Alun Buffry: Biography: his life, his works and Meat AI report

 META AI wrote

In his science fiction works, such as "The Effie Enigma, The Motherless Mothers", Buffry explores complex themes and ideas, often incorporating elements of artificial intelligence, time travel and human existence.

As a historian, Buffry;s writing style is more informative and factual, as seen in his book "From Dot to Cleopatra," which provides a concise history of ancient Egypt.

Buffry's romantic and autobiographical works, like "If Only Suomi" and "My Life of Joy," showcase his more personal and introspective side, often incorporating elements of poetry and philosophical reflection.

Overall, Alun Buffry's artistic style is characterised by its diversity, depth, and willingness to explore complex themes and ideas across various genres.

Meta AI said this

Alun Buffry is a British author known for his writings on cannabis law reform, spirituality, and travel experiences. Here are some key aspects of his life and work:

Books and Writings

- *Autobiographical Works*:

- *Life on the Brim: The Autobiography of a Hat* - Details his life journey, including his involvement in the cannabis law reform movement.

- *All About My Hat - The Hippy Trail 1972* - Chronicles his overland trip to India in 1972.

- *MyHat in Egypt: Through the Eyes of a God* - Explores ancient Egypt through a unique blend of history and fantasy.

- *Cannabis Advocacy*:

- *Out of Joint - 20 Years of Campaigning for Cannabis* - Documents his 20-year campaign for cannabis law reform.

- *Time for Cannabis: The Prison Years* - Reflects on his personal experience serving a 10-year prison sentence for cannabis-related offenses.

- *Other Works*:

- *From Dot to Cleopatra* - A concise history of ancient Egypt.

- *The Effie Enigma: The Motherless Mothers* - A thought-provoking exploration of themes and ideas .

Activism and Public Presence

Alun Buffry has been an active advocate for cannabis law reform, participating in various campaigns, conferences, and media appearances. He co-authored *Cannabis: Challenging the Criminal Justice System* with Don Barnard, further solidifying his commitment to the cause .

Personal Life

Alun Buffry's life experiences, including his travels and spiritual explorations, have significantly influenced his writings. His interests in Prem Rawat's teachings and spirituality are evident in some of his works.

Alun Buffry, Personal AutoBiography

Alun Buffry was born in Barry, South Glamorgan, Wales, in 1950, the son of Stanley Richard Buffry (Jim) and Vera. He attended Holton Road infants and junior school until 1961 when he studied at Barry Grammar School for Boys, which became Barry Boys Comprehensive School.

In 1968 Alun moved to Norwich, Norfolk, where he studied at the School of Chemistry at the University of East Anglia, graduating with an Honours degree in 1971. During his time at UEA, he took part in activities such as fell-walking, caving and rock climbing.

The year after graduating, Alun travelled overland to India, 1972, where he became sick with dysentery and infection hepatitis. His travel experience is recorded in his book "All About My Hat, The Hippy Trail 1972" (ISBN ‎ 978-0993210723) After returning to Norwich, Buffry became a follower of the young Guru Maharaji, Prem Rawat, receiving the techniques of Self-Knowledge. His experiences are recorded in his published work "My Piece of Peace" (ISBN 978-1838440121)

In 1989 and 1990, Alun Buffry travelled to Egypt, where he took a keen interest in the ancient history and monuments. His memories of his visits to Egypt along with a fictional account is published in his books "From Dot to Cleopatra, a Concise History of Ancient Egypt (ISBN 978-1872914091 ), "My Hat in Egypt, Through the Eyes of a God" (ISBN 978-0993210778) and "Life on the Brim, the Autobiography of a Hat" (ISBN 978-1838440138 )

After taking and interest in the benefits and uses of cannabis / hemp and Human Rights, Alun became involved with the campaign to change the cannabis laws worldwide, and co-founded the CLCIA (Campaign to Legalise Cannabis International Association) along with eleven other Norwich citizens, in 1991.

In 1992, Buffry was sentenced to two concurrent ten year prison sentences for Conspiracy to Import Cannabis and Conspiracy to Supply Cannabis. He served almost five years in prison in HMP Norwich, HMP Whitemoor and HMP Blantyre House.

Whilst in Whitemoor, he studied computing under the Cambridge Institute in Technology and was accepted for a course in computer studies with the Open University, which he continued when moved to Blantyre House in Kent in 1993.

Also whilst at Blantyre house he helped run the Inmates Amenities Committee and organise two large events for MENCAP, within the prison grounds. He continued with his Open University course and received a Diploma in Computing in 1995, prior to his release on parole.

