Spiritual Art and Apparitions

[the names of individuals and farmhouses in this section, have been changed to preserve the anonymity of their owners]

ZACHARY
The artist, Zachary was Tom and Trudy's long-time friend from Stateside, who created magnificent, luminescent works of art from fragments of glass and tile. When his eyesight began deteriorating several years earlier, and he was officially legally blind, Zac's creative talent would still not let this artist rest. If anything, his determination to create beauty through his handicrafts had actually increased as his eyesight failed, more especially so after he had embraced Buddhism, when he learned to see with  his inner eye. Upon relocating to Scotland, he had become even more determined to share his amazing inner visions through the colourful, intricate, awe-inspiring Buddhist mandalas he created.

Tonight, Zac had brought Tom and Trudy their very own mandala to be hung in their soon to be re-modelled Meditation Room. But before I could feast my eyes on Zac's unique creation, Trudy left the dining/meditation room and nimbly climbed the stairs to the next floor. I quickly followed her and remember being quite surprised at the generous width of this country staircase. Trudy assured me that the staircase was indeed original to the house, allowing for the easy navigation of the ladies' skirts of latter days. The top stair opened onto a wooden landing that gave access to four large bedrooms and a second, narrower and steeper staircase that led up to the attic.

THE LIBRARY

At a shout from Tom, Trudy and I descended the main staircase and entered a huge furnished living room. A large fire roared in the stone hearth, and, along with several lit candelabras, lent a romantic, almost cosy, ambiance to the library. Built-in mahogany bookcases lined the walls on either side of the fireplace and the wall opposite several casement windows, which were generously swathed in heavy brocade fabric that looked old enough to also be original to the house.

This library lay adjacent to the entrance while, across the entrance foyer, lay another room, of equally vast proportions. Most of the guests had settled in the library on one of the over-stuffed chairs or sofas; while others sat cross-legged on the floor, as if about to meditate. A couple of the men had brought along their guitars and one woman produced a sweet sounding flute.  The musicians were tuning their instruments by the grand piano that, almost inconspicuously, occupied one corner of that large room.

Upon my return, my boyfriend handed me my refilled wine glass and I then settled on the rug next to him to await the start of that evenings festivities. I looked around the room and listened to crackle and hiss of the fire logs and the murmur of old friends sharing their lives and thought how lucky we were to have found this community growing right here in the Scottish wilderness.  

TUNES

Tom and Trudy's daughters unanimously chose to bid us goodnight and disappeared upstairs to their rooms before the singing began. Each guitarist took turns to introduce a selection of sixties folk songs, soft rock and ballads. Those of us who knew the lyrics were encouraged to join in, and those who didn't know the lyrics were encouraged to sing anyway, which we did. As the night progressed, our little band got progressively noisier and noisier, completely drowning out those sports die-hards in the room across the hall who insisted on discussing football - and American football at that!

APPARITIONS 
After an hour or so, Trudy went upstairs to check on the girls. From my vantage point near the back of the room, I could see her begin to ascend the staircase. But I was definitely not prepared to see the two pale, ghostly figures that accompanied her. The apparitions seemed to be matronly ladies dressed in the fashion of the early 1800s. Perhaps they had been nannies to the family's children at that time and were thus keeping an eye on the children in this era too.

When Trudy returned, I told her, with some trepidation, what I had seen. But she merely smiled and nodded, saying that she had seen them too and that they were quite benign, even reassuring to her. Then she asked if I would mind tucking in her youngest daughter, with whom I had formed an attachment during our Thanksgiving supper. I obliged, of course, and told her little one a bedtime story before returning to the party downstairs.
 
Maybe I'd drunk too much wine, or maybe it was the uneven flooring in that old farmhouse that caused me to lose my footing when I stepped onto the staircase from the top landing. To this day, I cannot be sure. All of a sudden, my arms were flailing wildly, hands desperately seeking a banister, yet grasping only air. Unconsciously, I braced myself for what I was sure would be a nasty fall all the way to the bottom of that long broad staircase. But I did not fall! 

GHOSTLY HANDS
At the utmost moment of peril, I both felt and saw two sets of strong hands materialize out of thin air! One hand braced my shoulder and the other steadied my elbow, on either side of me, so that I did not fall.
"Careful, dear!" whispered a kindly but discarnate voice in a soft Scottish lilt
"Watch your footing or these stairs will be the death of you!" I had the distinct impression that these strong, capable hands belonged to the same "nannies" that cared for the children. How reassuring to know that they also cared for house guests!  And having steadied me, both sets of hands vanished, leaving me to walk downstairs unaided.

