Temples of the Grand Circuit

I spent a fun morning visiting some of the temples on what is known as the grand circuit.  Some lovely ones, especially the last two with some fun climbs to enjoy views from the top.

Preah Khan Temple

Neak Pean Temple

East Mebon Temple

Pre Rup Temple

By the river (Phnom Penh)

My beautiful tuk tuk driver

The Royal Palace (Phnom Penh)

The Royal Palace serves as the royal residence of the king of Cambodia. The Kings of Cambodia have occupied it since it was built in 1860s, with a period of absence when the country came into turmoil during and after the reign of the Khmer Rouge.

There were hundred of school kids there when I visited, all standing outside and they all screamed with delight when a car drove past and into the palace, so I think the king was home but I didn't catch a glimpse of him unfortunately.

That's the King on the right!

I love this.  The rear view is priceless!

Reflections in a puddle of water.  Everyone wondered what I was doing with my camera nearly touching the water.  I think it was worth it.

Spiritual Moments (2017)

Spiritual moments

• Expanded perception at airport.
• Blessing (especially after judgement)  Bless Sharmista.
• La la Land genius.  Joy and sorrow
• Sense of being in the now between two infinite gulfs. What chances?
• Deep presence lasting all walk.
• Changing images on the wall in bed.
• Abstract documentary. Platon. Architect.
• Ants. Spiders. Love.
• Spiritual high ("work of art” with Aimee)
• Dad release after dancing
• World Atlas in Blue Mountains
• Feeling awful at S21 prison in Cambodia, then saying Ho'oponopono prayer bringing release.

Aimee connection

• Conversations with Aimee in car.
• Aimee shared movie experience, then on my balcony

Being

• Mindful walks increasingly mindful
• Mindful swim at drumming
• Walk early morning Warrenbungles, kangaroos 

Wisdom

• I Am That  (Reading and summarising in Cambodie)
• The Surrender Experiment
• The Untethered Soul

Love

• Massive love release (after universe series)
• Looking into girl’s eyes at dancing, feeling love. 
• Deva Premal love - flute, looking into Jane’s eyes
• Spider and web - watch spin
• Bless mum. May she have a long, happy, healthy life.
• Bless all in IKEA dining room. Great love and oneness.
• All is well my baby.
• Tremendous self love, self tenderness. Self embracing. 

Synchronicity

• Rain stops
• Lydia tells me re Jeff Foster (movies, self acceptance)
• Light on wall
• Got to 607x bus just as came
• Consciousness in book on train
• Train after Nic not 30 mins. Only 2
• God is behind me (behind back.). Near death experience "Do not turn around.")
• In your hands life: iPhone charger in Bowral.

Insights

• Atoms and space. And Awareness.
• Complete surrender to life beyond mind.
• Complete embrace of self as I am. A human experience.
• Open up around pain. Relax heart and shoulders. Don't close.
• Relish pain coming up as opp to let go of stored pain. 
• Consciousness = inner experience = the ultimate mystery (Rupert Spira, Sam Harris etc.)
• Spacious. Aware. Surrendered.
• Voices.  Sergeant Rushmore etc.

The Silver Pegola (Phnom Penh)

Within the Royal Palace compound is the extravagant Silver Pagoda, also known as Wat Preah Keo or Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It is so named for its floor, which is covered with five tons of gleaming silver.

It was a sweltering and humid day so the highlight for me was finding a tree shaded temple of Buddha statues where I could sit and recover.  Mum, you would definitely struggle with the heat!

I also loved the old murals that stretched along the walls.

Beautiful murals of ancient scenes on the walls.

The shaded temple where I took respite.

Another temple not far from the compound.  I loved the red colour.

S 21 Prison and The Killing Fields

What really got me about S21 was the portraits of the prisoners.  The guards were meticulous about photographing everyone who came into the prison.  All these beautiful faces photographed, and such dignity in their expressions.  None of them survived.  All tortured and executed.  And for what?  A lifeless ideology; sterile concepts.  Its amazing how inhumane we can be when we stop seeing people as sacred beings and conceptualise them as "the enemy."  So much suffering, so terribly sad. 

And here are some portraits of the guards of the prison, and torturers.  Equally beautiful faces.  Also innocent victims of an ideology; a ruthless system that gave them no choice.  Prisoners of a system who often ended up as actual prisoners in the paranoid last years of Pol Pot's rule.

The Killing Fields

All the prisoners at S21, after being interrogated and tortured, were then brought to The Killing Fields, just outside town, to be executed.  As many as 20,000 are buried here.  And this is just one of a multitude of other killing fields all over Cambodia.  As many as 3 million are thought to have died during Pol Pot's ruthless regime.  That's over 25% of Cambodia's population at the time.  It really boggles the mind.  And this all happened in my lifetime: 1975 - 1978.

8000 of the bodies and have been exhumed and their skulls put in a monument.

The infamous "killing tree" and another tree that contained speakers that blared out revolutionary music to drown out any screaming.  

The Killing Fields today is a surprisingly peaceful place with birds singing and a beautiful little lake.  It feels like a place of healing.