!  My conclusion is this guy got things all wrong.  Achieving goals can be the biggest waste of a life.  It can blind you to the only really important thing in your life.  It can mean sacrificing the only  people that matter for some crap you only think you need.  The reason being rich is such a burden is the time you end up spending with other selfish rich assholes.  They can effectively steal from you the precious time that life has given you.  Whether that is time with your kids, your parents, your community or your partner there is simply nothing that compensates for that loss.  Don’t kid yourself that in some mystic future you will be thanked for all the hard work you put in, the houses that you bought, the money that you acquired.  All of it is actually worth less than the black dot in the eye of an ant.  Finding that out can be traumatic.  Especially, when it has been the compass of one’s life.  Instead of looking around you at those on a similar path take a step back and examine the quality of your life and the people in it.  We can discover that we are following ‘lemming like’ a lifestyle that does not make us happy but one we perversely cling to because everyone else is running alongside us doing the same.

There is a certain comfort in knowing we are following a familiar and crowded path.  But ultimately there is a part of you that has a unique sound track that will make you happy in a way no other can.     Find it fast, step back and look around at all the people you see around you daily on streets, at work, shopping.  Recognise the high percentage of them that are truly miserable and make another choice.  Dig up your favourite song tracks and make your soundtrack, a good hour at least, and then just listen.  Listen to where your thoughts go, what reflections bubble up, good or bad.  Allow daydreaming, watching sunsets, admiring nature and even silences into your life.  In the stillness of your own personal place find you.  Remember what makes you tick and smile.  Allow memories to be triggered rather than appetites fed.  Stop coping with what life throws, with the challenges of others and find and claim space for you.  You are so worth it.

PS It is surprising to find that the lemmings throwing themselves off cliffs is rather an urban myth.  Apparently, a 1958 documentary called Wild wilderness by Disney won awards and acclaim showed lemmings diving off cliffs.  It turns out that there is no proof that an assemblage of wild lemmings would actually carry out such mass suicide.  The film makers chased the animals off the cliff to good effect! It did win them an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.  You can watch the original above. 

Sitting put, Restless ripples

I sit in silence

the sun sets

Tiny ripples on a blue bedspread

easy, easing thoughts

erasing my mind gradually

until I feel only my weight

on this bench

heavily substantial

anchored to the spot

my mind roaming free

in need of purpose and direction

stationary and abreech

making little headway

rocking on one spot

the line of the horizon

measures out my being

the sea beckons

but my anchor has stuck hard

going nowhere fast

restless ripples of

useless endeavour