During his final year at Blantyre House, he worked with prison governor Jim Semple and fellow inmate Will Hutchinson on a survey amongst inmates comparing their "prison experiences" at Blantyre house and their previous maximum security prisons such as Whitemoor and Swailside. Their report, which was presented by Semple to the Cambridge Institute of Criminology and entitled "Damage and Humanity in Custody", was later published and became available on Amazon.

Alun Buffry's personal account of his arrest, trial and incarceration, was published as "Time For Cannabis, 1991-1995" and is available on Amazon. (ISBN ‎ 978-0993210730

After his release from prison, Alun Buffry continued his cannabis campaign activities and in 1999, co-founded a political party with cannabis as a single issue, the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA). There were candidates in over eighty elections between 2000 and 2005. Alun Buffry contested the Norwich South Parliamentary seat against then Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke, in 2001, receiving over 720 votes. He also took part in many radio interviews and spoke at the Home Affairs Select Committee in Parliament and at the Oxford Union debate "This House would legalise cannabis" along with MPs and academics. He also spoke at Trafalgar Square rallies, a High School for Girls in London, and a trade unions rally.

Buffry continued to work with the LCA until 2006 when he resigned. His time spent campaigning is recoded in his books "Out of Joint, Twenty Years Campaigning for Cannabis" (ISBN 978-1508420217) and "Legalise and Utilise, Commemorative Edition 2021" (ISBN 979-8704895046 ). He co-authored "The Challenge: Cannabis, Challenging the criminal Justice System", with Don Barnard, a copy of which was sent to every MP in 2002. (http://www.ccguide.org/lca/challengeintro.php)

He also continued with his travels, visiting many countries including Egypt, Tunisia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Holland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Finland and Romania. Much of his travel experiences is recorded in his books "The Autobiography of a Head" (ISBN ‎ 978-1916310797), "Back to the East, India, Nepal and Kashmir" (ISBN 978-1916310797) and pictorially "And There I Was" (ISBN 978-1916310742)

During the years of Covid 19, Alun Buffry served as a carer and formed his own publishing business, for his own books books with others, including:
"My Life of Joy" (ISBN ‎ 978-1916310735)

"Inside my Hat and Other Heads" (ISBN 978-1916310704)

"Words of Weed and Wisdom" (ISBN ‎ 978-1916310766)
"An Alliance of Eyes" (ISBN 978-1838440176)

"The Effie Enigma, The Motherless Mothers" (ISBN ‎ 978-0993210792)

"If Only Suomi" (ISBN ‎ 978-1916310773)

For a complete list of book, see also http://www.buffry.org.uk/abefreepublishing.html
and for published letters and speeches see https://ccguide.org/ab_lte.html/
 

Alun Buffry YouTube 

https://www.youtube.com/user/AlunB3 and 

https://www.youtube.com/@AlunBuffry1/playlists

 

 

Meta AI said this Alun Buffry is a British author known for his writings on cannabis law reform, spirituality, and travel experiences.

Meta AI said this

Alun Buffry is a British author known for his writings on cannabis law reform, spirituality, and travel experiences. Here are some key aspects of his life and work:

 

## Books and Writings

- *Autobiographical Works*:

- *Life on the Brim: The Autobiography of a Hat* - Details his life journey, including his involvement in the cannabis law reform movement.

- *All About My Hat - The Hippy Trail 1972* - Chronicles his overland trip to India in 1972.

- *MyHat in Egypt: Through the Eyes of a God* - Explores ancient Egypt through a unique blend of history and fantasy.

- *Cannabis Advocacy*:

- *Out of Joint - 20 Years of Campaigning for Cannabis* - Documents his 20-year campaign for cannabis law reform.

- *Time for Cannabis: The Prison Years* - Reflects on his personal experience serving a 10-year prison sentence for cannabis-related offenses.

- *Other Works*:

- *From Dot to Cleopatra* - A concise history of ancient Egypt.

- *The Effie Enigma: The Motherless Mothers* - A thought-provoking exploration of themes and ideas

 

## Activism and Public Presence

Alun Buffry has been an active advocate for cannabis law reform, participating in various campaigns, conferences, and media appearances. He co-authored *Cannabis: Challenging the Criminal Justice System* with Don Barnard, further solidifying his commitment to the cause ³ ¹.

 

## Personal Life

Alun Buffry's life experiences, including his travels and spiritual explorations, have significantly influenced his writings. His interests in Prem Rawat's teachings and spirituality are evident in some of his works

http://www.buffry.org.uk/abefreepublishing.html

 

Great pic of Moon taken with my little canon camera

 

GRATITUDE - my speeches and poems, September 7th 2025 at Inner Space, Norwich

 WELCOME - I arranged this afternoon just for a chance for us to meet up somewhere that is nota funeral! I have a called the event gratitude so what does it mean to me.

