In Release of Consciousness: A Collection of Writings by Julian Bound
By Julian Bound
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About this ebook
IN RELEASE OF CONSCIOUSNESS by JULIAN BOUND
A collection of selected writings from the books of documentary photographer and National Geographic contributor Julian Bound.
With chapters from five novels, including the bestselling spiritual story of 'The Geisha and the Monk' and the magical realism of 'Subway of Light' and 'Life's Heart Eternal', 'In Release of Consciousness' also features excerpts from books of travelogues, poetry, and meditations on mindfulness, all inspired by over a decade living in Asia and South East Asia. These chosen works are from the following books:
THE GEISHA AND THE MONK
A novel telling of the intertwining lives of a 19th century Japanese geisha and Tibetan Buddhist monk, who although born thousands of miles apart share a similar history, and an ultimate destiny.
HAIKU: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE DEEPEST EMOTIONS
Japanese haiku poetry on Nature, Mind, Love, Being, and Calmness.
SUBWAY OF LIGHT
A novel of magical realism. When Josh finds himself seated alone, memory gone, at the back of a deserted New York subway car, he is approached by a man who guides him on a journey of several subway stops. Each stop they make plays a part in Josh's gradual awakening, until it is up to him to decide what and where his final destination will be.
THIS NOBLE HUNT
A collection of travelogue and poetry of a career spent as a documentary photographer. From the Nepal earthquakes of 2015, to His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 80th birthday celebrations in New Delhi.
OF FUTURES PAST
A novel about reincarnation. Following her death, a young woman finds herself on a beach accompanied by George, her spirit guide. Explaining she now resides between lives, George guides her to a cliff top library. Inside a book contains all the past lives she has ever lived. Seated together they read of her past lifetimes lived throughout the centuries. From lives including an artist's model of 16th century Renaissance Italy, and a Tibetan Buddhist monk living in the foothills of the Himalaya, each lifetime examines the evolution of a soul within the laws of karma.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE SEVEN HEAVENLY VIRTUES
An exploration of the seven sins and seven virtues, as seen in religions of the world, mythology, and in art and literature, beginning with Lust and Chastity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in England, Julian is a documentary photographer, film maker and author. With photographic work featured on the BBC news, his photographs have been published in National Geographic, New Scientist and the international press. His work focuses on the social documentary of world culture, religion and traditions, with time spent studying meditation with the Buddhist monks of Tibet and Northern Thailand and spiritual teachers of India's Himalaya region.
Present for the Nepal earthquakes of 2015 he documented the disaster for eighteen months whilst working as an emergency deployment photographer for various NGO and international embassies in conjunction with the United Nations.
The author of novels 'The Geisha and the Monk', 'Subway of Light' and 'Life's Heart Eternal', when not on the road in Asia, Julian is based in the UK.
Julian Bound
Born in the UK, Julian Bound is a documentary photographer, film maker and author. Featured on the BBC news, National Geographic and in the international press, his work focuses on the social documentary of world culture, religion and traditions, spending time studying meditation with the Buddhist monks of Tibet and Northern Thailand and with spiritual teachers of India’s Himalaya region. His photography work includes documenting the child soldiers of the Burmese Karen National Liberation Army, the Arab Spring of 2011, Cairo, Egypt, and the Thailand political uprisings of 2009 and 2014 in Bangkok. With portraiture of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Julian has photographed the Tibetan refugee camps of Nepal and India. His other projects include the road working gypsies of India, the Dharavi slums of Mumbai, the rail track slums of Jakarta and the sulphur miners at work in the active volcanoes of Eastern Java, Indonesia. Present for the Nepal earthquakes of 2015, he documented the disaster whilst working as an emergency deployment photographer for various NGO and international embassies in conjunction with the United Nations. Julian has published photography books of settings across the world, including portraiture work, and city guides, and has also published several poetry books, including ‘Haiku, a Journey Through the Deepest Emotions’, Julian is also the author of the novels ‘The Geisha and the Monk’, ‘Subway of Light’ and ‘Life’s Heart Eternal’.
