A Horse, A Cart & Two Options by guest blogger Monique Germon

Good Reviews / Interview

March, 2011

Sunnataram Forest Monastery, Bundanoon

Entering the gates of the Sunnataram Monastery, I spot two monks in the distance. An out of the blue observation arises, regarding their probable lack of internet addiction. I laugh out loud. Once again, my mind attempts to sway me from meditation class. For God’s sake, you’ve been trying to get here for two years. You’re HERE – just do it.

I walk towards the buildings and see a sign that touches me with its quaint & simple instruction: ‘BE MINDFUL & SMILE’

Following its lead, I relax and remember how good this stuff used to make me feel. I sit and wait for the bell to ring, thinking about the importance of time out for all of our ‘selves’. I smile at the monks for in regards to time, they have it ‘sussed.’ No meat, no drugs, nothing bad in temple – check check check. I put my hair up just in case.

Suddenly, I am greeted by a charming host with beautiful blonde hair and am shown into the meditation hall. Other punters arrive and there are warm smiles all round. Going well and yep, happy I came. Love that guys tatts. Love Aussie blokes who come to these places. Traditional Buddhist monks sitting with you beaut, Boonie-lovers; most certainly my kind of wonderful.

Next thing the resident cat takes a liking to me and purring ferociously, settles in my lap. Even better – check it OUT. Perhaps this will lead to investigations that I am chosen to birth the next incarnation of His Holiness. I can’t believe you just thought that – you are serious hilarious.

Though I like to think of myself as somewhat ‘practised’ in Buddhist methodologies (I have even met the man himself like most good-little-seekers), this is not the sect I have spent time with and all ‘prostrations’ are different. I ask the woman next to me if she would please show me her best prostration and she kindly hits the floor, faces the giant golden Buddha, places her hands together, touches her head, heart, hands to floor and she’s back up again. I am reminded of old adventures, passing pilgrims who do this for hundreds of miles. My heart opens a little. Even more glad I came. I want to hug the woman for smiling so sincerely to a stranger but realise this is probably inappropriate & manage to contain my affections.

Soon after 6pm a door opens to my left and three monks walk in. We all bow towards them, they to each other and then everyone prostrates like crazy to the Buddha. Thoughts begin to arise such as; Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this, blah blah blah. Oh hello Ms Ego – it’s been a while since you & I have hung out.

Ding dong, we chant for half an hour and then embark on meditating for forty-five minutes. After a total of five I may as well be a freshly opened bottle of Doctor Pepper, rattling to the boom bass of a Whitesnake set. I want to be here and I don’t. My head thus begins a crescendo into The Cuckoo’s Nest.

Bloody hell, my head is like a SCRUM, a giant footy scrum that spans all of Exeter oval! This is bad. My mind is fucking nuts! I should never have neglected this stuff. (God – YAWN, like we’ve never heard that before). Ok then, just drop the tiara you try-hard Tenzin. It’s fine. Nuh-uh, are you kidding me?! This is NOT FINE, NOT FINE, NOT FINE! What the fuck was I thinking? Do you realise that you’re swearing in a temple?! Nice one. You may as well have been wheeled in on a giant pig-on-a-spit wearing a G-string.

It all gets a hell of a lot worse when I realise that I am, tragically; Elizabeth Gilbert. Even sadder than this; I think I am Julia Roberts! Will you listen to this voice over going on?! Does my MIND now have an American accent?! This is precisely what happens when you are raised on vegemite soldiers and The Cosby Show. Oh America, you were our HERO – what on earth happened? All these 2012 end of the world predictions must mean the fall of the U.S for sure. It’s a shame, the Donut King days were kind of fun. Yet, behold, China is check-mating The States & we can only thank our love of cheap labour for it. I really should learn Mandarin. I wonder if anyone has addressed the link between karma, physics and economy? Anyway Ms Eat Pray Love; your movie could have been SO much better. I wonder if you regret opening your insides to the masses. The editing was appalling! I really do love Italy and am due for a European adventure, but I haven’t yet been to Bali and oh Javier…………..

Ok – SHUT UP.

But wait a minute! Isn’t it bloody awful what the new age movement has done to dolphins, crystals and pan flutes? How insane is it that dolphins are now somehow daggy, that owls have pretty much had their day and that beards are the new owls?! You-are-officially-bonkers – who on earth are you talking to?!

Alright seriously, CUT IT OUT – you remember how to do this, I know you do. Suddenly, something drops and I am transported to a parallel place consisting of a horse, a cart and two options. 1. Pull the reins in on these thoughts or 2. Drop them and let your mind run wild. Well THAT’S a trick question for sure. You know what The Dalai Lama would say, ‘Just drop it. All of it. No horse, no cart, no reins.’

And you know what? For a moment in time – I do. Something falls and it’s like the back half of me disappears. I am aware with all my senses of the night forming behind me as well as the space which hovers over Morton National Park. I feel a deep kind of circular peace and am equally moved, enamoured and grateful.

Of course, this feeling comes and goes again for the remaining forty minutes. I go about mindfully writing random moments and future triumphs. I enjoy epic Wonder Woman fantasies of castrating billionaire mining executives and triumphantly abolishing greed from the planet. I regret not doing yoga every single day of my twenties as well as not having yet written an opera but amidst all of this – somehow, everything feels perfectly ok. And as a friend of mine would say, ‘Oh my God Shut UP – you have that moment.’

And it’s true. I do now have that moment and a simple & deep breath takes me straight back to a perfect combination of feeling thoroughly inspired, as well as completely and utterly at ease.

Monique Germon is a writer, art director, photographer & proprietor of STORY as well as a regular contributor to SOHI Magazine. She also enjoys the occasional role of ‘doula’ to our SOHI Editor in Chief, Rebecca Wolkenstein.

Photo credits

1. Photography & Styling: Maynes / Germon

2. Monique Germon

Sunnataram Forest Monastery holds meditation evenings every Tuesday at 6pm.

Cost is by donation. For more information go to: www.sunnataram.org