To me true gratitude is a feeling, not just a thought like saying thanks. When I was child i had to write thank you letters to Uncles and Aunts that had sent me a Christmas or birthday present. If I hold the door open for somebody I expect them to say thanks. We say thanks to waitresses and bus drivers. In Spain I say "Grassias" and they answer "De Nada" - it's nothing.

I am not saying we should not say thanks like that, but it's not like true gratitude - like "Thank God that didn't happen".

It's not always easy to feel Gratitude.

I remember 16 or so months ago, saying "The Universe has treated me well".
Whether that was some higher power, passed soul, Karma or good luck, I never really felt Gratitude. I had a purpose - looking after Lesley. I had a great rented bungalow to live in. I had my health, my friends and some money.

I never felt Gratitude though.

I forgot that pendulums swing both ways. 

I lost Lesley when she passed - that cut deeply. 

I had to move house. 

Then I got ill. I caught covid in September.   Last October.  I went for two weeks to Italy with Jacqui and suffered a suspected heart attack due to physical and mental exhaustion. I was hospitalised for five days and ended up spending aaltogether ten weeks in Italy with my Goddaughter, Melissa, and her family

This year in April I went back to Italy again and suffered the loss of sight in my left eye due to a detached retina, and had an eye operation.   I spent another ten weeeks in Italy recovering before coming back by train.

And I did ask why? What had I done to deserve that?

It took a kick to make me feel gratitude for what I still had - my other eye, my friends and my health was nowhere near as bad as it is for many and I am getting better.

People ask "how are you?. I say "not too bad, or fine, even if i don't feel it". "It could be worse!" "I should say "Do you really want to know? Where shall I start. Well. when I was four years old " Then the story of the good and bad that happened.

The swing of the pendulum of events is inevitable - we are born and inevitably die and we need to try to focus on enjoying life in between and feeling Gratitude for or to whoever or whatever.

PREM RAWAT said QUOTE "Gratitude is the highest expression But it can only happen when there is truly a reason for it. If you’re not thankful…? Just by saying it, it’s empty. What are you thankful for in your life? And it’s, Oh, I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful for my family; I am thankful for my job; I am thankful for this, and I’m thankful for that. I have to say Really, are you thankful for being alive? Are you?

"How many times during the day do you say, My goodness! I am alive. Thank you for this life” END QUOTE

True Gratitude allows us to appreciate all that we have been given. Gratitude for my life and for your lives and the BREATH that keeps us going - and gratitude for knowing those that I have known and who are no longer with us.

I will read a few poems , RIVER ALIVE, I CAN SEE YOU and POSITIVITY

The first poem, River Alive, is the story of my life, and I wrote it whilst sitting besides a river near the village of Aru in Kashmir in 1972.

RIVER ALIVE!

Whether we laugh, or whether we cry,

the river of life goes rushing by,

down the hills and mountain sides,

into valleys, long and wide,

towards the ocean that is its goal,

it's journey travelled by our soul.

When I was but little boy,

the river rippled and dashed with joy,

and as I grew and longed to learn,

the river for the ocean yearned.

As young man travelled round the world,

the river twisted, turned and twirled,

eager to find it's resting place,

eager to travel in time and space.

And as the seeking man grew older,

the river found the bigger boulders,

but on it travelled without care,

it knew it's destiny's not there.

The rushing water's now quite slow,

the river old has nothing to show,

it's happiness is calm and deep,

as old man takes his final sleep.

The ocean that is never ending,

is to the sky it's waters lending,

to rain again on mountain top,

to make sure life's rivers never stop.

The rivers message lies in this

Ocean of Mercy, Peace and Bliss.

 

I CAN SEE YOU

 I can see your shadow in the sun.
I can see you, since time itself began.
I can see you on that empty chair.
I know you’re always there.

You may have passed from my direct sight.
You may have travelled to that divinest light.
Yet I see you rustling in the trees.
Yet I see you in the buzzing bees.

You went before me, travelled on.
Yet I hear you in every loving song.
I never thought so soon you'd go.
You never went, I truly know.

I can see you in my mind.
In my heart it's you I find.
My time will come, I'll see you there.
And peace and bliss I know we'll share.

 

POSITIVITY (2015)

Always to be found in this the same place,
Throughout our universe of time and space,
On I will travel, at my own pace,
Can you now see it, in my face?

Never to question how or why,
Upon this earth I find I,
Content and amazed beneath earth's sky,
Yet soaring above white clouds on high.

Hidden within us there is a clue.
It looks like I, it looks like you
For once we were one and that is true,
Now one of so many amongst quite a few.

There is a Love, there is a Light,
Forget any guilt, ignore any fright,
Focus within on a wondrous sight,
The future is now and it's ever so Bright.

