The gift of insults

Zen Story The Gift of Insults

There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him.

One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move.

Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior's challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed.
Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. "How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?"

"If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it," the master replied, "to whom does the gift belong?"

Prague last part

Last pictures of Prague You could easily fill a whole Blog about Prague It breves history and art from every corner.

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Prague castle and St Vitus Cathedral. Charles IV started to build The Cathedral in 1344 It was finished in 1929. It has numerous beautiful side chapels. The Parler's Chapel of St Wenceslas houses the crown jewels and the tomb of King Wenceslas. The door towards the jewels has 7 locks. The 7 most important people in Prague have a key each.

Prague castle is the largest castle in the world and build in the 9th century. It started with a wooden fortress The last face lift was in the 18th century. It always was and still is the seat of the Czech rulers.

The Czech already made marionettes since the 18th century. They are hand carved from wood or made from plaster. Some other typical souvenirs are Chech crystal and Becherovka Herbal Liquor

The powder Gate was build in the 11th century, when it was one of 13 entrances to the Old Town of Prague. Later it was used to store gunpowder.

The Municipal House, an Art Nouveau building which was completed in 1911. On 28Th October 1918, the historic proclamation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia took place here.

Look over the Moldau with the Charles Bridge in the background The bridge is protected by three bridge towers and is decorated with 30 statues.

A street in the Old Town

Two Czech people chatting in the park on Kampa Island. The building on the right with a golden crown on top is Prague national Theatre Opera

A beautiful house in Josefov (Old Jewish Town)

This statue of Jan Hus dominates the Old town square. Jan Hus was a Priest and lecturer at the Charles Univerity. He was one of the most important Czech reformers and nationalists. Because he criticised the Catholic church he was burned at the stake for heresy in 1415.

Indulgence in dance

Prompt Indulgence for Sunday Scribblings
When I indulged in pondering about the word Indulgence, I thought you can indulge in many things. As long as you completely selfishly engage or emerge in a form of instant gratification. Of course eating and drinking have done that for me when I was young (and still sometimes)but for me it was also dancing. Therefore I extended an old poem

Indulgence in dance
By marja Blom

Lifted into wonder of a mystical night
wakened by crying violins
Moonlight illuminates untouchable feet
of a swirling beauty who calls the one
with a bitter song so sweet

Flaming black eyes enter the magic
fuelled by thundering clapping
Awakening the spirit of romance
of two silhouettes who understand
the language of Gypsy dance

During the embrace of two souls
the rhythm of the beat slows down
the stillness of the night returns
but in the heart of the dancers
an eternal fire burns

The shimmering veil of dawn rises
Bouncing hoofs announce a depart
a cloud of dust cloaks the horse and man
Would he return to the call of her longing
to indulge in the passion of dance again?

Nothing to fear

Nothing to fear

There’s nothing to fear - you’re as good as the best,
As strong as the mightiest, too.
You can win in every battle or test;
For there’s no one just like you.
There’s only one you in the world today;
So nobody else, you see,
Can do your work in as fine a way:
You’re the only you there’ll be !

So face the world, and all life is yours
To conquer and love and live:
And you’ll find the happiness that endures
In just the measure you give;
There’s nothing too good for you to possess,
Nor heights where you cannot go:
Your power is more than belief or guess -
It is something you have to know.

There is nothing to fear - you can and you will.
For you are the invincible you.
Set your foot on the highest hill -
There’s nothing you cannot do.
Author Unknown

A Zen story; Destiny

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself."He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny.""Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

Dane Moeke

fantail photo by Mayke

Not only the fantails sing beautifully in New Zealand but also Dane Moeke. This 19 year old psychology student from Hamilton was a winner at Homai Te PakiPaki, a Karoaoke music show on Maori Television. He will be in the semi final in September.

Dane sang "I will always love you" from Whitney Houston and when his video came on YouTube it was an instant hit. Check him out at You Tube What do you think Is he as good as Susan Boyle. I think he is.

Terezin concentration camp

When I was in Holland I became aware that the tolerance, once a character trait of the Dutch, is slowly disappearing. I saw more and more signs of intolerance, xenophobia and racism and people voted for the party of Geert Wilders and his hate speeches against Islam. I noticed that this is not only going on in the Netherlands but that a wave is going through many countries. It made me sad and I find it also scary as we have seen in the past where hatred could lead to.

On our Prague holiday we went for one morning to Terezin, one and a half hour drive from Prague. Terezin is an example of what can happen because of racism. Many buses with schoolchildren went there. Hopefully they learned a lesson from it and these things won’t happen again.

In the 18th century Terezin was build as a fortress to protect Prague and got the name of Keizerin Maria Theresia Terezin. Terezin or Theresianstadt consisted of the large Fortress which was turned into Theresianstadt Ghetto and small fortress which was turned into a Gestapo prison from 1940.

Although executions took place at Terezin, most jews who arrived at Terezin, were sent to extermination camps like Auschwitch were 88.ooo died. Because of desease caused by overcrowding and poor health conditions 33.000 died at Terezin. At the end of the war 17.247 of the 144.000 who entered Terizin had survived

We went to visit the small fortress which left a huge impression on all of us. It was quiet on the way back in the bus

The slogan "Arbeit macht frei" was placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps

Vell blocks A and B consisted of 17 group cells and 20 solitairi confinement cell. 1500 people shared these blocks

In these cells 60 to 100 people lived together

About 15.000 children passed through Terezin. Most of them died They found some poetry of the children and made a book of them called "I never saw another butterfly" You can find .poetry from the children in the camp here

The Butterfly

The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing
against a white stone. . . .

Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly 'way up high.
It went away I'm sure because it wished to
kiss the world good-bye.

For seven weeks I've lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me

And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don't live in here,
in the ghetto.

- by Pavel Friedman, 1942

Pavel Friedmann was born in Prague on in January 7, 1921. He was deported to Terezin on April 26, 1942 and later to Ausschwitz where he died on September 29 1944

A recipe for a human

Prompt human For sunday sribblings

A Recipe for a human
by marja blom

Take the fruit of evolution
Sift out the intelligence
make it into a solution

Than stir in a bowl
a spoon of fear taken from a memory
a cup of happiness extracted from a melody
a pinch of C'est la vie

Pour a billion words in a blender
till you got a social stew
Spread it on a layer of gender

Add the mixture from the bowl
Heat it in the oven of life
Garnish with a purpose and a soul
Add some creativity and some fantasy

Take it with love and sensitivity
and a sprinkle of forgive ity
which guarantees longevity