TEA AND ZEN - THREADS

BROTHER BOB

Dear Bob,Alison shared with me the playlist from your farewell gig at The Bell and Crown. I'm deeply moved by the memories it holds and would like to contribute a song to it.One evening in the late 70’s after our regular visit to The Prince Albert, we returned to your flat to unwind with music, a cherished ritual. It was on this night that you introduced me to Van Morrison's album 'Veedon Fleece' and played the track 'Come Here My Love'.Fast forward to July 10th, 1997, the day my daughter Lily entered the world. I prepared a playlist for the birthing room, including 'Come Here My Love'. Miraculously, at 3:15 pm, just as Lily arrived, the song began playing, as if it were destined, no doubt it was.Your essence, the Love that defined you in this life, remains eternal. Music was your language of Love, and I'm deeply grateful for the gift of 'Come Here My Love', which became the entrance melody to Lily's life.You'll forever be in my heart Bob, for whatever is held most sacred in our heart once, is forever held there, once sacred forever sacred. Nigel. Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

THE OCEAN ENTIRE

Nigel Lott …..teaandzen.org Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

DANCING WITH THE INFINITE.

LOVE stands as both the enigma and the answer, rather like the core essence of quantum mechanics. It's a creative force that defies definition yet permeates every aspect of existence. In its purest form, LOVE transcends boundaries, embracing all, yet paradoxically, it exists in the very absence of boundaries, in the voids and silences that punctuate the web of life.LOVE is omnipresent, threading its way through the fabric of the universe, binding atoms, galaxies, and souls alike. It's the cosmic glue that holds together the fragments of creation, infusing them with purpose and meaning. From the dance of subatomic particles to the majesty of celestial bodies, LOVE whispers its eternal song, reminding us of our interconnectedness.Yet, LOVE is also the silent companion in the depths of solitude. It dwells in the spaces between thoughts, in the quiet recesses of the heart where words falter and gestures fail. It's the solace found in the embrace of silence, the comfort of being held by the infinite expanse of nothingness.In relationships, LOVE manifests as a dance between presence and absence. It's the gaze that speaks volumes without uttering a word, the warmth of a touch that transcends physical boundaries. LOVE resides not only in the moments of togetherness but also in the spaces where two souls intersect yet remain distinct, honoring each other's autonomy and individuality.In the end, LOVE is not confined to the realms of the tangible or the visible. It's the creative force that animates life itself, weaving its way through existence with gentle grace. To LOVE is to embrace the paradox, to dance with the infinite while rooted in the present moment, knowing that in the vast expanse of all or nothing, LOVE remains the only constant. Nigel LottLOVE is on every breath you take, was there before breath you took, and will be there when breath you take no more. Nigel LottIt is in the silence within, meeting the silence without, in that space out of time that all truth (love) is found beyond even a whisper. Nigel LottIn all existence, there can be no loss of LOVE ever, no matter what. Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

MORNING POEM

Every morningthe worldis created.Under the orangesticks of the sunthe heapedashes of the nightturn into leaves againand fasten themselves to the high branches–and the ponds appearlike black clothon which are painted islandsof summer lilies.If it is your natureto be happyyou will swim away along the soft trailsfor hours, your imaginationalighting everywhere.And if your spiritcarries within itthe thornthat is heavier than lead–if it’s all you can doto keep on trudging–there is stillsomewhere deep within youa beast shouting that the earthis exactly what it wanted–each pond with its blazing liliesis a prayer heard and answeredlavishly,every morning,whether or notyou have ever dared to be happy,whether or notyou have ever dared to pray. Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

SOUL SPARKS

Long may your awareness of love and its power abide within you, its undying beauty always to remain. If you should forget its presence in you however, in times of trial and tribulation do not worry, for it will never forget you, its truth forever your guide and friend. Nigel Lott Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

A PRAYER AND BLESSING - HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

Allow this chant which is about a HOPE FOR ENLIGHTENMENT to penetrate the spiritual heart space just below the sternum. Treat this as a meditation and allow the energy, tone and vibration to embed itself into every fibre of your being. The world needs your light and love NOW. Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

SOUL SPARKS - Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore

Love transcends the boundaries of time and form, weaving its enchanting threads through the ages. These immortal words penned by the renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore resonate deeply with the essence of enduring love, capturing the eternal dance of souls through countless lifetimes."I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…" With these opening lines, Tagore delves into the profound mystery of love's continuity across the ages. It's a sentiment that speaks to the soul's recognition of a kindred spirit, echoing through the corridors of time.Throughout the verses, Tagore eloquently portrays the timeless essence of love, portraying it as a recurring motif in the grand narrative of existence. "In life after life, in age after age, forever," he writes, emphasizing the eternal nature of love's essence, which persists beyond the bounds of mortal existence.The imagery of the "necklace of songs" symbolizes the myriad expressions of love that adorn the beloved's being in each incarnation. It's a gift that transcends materiality, a token of deep affection that spans across the epochs, connecting us all in an unbreakable bond.As the poet reflects on the ancient tales of love's trials and tribulations, he finds solace in the enduring presence of the beloved. "You become an image of what is remembered forever," he muses, highlighting the beloved's immortal imprint on the annals of memory.The metaphor of the "stream that brings from the fount" evokes the timeless flow of love at the heart of existence. Across the vast expanse of time, souls have journeyed together, drawn inexorably towards each other by the magnetic force of love's eternal allure.Yet, amidst the ebb and flow of life's vicissitudes, love remains a steadfast anchor, transcending the transient nature of human existence. "Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever," Tagore observes, emphasizing the perennial renewal of love's essence in ever-evolving forms.In the culmination of the poem, love finds its ultimate fulfillment in the present moment, encompassing the entirety of human experience. "The love of all man’s days both past and forever," Tagore writes, encapsulating the universal essence of love that permeates every facet of existence.Love emerges as the quintessential thread that binds all souls together in a timeless embrace. "The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours," Tagore concludes, celebrating the eternal resonance of love's song, sung by all hearts throughout the ages. Nigel Lott teaandzen.org Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

SOUL SPARKS - SUFFERING

The true essence of freedom from suffering lies not in the absence of pain but in our ability to rise above it, to transcend it, and to embrace life with an open heart and a liberated soul - a path of non-attachment and letting go of outcomes in surrendering to what is present in any given moment, a hard task to say the least at times, no doubt…… but there it is. Nigel Lott teaandzen.org Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

A MOMENT OF GRACE

Remember the infinite possibilities that are born of knowing that all love surrounds you lives within you and that all life including yours is so very precious, there is not a moment to lose. Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE

SILENCE

“A Day of SilenceCan be a pilgrimage in itself.A Day of SilenceCan help you listenTo the Soul playIt’s a marvelous lute and drum.Is not most talkingA crazed defense of a crumbling fort?I thought we came hereTo surrender in Silence,To yield to Light and Happiness,To Dance within,In celebration of Love's Victory”Hafiz.May All Love Become You…Nigel Lott Get full access to Tea and Zen - Threads at teaandzen.substack.com/subscribe
In the quiet between heartbeats a whisper calls you home, you are not broken you are becoming. These threads of silence and sound are letters from the threshold, offerings from the edge of stillness. Nigel  TEA AND ZEN - MAIN LIBRARY                                                                                                                                                                  DONATE