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully for me, as I was quite preoccupied after my ghostly encounter. I wondered what other secrets this old farmhouse held and looked forward to many visits here with Trudy and her family in the future.

Little did I know, at the time, that my boyfriend shared neither my enthusiasm for my newfound friends nor their beliefs.

ZAC's MANDALA 
My boyfriend and I slept surprisingly well that night beneath Zac's colourful Mandala, which had earlier been hung in the window of the family's official dining room. It caught the first light of that wintry morning, scattering warming scarlet and rich purple hues throughout the room and awakening us to their jewel tones along with the aroma of freshly brewed java. 

Trudy and her daughters had already collected fresh eggs which they were scrambling and serving on toast for all those hungry enough to do them justice. I did notice, however, that some of the guests looked a little green and seemed extraordinarily grateful for that strong black coffee! 

RETURN TO WHITEYETT
Around noon, Daniel loaded our sleeping bags into the back of his van and drove my boyfriend and me back to our humble Castle O'er abode. Tigger greeted us enthusisatically at first, and then, remembering that he was angry we'd abandonned him indoors overnight, acted very aloof for a day or so. He eventually did forgive me when I told him, in great detail, of my adventure with those ghostly hands that had prevented my falling downstairs. Tigger was, after all, one very cool, very Scottish cat!

I was to enjoy precious few visits to the Old Duncan Farm or with the NASA crowd following that early December evening. As winter approached, our local roads often proved unreliable, somewhat like my relationship with my boyfriend.  His mood had become more and more sullen and gloomy as winter closed in, a classic symptom of SAD - Seasonally Affected Disorder.

In his depressed state, my boyfriend resented my friendship with the Americans and I, in turn, had objected to his resentment, which served only to increase the friction between us. Thus it was that I chose to visit England to celebrate Christmas with an old school friend, rather than provide Christmas fare for a man who did not seem able to notice, much less appreciate, my domestic efforts.  But I did return in plenty of time time for Hogmanay (December 31). To live in Scotland and miss the ancient rites in celebration of Hogmanay would have been considered sacriligious

ZAC'S STUDIO

Shortly after my return but before Hogmanay, Daniel arranged for me to visit Zachary's art studio which lay a good hour's drive up the valley. His house was even more remotely situated than my own little cottage, yet he and his wife, Mary, managed to make it warm and welcoming. 

I was delighted to discover that the inside of the house gleamed like an opulent jewel box. And I was particularly impressed by the simplicity and beauty of a tiny back room that Zac had turned into his private Meditation Shrine. The walls were painted black so, at first, it felt like you were stepping into a cave. But once your eyes adjusted to the unexpected darkness, the semi-precious stones and glass ornaments sparkled all the more in the faint light.  

Zac's living room was incongruously paved with 2ft square black and white tiles, set on the diagonal, that seemed out of place with the delicacy of his creations. But Mary explained that those tiles enabled him to manoevre around the room without bumping into things. Indeed, he did seem to manage locomotion so effortlessly that it was difficult to remember that he was blind.

EXIT STAGE LEFT 

When I returned from my trip, my boyfriend announced that he was driving me back to my Uncle's home in central England and that we'd be leaving early in January. So if I wanted to remain in that area, I was told I should make alternate living plans immediately.

His announcement was cold, but efficient, much like his demeanour had become! He no longer wanted or needed me in his life. And I surely could not remain where I was not wanted. And though I had felt very much at home in Samye Ling Monastery, I did not feel the urge to shave my head and become a Buddhist monk. Neither did I want to impose myself on my new found American friends who all had their own partners, and were in the process of establishing their own lives in a foreign land. Faced with my boyfriend's timetable, my choices seemed woefully scanty.

That week, therefore, I made one last sad pilgrammage to the Samye Ling Monastery, bidding a tearful farewell to my new friends, perhaps knowing in my heart that I would never again seeTrungpa, or the Nasa "Brats".
 

The following weekend, I packed my few personal belongings and reluctantly bid adieu to my handful of neighbours in Eskdalemuir and Castle O'er and to my delightful feline friend,Tigger, before being driven south to stay with relatives in England's East Anglia region. 

POSTSCRIPT

Less than a month later, unable to feed himself or to keep the cottage warm whilst working full time, my boyfriend abruptly quit his Forestry Commission job and also departed the Scottish Lowlands.  Tigger had run away from home mere days after I left Castle O'er. But, Old Ned kindly agreed to look out for him, should he ever return to our cottage. I like to think that my beautifully proud, half-wild friend found a mate and that now his little Tiggers populate that area.

