Hello dear friends,

As life goes on here on Salt Spring Island and the planet turns towards spring, my heart goes out to the people of Ukraine each day.

This issue seems short, but it expands like an accordion as it links through to a story from last month’s waxing moon, then to a contemplative art video by toni serra (Abu Ali).

Plus, there’s now an app for my newsletter that makes for very easy reading on your iPhone or iPad.

But first up for you, I’ve unlocked one of the paid subscriber posts so you can read or listen to a Moy Mell Bedtime Story. Click through the moon!

Light Amusement

“Let them feel your unique and dedicated ideas”

This rhapsodic and dodgy description of tiny forest lights from Amazon was too shareworthy for me to ignore. Here’s some of what they say:

In the moonlight, you clearly hear your beating heart, the wonderful cold and sharp front, like your face, deeply plunged into sad heart, whether you put these spirits on your balcony, terrace, yard or lawn. This kind of courtyard backyard decoration has left a deep impression on people.
These garden statues of tree elves will greatly decorate your miniature garden. The spiritual height of these garden gnome statues is 3-3.8 cm (1.2-1.52 inches). Just like the elf that escaped from a fairy tale.
When family and friends visit and admire your garden statues and yard decorations, mysterious and cute elves can give them the greatest shock.

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The Well of the Heart

This poetic work by video artist toni serra (Abu Ali) came to mind last week. Since he passed away in 2019, I wasn’t sure if any of his works would still be online, but here it is!

The search for water, the descent deep into the well of the heart. Friends meet in a windswept arid landscape, a water diviner jumps with recognition, a well is found in the depth of the heart, the world is nurtured by water.

7 minutes seems long for a video these days, but give it a chance and watch all the way through to the end. Impatient with the process? Go directly to 3:35 and watch from there. Based on a 13th Century Persian poem by Najmudin Kubra.1

See more of the description at the Vimeo link. From his Series “El Hamdulillah Tapes”, 2008 Marrakesh

Here’s the App!

You can now read my Personal Papers newsletter in the new Substack app for iPhone. Kind of exciting, isn’t it? With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscribe to - the Shamcher Bulletin for example. Try it and let me know how it goes for you.

Now available for iOS

A bit of explanation

Did my last email issue, Meta Metta, cause a bit of confusion for more than the few of you who asked, “You’re where?” I hope this explanation doesn’t make it worse.

I have set up a conceit, like a play. In it, my "insider subscriber-only newsletter" section comes from a "liminal" reality that I imagine I am writing from - a kind of loose fiction. But rest assured, I haven’t gone anywhere, I’m staying put right here on Salt Spring Island.

HOME SWEET HOME - Moy Mell and the liminal Shamcher Institute all happen from that notebook and laptop.

Each month happens in a new imagined location. Wearing my writing hat I went to Moy Mell in February. Now through April, I’m at the liminal Shamcher Institute. People who subscribe to the $5/month tier get messages sent from those liminal places. They are all love letters from my imagination and thoughts from inside my heart. Paid subscribers receive all the regular free posts, too, like this one.

Personal Papers schedule is still loosely flowing around the calendar weeks. Regular posts come to you most weeks, with an Inside issue going out to paid subscribers as often as possible. Is it too much? Not enough? Let me know.

Please click the heart and share some internet love!

1

Kubra wrote numerous important works discussing the visionary experience, and died during the Mongol invasion and massacre after refusing to leave his city, where he fought in hand-to-hand combat against the Mongols.

Personal Papers

Moon and Morocco