A boy who looked about fourteen approached them and spoke. It was apparent he spoke very little English but was asking them what they wanted. “Tea with milk” - that seemed to be understood.

“Two soft boiled eggs and toast,” said Keith.

The boy looked dumbfounded.

Al decided to try to communicate through sign-language.

He knew the local word for water was “Pani”.

So he made a shape like a saucepan in the air with his hands, pointed into the invisible top and said “Pani.”

The boy nodded.

Feeling good about that, Al took out a box of matches from his pocket and made like to strike one and hold it under the imaginary now pot of water.

The boy smiled.

Al made a shape like an egg in the air and pretended to place the imaginary egg into the imaginary pot of imaginary hot water – he signalled with two fingers and pointed to himself and Keith.

Meanwhile Keith had come up with his own idea of how to order eggs.

He was crouched down and started flapping his arms and making a noise like a chicken clucking. He pretended to lay and egg and pick it up, then a second egg. Then he pointed at Al and showed four fingers.

The boy smiled and bowed and walked off.

Keith shouted after him”And toast!”

A short while later the boy returned. He motioned to Al to follow him.

Well Al already knew that often several eating houses would share a kitchen and that it could be even 100 yards away.

So he followed the boy feeling confident he would see eggs and bread in the kitchen.

Down the stairs, turning right out of the door, up the market street passed stalls selling cloths, about 50 yards or so.

The boy stopped and pointed up a short alley. Al could see that it opened on to some sort of yard, but he felt a little uneasy about this. So he motioned the boy to go first, which he did.

When they came out of the alleyway, Al saw that it was a courtyard with closed wooden doors all around and two sets of wooden steps leading up to a wooden veranda with more closed wooden doors. Al looked at the boy and shrugged.

The boy smiled and pointed at one of the doors up the stairs.

“Strange place to have a kitchen!,” said Al; the boy obviously did not understand.

The boy waved Al towards the steps, so he ascended and walked along to the door and knocked.

There was no answer. He knocked again, with greater force.

Still no answer. The boy was shouting something.

When Al looked down he saw the boy seemed to be motioning Al to go in, so he slowly opened the door.

He was expecting to see a number of cooks at hot steaming stoves.

Instead he saw a hole-in-the floor toilet!

Al laughed out loud– so much for his eggs in hot water act – so much for Keith's flapping and clucking!

So much for boiled eggs on toast.

He resigned himself to going back to the restaurant with nothing. He didn't even feel the need to use the toilet..

But as he and the boy were walking back up the street passed the stalls selling cloth, the boy shouted something at the stall-holder and gestured towards Al.

The stall-holder motioned for Al to approach and suddenly produced a telephone, on which he spoke. He handed the phone to Al.

A voice on the other end said “Hello, Kann ich Ihnen helfen, was Sie wollen?”

Al recognised that as German. Something like “can I help what do you want”. They had tried to teach him German in school for two years but he had had no interest and failed the exams. But he inevitably knew some words and that included the words for four, eggs, water and bread.

“ Er … vier Eier in Wasser mit Brod, bitte” - meaning 'four eggs in water with bread, please.'

“Yah, gut!”

Al handed the phone back to the stall-holder who then listed and told the boy.

The boy laughed and pointed back up the street to the alley where the toilet was again, then at Al.

As they walked back to the restaurant the boy kept laughing - he was making a clucking sound!

As it turned out, after Al had returned to Keith and they had laughed about the adventure, they were pleased to see the boy return with tea along with four eggs and a pile of toast. Albeit the eggs were hard boiled but the lads did not care.

Macro-Shaft Spill Chucker problems

 Deer Sirs and Madmen,

Eye recently done low dead a copy of My crow shit Widows 13 to my foam butt I am knot hippy roundabout the whey hit his workingman. The Productive Test future lever seams to pot the write worlds that eye tip.

Eye new have two pot dishes inn bee twine the litters

Fur egg samples,  Eye writ two my fiend "I-W-I-L-L--B=E--A-T--H-O-M-E--T-O-N-I-G-H-T--I-F--Y-O-U-W=W=T=T=O--C-O-M-E--R-O-U=N=D--M=Y==H-O-U-S-E--F-O-U-R--A--M-E-A-L" and hit writ "Eye well bee hat good two tight if ewe won't cum roundamout my mouse sour a neck".  That is know home his hit?

When Eye tip no, meanng no, the spill chucker pots no, butt if eye tip no beemning no, hit pots no.

Hand my grill fiends name is knot Jerky.  Eye ham know hippy whit what.

Sew pleas whit con eye due two pot it write or con we go bake to the last won witch was bitter?



Sours faithlessly

A Rider

BRUNO: AN ANGEL EARNED HIS WINGS: April 2025

 Off to the hospital on a festival day,
I arrived outside for a one day stay,
Prepared to enter, prepared to wait,
Made my way to the hospital gate,
But to my surprise and I admit dismay,
The lock on the gate was blocking my way.

