Accounted For

Notes

85 Notes “AccountedFor” When I found myself walking in rural landscapes in New England, and in Upstate New York where my brother and I lived as children, I would sometimes get the sense that my brother’s departed spirit had returned, taking on several forms, and on one occasion, returned as a fox . Later, I discovered that not only does the term allow for those who have not been lost, or forgotten, but it is also a fox hunting term for when the hunter succeeds in chasing the fox into a hole, (the fox is not killed)— assurance of a future chase. It is interchangeable with the phrase “brought to book” in the fox hunter’s lexicon. “Wrathful Tutor” refers to the Tibetan Buddhist deity, Vajrabhairava. He is a wrathful manifestation of Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. His is the enduring, adamantine wisdom of ultimate reality which triumphs over suffering and death. He is known also as Yamantaka because he is the conqueror of Yama, the Lord of Death, who appears with the face of a buffalo. He stands in an aura of flames and is a Protector of the Buddha’s teachings. “chalchihuitl” refers to the Aztec gem stone chotrchihuitlits jadeite, or its congeners diopside-jadeite and chloromelanite. The Mexican name for turquoise. “chá mate” refers to an infusion, prepared by steeping dry leaves (and twigs) of yerba mate in hot water, rather than in boiling water like black tea. Drinking this tea with friends from a shared hollow gourd and with a metal straw is a common social practice in Central, and South America. 86 “The Exclusion Zone” refers to the hinterland on the East German side of the border that was sealed off by a zone five kilometres wide. Within the exclusion zone, a separate “500 m exclusion zone” and a “10 m control strip” were set up. On the 10 metre wide control strip, all trees and bushes were removed along the entire length of the east/west border; all buildings were demolished and the ground was ploughed over twice a year to ensure every attempt to cross the border was identified. “Dream Bardo” is a Tibetan word which literally means “intermediate state,” translated as “transitional state” or “in-between state.” It can occur after death and before one’s next birth, when one’s consciousness is not connected with a physical body, or in a dream where illusions are doubled, but where we can practice reflecting on our collective delusions. “American LaMancha” refers to a relatively new breed of milking goats. The Miniature LaManchas combine the comic and friendly character of the standard LaMancha with the small size, high butterfat, personable and petite nature of the Nigerian Dwarf. “Wi-Fi” Some say, it is an acronym for “Wireless Fidelity.” It is a system used for sharing information between computers which are not connected through wires or cables. Information is converted into radio waves and then transmitted through the wireless medium. “Kinderscenen” German, refers to scenes of childhood. 87 “HD” High-definition television refers to video having resolution substantially higher than traditional television systems. “hsü” In the I Ching (Book of Changes) it relates to patience and waiting, implying stillness for a time. “Ancient Arcana” They are archetypal influences that transcend space and time. According to the ancient text Archidoxies, the arcana are pre-existing powers that “have the power of transmuting, altering, and restoring us.” ...