POSTCARD#337: Chiang Mai: 05.00 hours. Dreamscape of spinning fans in a warm dark night, gives way to another sound, a motorbike intrudes, coming nearer and nearer, voices talking loudly – the driver and his companion sitting behind, shouting to be heard over the sound of the engine. Driver lowers the throttle to listen to what’s being said. The sound fills my room up here on the third floor, as it passes below, engine noise and a few disconnected words, then it’s quiet again.
I hear them, faintly now, fading into the distance, enclosed in the small environment of their moving world. Curious acoustics in this narrow street, the sound of the shouted conversation sliced into pieces only where there are facing buildings – and other people, I assume, are wakened for a moment, as I was, then fall asleep again. Consciousness creating continuity between otherwise unrelated but similar things. Thus long strings of events linked together form a lifetime, included in one seamless reality.
Just as a monkey moving through the forest or the woods holds on to a branch, lets it go and holds on to another; in the same way what we call viññāṇa (consciousness) arises as one thing and ceases as another, by day and by night.’ [SN.II.95]
dhamma footsteps 
MONKEY MIND
This monkey mind
Chattering through the jungle
Swinging thought to thought
Ah, the great adventure…
After you. 😀
Ah, the nightscape of sound. Last night into the wee hours I heard muffled voices of our neighbors beyond our common wall. I assume they were packing and discussing various things. I never make out words but recognize the voices. They are leaving this morning to spend Christmas with family up north. I sometimes hear a muffled cheerful shout or groan of dismay through that wall as the husband watches a sporting match. I try to keep in mind if we have an argument that if we can hear them they can hear us. Not that it really matters. They are kind and caring people. I realize now I will miss their implied presence beyond that wall until their return. Night sleep is sometimes elusive these days, and I realized last night that this holiday season carries into the consciousness pain of deep and forgotten wounds. A few come to mind as I write. Thank you for your writing which always resonates with me. Happy Christmas, R.
Hi Sunny
Found this nice comment of yours without a reply from me. I used to have neighbours like yours. Happy to read you think well of them and the fact that they’re not there any more remains like an unanswered question for a moment then it’s gone…
“Consciousness creating continuity between otherwise unrelated but similar things. Thus long strings of events linked together form a lifetime, included in one seamless reality”– really loved that!! It made me see the structure of Maya. Love the length and simplicity of this piece as well. Can not seem to write anything right now. Hope you are not in pain. Merry Christmas to you. I turn 69 in a couple of days. Fretting over Tom’s health.
Hi Ellen, glad you liked the piece. I’m reviewing these old posts, searching for the core meaning of each one. Otherwise everything seems okay here. Spending more time indoors and the small garden area with tall trees – it’s enough. I’m often stuck when I try to write something new and wisely leave that alone – wisely leaving many things alone. No distinct pain coping with the headache. Merry Christmas to you and your Tom…
Are you doing OK? I have been unable to reach you, perhaps you are busy but it would be good to hear from you to know all is going well.
Thanks Manish for your concern, I am ok now and getting better every day
T