I thought we'd have to walk quite far,
But suddenly an angel appeared in his car!
His name was Bruno and he was brown,
Dressed quite normal, no heavenly gown.
"The gate is locked, you cannot get in!"
He said with c heeky but blissful grin.

A grin that shone like a celestrial star.
"I'll give you a lift in my little blue car!"
We needed not to worry more,
Bruno took us to the entrance door.
That made me feel like I was a king,
And Bruno was earning his white Angel's wings.

April 202

Sainsbury's St Clements Chhescake complaint

 To Saisnbury's Quality Control Department:

Dear Sirs and Madmen,

I must complain in the strongest possible terms without expletives about your Taste the Difference St Clement's Cheesecake slices.

It says quite clearly on the box that it contains "hidden pockets of oranges and lemon curd".  Sadly this was not the case.

In fact we never found any hidden pockets, they were clearly visible from the top!  Not only could I see them, but neither could my dinner guests which I am sorry to say included chilfdren.

Unless of course those triangular orange coloured bits were there as a bonus or as a way to distract us from searching for the hidden pockets?

As a recompense we would appreciate it if you could send us some hidden pockets as soon as possible, so that we can add them in if we buy the cheesecake again, which we probably won't as we can make much better cheesecake ourselves - the only reason we bought it was for the hidden pockets and we were sadly shocked and disappointed that we could not find even one.  I guess maybe they were possibly just hidden too well.  Maybe you should remove the claim from the packet to avoid dissapointing other customers?

Sheila not Shiela

Reflection is recognition that brings clarity and joy

 One can never find true peace, love, joy, contentment in this world until one learns to find it first within inside where is has always been.  

Only then can we recognise peace, love, joy, contentment and only then will we reflect it - only when your candle is lit can we light other candles.    

That brings gratitude and understanding.    

Then we can have clarity.  Then we can really enjoy life.

Sand through the Hand - a Poem by Alun Buffry (1982)

 

Sand through the Hand

by

Alun Buffry

(1982)

Life flows so quick like golden sand

Each grain a day passed through God’s hand

Each moment precious as a jewel

And Yet I waste it like a fool.

You looked at me my heart to sway

But blind I was and looked away

Back to desires and lust and greed

From which You begged me to be freed.

I never ceased to grab and hoard,

Always forgetting my sweet Lord,

That Love lives on within inside

From whom no soul would wish to hide.

I pray to you Lord, to be so kind

And give me strength to ignore my mind,

So from your path I’ll never stray

And at your feet my life will stay.

Those things for which once I craved

You showed inside and I was saved,

Life’s flow became a flow of bliss.

Each grain a chance Your feet to kiss.

And if ever off I stray again,

Please call me back to Holy Name

That Light inside me, make it glow,

Your endless love, please let me know.

Dreams within Dreams

 Introduction to If Only Suomi - a love story through time:

Most books are considered to be fiction or non-fiction or a combination, written before or after the events therein. Those are either historical, which can include a lot of speculation and guesswork; simply made up, futuristic, speculative, prophecies or wishful thinking. This book is all of that. It’s questionable when exactly it was written. It is clearly written after events in the author’s life, but both before and after the present day. in 2020, on our calendars.

It includes memories and dreams, prophecies and wishful thinking. In fact, some sort of time travel. If only in the mind.

So what is the difference between dreams and memories?

We can have memories of dreams and dreams of memories.

We can have dreams within dreams.

What is the difference between reality and illusions or imagination? Dreams can seem very real and what we normally call reality can often seem unreal.

Ancient religions tell us that the world is nothing but an illusion, just at twinkle in the eye of the Creator, a cutting from the fingernail of Krishna, ‘Maya’.

“All the world's a stage. And all the men and women merely players.” wrote William Shakespeare.

As children we sang

“Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream,

Merrily merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream.”

Modern-day scientists may tell us that the whole Universe and everything around us, even our own bodies, is made of subatomic particles, too small to see with the naked eye, and waves, that sometimes it may be a particle and sometimes a wave, wave-particle duality and, according to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, we can never say exactly when and where a particle is. They say that it is mostly space and that it is our senses and brains that put it all together so we can live in it. In other words; an illusion.

Others even say that technically it is all holographic! We are not actually here at all!

And some religious folk who believe in an all-powerful God may say that it was all made not so long ago, to look like it is much older, like a film set or a game of Dungeons and Dragons.

Then there are dreams within dreams.