All the furniture and fittings of our economically furnished home were left for whomever rented Whiteyett next. I sometimes wonder if that demented Bendix was ever bolted down and used, or if it lived out its days, as I had done in that cottage - in quiet contemplation, listening to the cacophony of sounds that accompany winter in the Scottish Lowlands; from the unforgiving icy gusts that  mercilessly blasted through both stone and bone, to the  lyrical River Esk that meandered endlessly past my kitchen window. 

The following summer, my boyfriend and I reunited for a few months in London. But our separate Scottish experiences had resulted in us seeing life from different viewpoints and we soon decided to end our tempestuous relationship.  

Some relationships happen for a reason, some for a season and some forever.  Ours was not destined to be a forever union.  Being together had goaded us to examine our needs and stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone. And we were both the wiser for it. So, even though we were never to see each other again, our parting was amicable. 

My spiritual journey continues in 

Section 3 - Chapter 1: 
 1972 Overland Bus Trip to Morocco

the bizarre events that prompted my impromptu trip

   My Road to Morocco Days  - Prologue

Living La Vida Local

THE OLD DUNCAN FARMHOUSE

[the names of individuals and family abodes in this section, have been changed to preserve the privacy of their owners]
The week following Thanksgiving, the pipes thawed at the Old Duncan Farmhouse, which had originally been planned as the celebration centre for the previous weeks' guests. Trudy and her three daughters, who had been staying with friends, promptly moved back home to be with Tom and the cats.

Theirs was a traditional, stone-built, farm house often found in the Scottish Borders, and thought to date back to the 1700s. Square in aspect, a now-defunct barn had once stood adjacent to the house, enclosing a rough courtyard, where horses and carriages had once stood.

As dusk fell, our new friend and amiable chauffeur, Daniel, dropped by the cottage I shared with my boyfriend to collect us both for the planned evening's entertainment at the Old Duncan Farmhouse.
"They're having a pot luck dinner followed by a folk evening in the library which will probably last till the wee small hours; so do bring your sleeping bags with you!" he advised.
I grabbed a biscuit tin already filled with baked goodies from my larder as my boyfriend picked up our sleeping bags.

Daniel then drove us there, talking a mile a minute, as was his way, so that, by the time we arrived, we'd learned that our hostess, Trudy, was another of the NASA 'brats' who had retired from mainstream insanity soon after the famed Moon Walk of July 20, 1969

TOM AND TRUDY
In the States, her tall, athletic husband, Tom, had been a stay-at-home Dad for years. Whilst he had researched his PhD thesis, he'd also taken care of the domestic needs of their three grade-school daughters. Meanwhile, Trudy, alone, had brought home the bacon. Decades before it became "fashionable", Trudy was already a self-made woman!

But since they had all relocated to Scotland, their non-traditional roles had reversed, becoming more traditional - at least to the untrained eye. Trudy was now 100% in charge of the home front, which left Tom free to peruse his passion in faraway Edinburgh's ancient libraries. Thus the renovation of their farmhouse as well as the care, feeding and home-schooling of their family had been left totally in Trudy's capable hands. According to Daniel, this amazing woman managed to look as young as her eldest daughter even as she rose to such a Herculean challenge.

Prior to their family's arrival, the Old Duncan Farmhouse had stood empty for many years. So almost immediately upon purchase, Trudy had organized some knowledgeable friends and local contacts to renovate the farmhouse's wiring as well as much of its indoor plumbing.

TWO BATHROOMS
The indignity of herself and her three daughters having to use outdoor facilities in the chill of a Scottish Fall must certainly have spurred her ambition. For, within a fortnight of their arrival, they had installed two separate indoor bathrooms, both downstairs.

Trudy was an excellent cook and original thinker around whom people had always flocked, in her Stateside home. Matters proved no different here on the farm for Trudy, who had been determined to re-vitalize the farmhouse in every way possible. Apparently her plan included the wining and dining of the community and much trade and social interaction with the locals.

BARTER SYSTEM
Those who lent their expertise and/or muscle power to Trudy's renovations were rewarded by a hearty and delicious home-cooked meal followed by an evening of local home-brew, much laughter and more song. And anyone who imbibed too freely was invited to 'sleep it off' on foam mattresses on the living room floor - hence Daniel's suggestions that we pack our sleeping bags.