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In Release of Consciousness - Julian Bound
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in the UK, Julian Bound is a documentary photographer, film maker and author. Featured on the BBC news, National Geographic and in the international press, his work focuses on the social documentary of world culture, religion and traditions, spending time studying meditation with the Buddhist monks of Tibet and northern Thailand and with spiritual teachers of India’s Himalaya region.
His photography work includes documenting the soldiers of Myanmar’s Karen National Liberation Army, the Arab Spring of 2011, Cairo, Egypt, and the Thailand political uprisings of 2009 and 2014 in Bangkok.
With portraiture of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Julian has photographed the Tibetan refugee camps of Nepal and India. His other projects include the road working gypsies of India, the Dharavi slums of Mumbai, the rail track slums of Jakarta and the sulphur miners at work in the active volcanoes of eastern Java, Indonesia.
Present for the Nepal earthquakes of 2015, he documented the disaster whilst working as an emergency deployment photographer for various NGO and international embassies in conjunction with the United Nations.
FOREWORD
The following book selections were written over a ten year period, mostly by hand with pen on paper whilst traveling within Asia.
Including chapters from five novels influenced by those encountered and of lessons learnt in Asian climes, there is also poetry and observations made when present in landscapes so different to a considered one of birth.
It is in looking back now on words written, either when under tropical sun or sheltering from warm monsoon rains, that one quote remains true-
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‘The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.’
Julian Bound
March 2018
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THE GEISHA AND THE MONK
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A novel telling of the intertwining lives of a 19th century Japanese geisha and Tibetan Buddhist monk, who although born thousands of miles apart share a similar history, and an ultimate destiny.
––––––––
HAIKU: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE DEEPEST EMOTIONS
––––––––
Traditional Japanese haiku poetry exploring the concepts of Nature, Mind, Love, Being, and Calmness, influenced by time spent living in Japan.
––––––––
SUBWAY OF LIGHT
––––––––
A novel of magical realism. When Josh finds himself seated alone and with no memory at the back of a deserted New York subway car, he is approached by a man who guides him on a journey of several subway stops.
Each stop they make plays a part in Josh’s gradual awakening, until it is up to him to decide what and where his final destination will be.
––––––––
A CURIOUS JOURNEY
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From Paris to Tibet, a collection of writing and poetry depicting travels across the world over thirty years. From a first venture of travel to Paris, the Pacific islands of Fiji and The Cook Islands, to an encounter with mysticism in the foothills of the Tibetan Himalaya.
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THE SOUL WITHIN
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A novel set in the village of Puri on India’s eastern coastline. An ailing boy is accompanied by his spirit guide, together they observe one family’s lifetime play out before them on the banks of tranquil lake.
As his guide explains the life lessons they encounter through her subtle teachings, the boy’s emerging awareness to matters of the soul leads him to discover the reasons behind their meeting as his story unfolds.
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THIS NOBLE HUNT
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A collection of travelogue and poetry of a career spent as a documentary photographer. From documenting the child soldiers of a Myanmar liberation army and the Nepal earthquakes of 2015, to being at His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday celebrations in New Delhi.
––––––––
OF FUTURES PAST
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A novel about reincarnation. Following her death, a young New York art restorer finds herself on a beach accompanied by George, her spirit guide.
Explaining she now resides between lives, George guides her to a cliff top library. Inside she finds a book containing all the past lives she has ever lived. Seated together they read of her past lifetimes lived throughout the centuries. From lives including an artist’s model of 16th century Renaissance Italy, and a Tibetan Buddhist monk living in the foothills of the Himalaya, each lifetime examines the evolution of a soul within the laws of karma.
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TEARDROPS OF ASIA
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Japanese haiku and traditional poetry of a nine year journey through Asia. From the monasteries of Bhutan to the sulphur mines of Java, Indonesia.
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LIFE’S HEART ETERNAL
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A novel of one man’s journey through the centuries. When a young nurse begins to read an old leather bound journal given to her by a stranger, she soon uncovers the story of one man’s immortality.
Born in France in 1845, Franc’s body stops aging as he reaches 28 years old. As the nurse reads his journal she discovers how Franc encounters those reincarnated from his past, as he meets the souls of his childhood sweetheart, friends, brothers, and enemies in his travels across the world, each one now reborn in another body and time, and carrying with them a lesson for Franc to learn.