 

PUT IT RIGHT YOURSELF an environmental poem by Alun Buffry

 

PUT IT RIGHT YOURSELF

by Alun Buffry

Look down for a moment at this Human race,
From origins to now, changes we trace,
That 'though most of the time we didn't want war,
We let politicians and military men store
Our weapons of hate - or protection they say,
In case we have enemies to strike at one day.
So, now we all stand facing each other,
Knowing all die if man strikes his brother.

Some people here shout about nuclear power;
The atoms are split not to make enemies cower;
Used instead to make heat, movement and light,
But some people feel radiation ain't right.
The burns, they tell us, will start with an itch,
Yet daily we continue to push down the switch,
For the sake of economy and to ease our lives,
To amuse the children and appease the wives.

None of us want deadly fumes in our heads,
Yet most of our cars are still pumping out lead,
And carbon monoxide and satanic gases
Which surround the globe and will choke the masses.
See - we all need to travel and warm up our homes.
It's so far from us that strange ozone.
The scientists, we hope, the solution will find,
While we run round like mad men to satisfy our minds.

We hide away the old, the mental, the spastics,
We dig our big holes and fill them with plastics,
We flush down the toilet with all kinds of shit,
Polluting the rivers and oceans with it.
The fish, they are dying, some species are lost,
We all say we're sorry but won't pay the cost;
Won't give up our luxuries, take care how we tread,
On this our planet, and live gently instead.

There up the road is a chemical factory,
The products, we think, are quite satisfactory.
The pollution it's causes around us, us bugs,
But it's all in the creation of bottles of drugs,
To cure all (they say) of illness and sores,
Forgetting to tell us the factory's the cause.
Ask how can we stop it, make the guilty atone,
When we are all using the same economics at home?
So, next time you notice the rivers all stink,
Remember at home what you put down the sink.
Next time that you feel that the air is impure,
Remember the fumes and the smoke that we pour,
Out of our chimneys and cars. Think of the mammals!
Remember each one of us is in essence an animal.
And if you choose now not to swim in the sea,
Remember the nasties were put there by thee.

One thing we all know in our heads is for sure,
A Huge sacrifice is needed and maybe much more.
We must think of the things that we use and we trash,
What we burn and destroy will have a backlash:
Poisoned air, water and radiation kill slow,
And the poor Human race has nowhere to go.
Unless each person can get into their head,
That the cause and effect will make it all dead. 

 as read by Winston Matthews, RIP 

 

Kicking Balls, a poem by Alun Buffry

 

KICKING BALLS

by
Alun Buffry
(May 2025)

That day did come I said goodbye,
And daily since I'd want to cry,
'Cos heaven's not in cloude on high,
And Angels not up in the sky.

The Master said it's all within,
No Karma comes from past lives sins.
The world we take upon the chin,
And on we struggle thick and thin.

Those that passed on from our sight,,
We wonder if perhaps we might
Meet once more on lofty height
Beyond this world and all its plights.

Illusion, monks tell us, is all around
As beaten gongs that speed their sounds,
Vibrating air and through the ground
To free us from our temple mounds.

One day each one of us must go
And only then se'll surely know
The crops that grew from seed we'd sowed.
And answers to our lifetime's woes.

Welive our lives between two walls.
We walk our paths with its pitfalls.
In truth I said, all in all,
What fund I had kicking life's balls.

 

Stardust, a poem by Alun Buffry

 STARDUST

by
Alun Buffry
(May 2025)

In a mountain village far from the sea,
Grows an ancient family tree,
From those people long ago,
To those who nowadays we know.

The youngsters say "Who really cares,
What one says or what one wears?"
Whilst elders say "Listen here my sons,
Who really cares? Well you'll be one!"

You risk your lives in sport and play,,
You hope, I think, you'll survive the day,
To live and prosper well and long
And keep that youthfulness so strong.".

The world we see is not the same
The good old days we seldom blame,
For throwing hope into the trash
And base our lives on counting cash..

We throw out all the children's toys
Seek transient pleasure for our joys
Forgetting who we truely are,
Just dust from some faint and distant stars.

"The Carer" Teacher, Master, Guardian Angel = the One who cares). To those that feel that they are alone

 To those that feel that they are alone

"The Carer" Teacher, Master, Guardian Angel = the One who cares)

There was a man (or woman) walking along the shore with his Carer. They chatted and laughed and the man learned many things and felt safe. Dangers around seemed small and irrelevant, obstacles were not a problem.

When he looked back he could see the two sets of footprints, his and those of his Carer and felt great comfort in that.

But suddenly, in a particularly difficult patch, he felt alone. When he spoke nobody seemed to answer. Nobody seemed to care about his problem and he began to feel sad, devastated, fearful, confused - he looked back and saw only one set of footprints in the sand.

He asked himself - was that an illusion - do I have anyone who cares, who can I turn to for help and guidance? His loneliness was overcoming him, but what could he do but struggle onwards. He didn't even know where he was going or why.

