Retreat in the Heart of Darjeeling

Behold! The portable luggage scale.

You may not be able to read in the picture that the bag attached to it is hovering at around 37 pounds–a minor miracle thanks to the employment of unseen angel helpers who swiftly jettisoned ten pounds ounce by ounce. This victory was prompted by the strict pronouncement of the travel company, whose staff will be hauling my luggage from one B&B in Ireland to the next, that 37 pounds (or 17 Kg) are the max they can handle.

But that is not a lot when you are traveling for one month first in Ireland and then in Russia. Bye-bye bottle of eye make-up remover, extra shoes, heavy umbrella, pantsuit, too many socks, and assorted odds and ends. AND, I will be wearing my hiking clothes on the plane. What about all my vitamins? They stay.

As I wear the same clothes over and over (and not especially fashionable ones at that), I shall recite excerpts of His Eminence Cardinal Merry del Val’s Litany of Humility: “From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus.” Seriously, this is a wonderful litany that was once printed on the back of a Pearl (a Summit University Press publication that can be subscribed to) and it is a litany that is easily found on the Internet. Here is one site and there are many:  http://www.catholictradition.org/Litanies/litany55.htm

Now, onto a great book I’m reading about how the Irish saved civilization (appropriately titled the same) by Thomas Cahill. I’m not even half way through, but the exciting saga is that as Rome was falling, literature and culture were virtually destroyed. Books were burned. Society was turned upside down. But, Ireland was outside the fray and the difference in cultures was about as far apart as could be. However, the fledgling blessed Irish monks and scribes, newly literate and converted to Christianity by–well,  yes!–Saint Patrick, were busily copying western literature which was then carried by them throughout Europe. For me, it really illustrates how ONE PERSON with God can change the face of Planet Earth. It’s an inspiring and delightful read.

My DISCLAIMER, however, is that when I recommend a book, video, etc., it may not all be to one’s taste and may have some things that are not part of the teachings of the ascended masters that many readers study. So I ask you to read with the discernment of your Christ Self. For example The Courage to Grieve, shown in an earlier blog, mentions ways of dealing with anger that are not recommended in The Summit Lighthouse, so please consult a professional therapist if you have questions on this topic.

If you are a fan of ancient and mythic epics, as I am, you will appreciate Mr. Cahill’s analysis of the “superheros” of the Irish tradition. He writes, “In this place and period, one might also have experienced a milieu something like that of pre-Roman cultures as Homeric Greece, the India of the Mahabharata, and Sumer, with their common equipage of warhorses and warrior chariots and their common standards of heroic action.” It reminded me of an animated short film (7 minutes) that was recently screened by Pixar. I couldn’t believe I was watching Hindu deities in a regular US movie theater. Here’s a link, but if you are sensitive to music and ads, watch out for those that precede and follow it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvAJKkCbHmA

Oh, and rain is predicted for the days I’ll be walking.