By Travis Newbill

Floral Notes and Bardo: The Creative Chronicles of a Shambhala Mountain Resident is a daily feature on the SMC blog in which a member of our staff/community shares his experience of existing as part of Shambhala Mountain Center.

What kind of tea?
Puerh.
Green or black?
Green.

Avajra: “Black!  Always black.  We’ve got shit to do.  Double doses of black.”

Photo by Lars Greypath

This morning, sitting on the porch, looking out into the woods, while the sun came up over the ridge — breezy-cool thoughts about time.  The karmic implications of decisions.  How well I hold my seat and not get swept up for minutes, hours.  It adds up.

So much to do, and it remains in a cloud — lightning bolts of anxiety.

One foot in front of the other.

Sometimes I think I’m screwing up and sometimes I notice success.

“Success and failure are your journey.” — Trungpa Rinpoche

Everything that happens is a potent teaching.  It’s so noticeable here — my changes, hang-ups… messages in the phenomenal world.  There’s no escape and it’s clear as a bell — the ambiguity.

— July 22, 2014

~~~

Travis Newbill is a curious dude on the path of artistry, meditation, and social engagement who is very glad to be residing at Shambhala Mountain Center.  His roles within the organization include Marketing Associate and Head Dekyong–a position of leadership within the community.  Follow Travis on twitter: @travisnewbill