After a while the terrain became easier and he had gotten through it. Just as suddenly a voice sounded next to him and he saw that his Carer was back.

"Why did you leave me alone at such a difficult time when I most needed you?" he asked.

"I never left,"" said the Carer.

"But I looked back and saw only my footprints in the sand," said the man.

"They weren't your prints," replied the Carer, "they were mine. I could see the path ahead was so difficult, so I carried you."

 

Know Thyself, Self-esteem, Self-respect, Self-confidence.

 Know Thyself, Self-esteem, Self-respect, Self-confidence.

"Know Thyself", said a Greek Philosopher (inscribed on the temple of Apollo at Delphi and usually attributed to Socrates).

But what does that mean and how is it attainable? Socrates was probably not the first and not the last teacher of philosopher to consider it important.

According to scriptures, many great Masters said the same, maybe their translated word different but the same.

Jesus Christ instructed his apostles to "Put first the Kingdom of Heaven" and the"The Kingdom is Within"/ Buddha told his followers to look within and find enlightenment. Nowadays many teachers to to inspire people to search within themselves, whether through prayer, meditation or even drugs.

When I hear a person read aloud a poem, a piece from a book, make a speech or sing a song, obviously I want to hear it. It requires a degree of self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect, which come too with self-knowledge. It's not so much about whether the listener laughs or cries, but that they can hear. And after all, not everyone likes or appreciates every "performer", but the joy for the performer should come with the performance, knowing that one is heard. Or am I wrong and what people think of one is what it should be all about? Is success just about what the world thinks of us? For me, no. It is about what I think of myself, not in an egotistical way, but in a way that brings contentment.

Yet many who have written great words or songs - well - they "mumble".

I always advise people to look up and speak or sing loud enough, if without amplification, as if speaking to the person at the back of the room - without shouting! And if playing, for example, a guitar or piano, I want to hear the words above but along with the tune.

Confidence comes with practice.

I was quite shy as a teenager, especially speaking in public. Even, still somewhat shy is making first approach or contact with one person or small group. If planning to speak, worrying in advance about what to say does not help (writing it down or making bullet points does, so long as we look up when reading or speaking).

Even at University in a tutorial, when the Tutor asked a question and I knew the answer, knew i was correct, i would remain silent even if the other half dozen students did the same!

I remember watching a TV interview of Cliff Richard (remember him? Now Sir Cliff). He was asked how he managed to sing when ins hall with literally hundreds of screaming teenage girls (as was common at that time with many pop stars). He probably couldn't hear himself, most of the audience couldn't either, with a backing band, The Shadow, despite amplification. So it probably didn't matter what the words and what his voice actually sounded like on stage.

His reply was basically he didn't sing to hundred of girts, he just looked at one and sang to her; then looked at another and same to her (or maybe even him). He certainly came across as confident.

So when my time came that i wanted or felt the need to speak to an audience, I employed his technique. And it helped if I had a plant in one of the front rows, somebody i chew that i could look at and who would react, nod, smile or laugh and this encourage me. But it was really all about what was going on inside my head and my feelings.

I read a book called "Feel the fear and Do it Anyway" and that helped too. What did it matter if people disagreed with what I said, even laughed at me? The book explained that most "stars" feel nervous but are able to employ that energy to their benefit.

After all, we are all the same in what counts. Same bodily parts (mostly) same hearts, same blood, same mouths, tongues, brains. Just a little difference in what society likes to call IQ or educational level. We all smiles the same, cry the same, basically. So why should one person feel better or worse than another? We were all born, we all live, we all die, irrespective of wealth, fame, strength, glory or achievement. What are real aim should be is to feel peace, joy, love, contentment within ourselves! What are the obstacles to that? Doubt, confusion, fear, feelings of inadequacy, incompetence, over-dependence - those feelings that the world so often seems to want to put on us. There are more losers in the race than winners. People are singled out for awards and recognition.

What needs to be encouraged, on the contrary, is certainty (knowledge), clarity, equity, self-confidence in independence, self-esteem - that is self-knowledge. Know thyself!

All that is within, the good and the bad, within each one of us, to be sought and found.

"We need to know the difference between what is pleasant and what is good" (Prem Rawat)

Most of us spend our time seeking what is pleasant and often that is not so good for us!

So to sum up, how to make those changes? We need to find somebody that can show us how, beyond words, religion or philosophy, to look within and find our true Nature, our soul, our spirit, our "God" our Self. 