This particular Saturday, Tom, and a dozen or so of his American ex-NASA friends and neighbours, had just completed a busy work-day schedule at the farm. Following the last of the plumbing renovations, their elbow grease had made the house presentable, while Trudy had been busy in the kitchen, preparing a much belated Thanksgiving meal for everyone. Now as darkness cloaked the valley, and Daniel parked his van in the courtyard, everyone was famished, ready for supper and some home-spun fun.

ANCIENT WHISPERS
The exterior of the farmhouse looked quite imposing. And, standing in that old courtyard, one could easily imagine being there, 300 years before, when a more ancient set of friends and neighbours had gathered. Was that a horse's soft neigh, a long sigh or distant laughter I could hear? In this place, what whispers might my inner ear hear and what sights might my 3rd eye behold through the mists of time?

Before I could enquire further, our hostess greeted us warmly and bid us enter her home. Trudy looked much younger than her 35 years, and standing next to her 15 year old daughter, Daniel had been right, one might have mistaken them for sisters.  Even though she had fed a houseful of helpers during the day, while managing her 3 daughters and preparing a full evening meal, her smile revealed  serenity and her movements were vibrantly youthful. Such is the effect of true inner contentment.

Daniel and my boyfriend had by now disappeared through an inner door and into the dining room with our sleeping bags, where he remained chatting with Tom and an artist friend. I stayed in the kitchen, finding a platter for my iced fairy cakes, and then one of the girls sounded the large bronze supper gong. As in the monastery, everyone ate together, this time gathering around the huge rough hewn wooden table that fitted comfortably into Trudy's country kitchen.

TRUDY's COUNTRY KITCHEN
The centrepiece of Trudy's kitchen was her enormous Aga cooking range. Fed by seasoned logs gathered at the end of summer from their own woodlot, this range was well used, producing not only the day's  meals but also heating much of the house. Trudy served everyone a country portion of healthy pea-soup with freshly-made whole grain buns, that were still warm from the oven.   A steaming succulent honeyed ham, no doubt procured from a local farmer, dominated the table -  and our appetites - along with the au gratin potatoes and a variety of hot vegetable dishes.

As in the monastery, everyone paused before the meal to give thanks to the Creator for bringing us all together in love, peace and harmony. My boyfriend and I were also welcomed and thanked for joining the group for this auspicious celebration.  Then Tom made sure that every volunteers received an extra measure of beer, which had been made and amply supplied by their nearest neighbour. There was also a flagon of red wine for those of us who preferred imbibing the grape. We all drank liberally, toasting everyone's health, catching up on local news and enjoying the ambiance.  I personally was most grateful that Tom and Trudy's two new indoor toilets had been properly installed and were also fully functional.

For dessert Trudy provided crisp red apples plus an assortment of cheeses. I suggested that my fairy cakes might be added to the few dozen oatmeal-raisin-chocolate chip bars someone else had brought for sharing. But Trudy just winked at me and set my biscuit tin aside: "to save for snacking on later, when we adults will be able to appreciate them more". 

After dinner, while several volunteers, including my boyfriend, handled the kitchen clean up, while Tom led the crowd into the library where he dispensed drinks.  Trudy chose this transitional time to give me a quick tour of her wonderful old farmhouse.

FARMHOUSE TOUR
We had entered the house through a side door that connected kitchen to the courtyard and adjacent barn. From the kitchen, a passageway split into two around a centrally located ascending staircase, joining up again at the base of the stairs at the wide front-entrance hallway.  From that tiled foyer one could enter on of two huge 'reception' rooms that overlooked the grounds at front of the house.

Two smaller side rooms, adjacent to the kitchen, each faced a different side of the ascending staircase. One had been divided into two separate rooms, each containing the newly installed  bathrooms. The other room was a formal, empty dining room, that had been designated as our sleeping area for the night. The bathrooms and dining room were warmed by the heat radiating from the Aga in the kitchen. I remember counting at least half a dozen sleeping bags stacked next to a pile of foam mattresses.

Trudy told me that their kitchen was so large she had no need of a formal dining area, and was planning to turn the dining room into a Meditation Room.  This would house her collection of fine, local and largely donated artwork, that she promised to show me later. It seemed Daniel had already mentioned my interest in Fine Arts. So Trudy happily told me more about the incredible artist.  

SECTION 2 Chapter 6  Spiritual Art and Apparitions  More about Daniel and the ghostly happenings at Trudy's Farmhouse