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IN AWARENESS
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Poetry exploring the soul’s concepts of awareness, of being and of solitude.
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THE WISDOM OF MINDFULNESS
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A book of mindfulness and visualization meditations for peace of mind.
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THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE SEVEN HEAVENLY VIRTUES
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An exploration of the seven sins and seven virtues as seen in religions of the world, mythology, art and literature, beginning with Lust and Chastity.
PART ONE
THE GEISHA AND THE MONK
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A novel
by
Julian Bound
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Two souls born thousands of miles apart.
Together each shall follow a similar path.
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‘Edging forwards, she tried to catch a final glimpse of the young monk. Her disappointment returned and she sighed. Collecting her thoughts as to the reasons for her arrival to the new land spread out before her, Momoko submitted to the fact that their meeting was not to be.
On stepping closer towards her unknown destiny the young geisha wondered what such an encounter may have produced.’
These are the thoughts of Momoko, a Tokyo geisha, on seeing Tenzin, a Tibetan monk, both unaware their fates are about to cross.
JAPAN 1876
A girl is born, her path to become the famed geisha she is destined to be.
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TIBET 1876
A boy is born, ordained to be the revered Lama he is recognised as.
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SAN FRANCISCO 1900
At the dawning of a new century, fate brings them together,
a lifetime away from all they have ever known.
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‘The Geisha and The Monk’ tells the life stories of Momoko and Tenzin, who although coming from different backgrounds share the same destiny.
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‘Eventually, two souls destined to meet shall do so,
their connection instantly recognised within the eyes of the another.
’
The following words...
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Taken from the opening chapters of ‘The Geisha and The Monk’, the following pages are an introduction to the circumstances surrounding Momoko’s first breaths on this world one Kyoto spring morning, and those also of Tenzin’s upon the highland plateaus of Tibet.
Following on from their introductions are excerpts from later in the book of their initial sightings of one another some twenty-four years later, as both prepare themselves to step onto the bustling harbour front of a new land, San Francisco.
31st March 1876
kYOTO, JAPAN
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MOMOKO
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Morning breezes stroked the edges of newly formed petals, giving folds of pink and white a first taste of the short life Hanami would bring. This was how it was, how it had always been. The people of Kyoto saw the arrival of their beloved cherry blossoms as the start of a much welcomed spring, yet each were aware the fragile lifespan such beauty gave.
Many would come to see the cherry trees in full bloom and eat besides the ever flowing stream accompanying its display. Legend told how the trees knew of the crowds to arrive, taking pride their flowers gave such tranquillity and hope to those who appeared. Soon, laughter and chat would once more become part of the landscape, the way it had for generations before as families and friends joined together beneath rows of soft pink.
This would not be happening today. It was believed that even nature needed a period of adjustment, to simply just be before the world’s prying eyes descended upon them. On the last day of March 1876, those fresh virgin buds were left their time alone, to delight in the serenity they in turn would produce in others.
As gentle winds continued towards hillsides blanketed in lush green, quiet rustling branches gave way to the sound of rushing water. These cool, clear waters winding through the countryside proved the life blood of cherry blossom season, coupled with the fine rich soil Kyoto was so famed for, giving its flowers such distinct subtle colours. It was often considered that no other setting in Japan shared the same magnificence of a Kyoto Hanami, and the city had been preparing for weeks for the influx of tourists from far across the country to arrive.
A second breeze meandered across the silent row of cherry trees. Touching the petals fragile tips once more, this time the winds carried with them the first cries of a new born child.
She’s beautiful,
Hiroko smiled, the deep creases around her eyes joining with grey temples.
A girl?
Yes, Miyako, you have a daughter,
the old midwife replied.
Wrapping her in the warm soft blanket that had awaited her arrival, Hiroko handed the child for her mother to hold.
She has her mother’s beauty, you see, Miyako?
As mother and child’s eyes met for the first time Hiroko watched on. In all her years delivering new souls into the world, she never tired of seeing the bonds form between the young and those