Courage: A Message from Prem Rawat

 

 

 

San Salvadore Market, Monferrato

 

MARRAKECH SUNRISE 1977, a poem by Alun Buffry

MARRAKECH SUNRISE 1977
by
Alun Buffry

Many times we've sat,
And watched a good sunset,
But the beauty of the skies,
Of the Marrakech sunrise!
Behind the Atlas Mountains,
There's a desert full of fountains,
Lakes of pale blue ice,
And golden coloured spice
And yellow sparkling sand,
Suspended from God's hand.
Today a brand new life,
Completely free from strife.

God's Game - a poem by Alun Buffry, Morocco 1977

GOD'S GAME by Alun Buffry

                                                                            Morocco 1977

Left Marrakesh today, to Fez, but on the way,

Felt a lacking of some sort - forgotten my passport!

Got off the bus again, cursing my damned brain,

Went back to where we'd stayed. God's little game was played.

Amidst all this goddam fuss, in little Hotel 'Mus',

I got the passport back! But my head's about to crack!

It's started now to rain. I think I'll catch the train.

'Cos lover must be there and I wish I was with her!

Not possible this time, to use the railway line.

So I sit in sorrow, waiting for tomorrow,

When I hope that I can go, if rain don't turn to snow.

Well the money goes so quick, I'm gonna have a fit,

I want to smoke some stuff and call the devil's bluff.

Illusions all around, and my head aches from the sound

Of rains and cars and mules and stupid tourist fools.

But writing down these lines has made me feel quite fine.

It's just that I couldn't half do with a long hot bath,

And get rid of the dirt, and wash my only shirt,

And jeans and socks and all, and go and have a ball,

In Fez.

Just one of the benefits of practicing the techniques of self-knowledge from Prem Rawat

 Just one of the benefits of practicing the techniques of self-knowledge that Prem Rawat shows is the realisation that I am not my mind! That I am separate from my mind, able to watch it and use it as the tool it's meant to be (sometimes) and not always let it distract me and run my life. I can see how often it misled me into bad decisions and problems. If it were a true servant or someone promising to always help,, well I would doubt their sincerity. The "heart" on the contrary, which I also feel through those techniques, always genuine - feeling not just computing and thinking. I feel so grateful for that and want to pass on the message that real peace and joy and love is within each person and not in the head or in the world outside of us,and that it is a practical experience not a philosophy, belief or religion. That is why I post about Prem Rawat, In case anyone was wondering . Ha!

 

As the Mind flies so the Bird walks to the mountain, OR Zen and the Art of Being Lazy

 

As the Mind flies so the Bird walks to the mountain, 

OR 

Zen and the Art of Being Lazy

(a postcard from Pokhara)

by Alun Buffry

Today, outside, the weather is hazy.

Stayed in all day, feeling quite lazy.

Where to go now, we often talk,

Then decide it's too far to walk.

Two hours there and two hours back,

"Let's stay here, and have a snack".

Just fifteen minutes up to Baba's.

and we know that there, food's better by far,

but here we eat, for our stomachs sake,

whatever's available as it's no effort to make.

"Well", I say, "I guess that's what

a holiday's for on a day that's hot."

"We're free, we don't have to do anything.

We can fly like a bird with a broken wing."

"How can that be, such a bird can't fly?"

"We can't do much either and here is why-

Cos - cor it's hot outside today,

and wherever we go we have to pay",

or "My leg's aching, stiff and weak,

and there's nothing in the bazaar we seek."

"Stomach queasy, or head aching?

Let's be another chillum a-making."

Then, "Let's go in a boat!"

"No, don't want to row!"

Or, "Let's climb that mountain, look at the snow!"

Oh, if only we could get up there and back,

Without having to walk on that mountain track.

If you close your eyes and lay on your bed,

you can go anywhere inside your head.

If you know how to master the Traveller's Trick,

You'll be there in an instant and come back so quick.

Many teachers, one Master - many signposts, one Way

Thinking today about teachers and the Master: I see that there are many teachers and many that have taught me many subjects - maths teachers, language teachers. Science teachers, religious teachers and so on, and many teachers with more than one subject. Even lifestyle teachers and teachers of good or even bad manners or skills.

But even if each teacher had 8000 students it would need a million to teach the world and even with classes of 100 a year it would take 80 years! And how many adults even have a teacher? And how many teachers would remember all their student' s names or students remember their teachers, if that is important?

And how many teachers could actually teach?

It surely takes a student to recognise and appreciate a good teacher.

In many schools we have a head teacher. If the maths teacher teaches maths, what does the head teacher teach?

So what is a Master? Can a person have more than one master at a time?

Ram Dass and others have said that a teacher points the way but The Master is the way

We can surely follow many teachers at a time but maybe best to follow one way at a time to avoid confusion and make progress.

And for me a teacher may instruct through repetition but a Master by example. The student needs practice and effort. For the Master it is natural

So I come to recognise so many can teach me so much but I have only one Master (way).