A letter from Seikopath (Dave)

[swanbourne]

I was surprised to receive a letter from Seikopath (Dave) at the weekend. Many of you will remember that he left the UK in December 2018 to enter a monastery in Nepal.

I'm sure Dave won't mind that I post the content of his letter.

Dear Eddie,

I hope you are doing well.

Things are going very well here. I'm working hard - getting up at 4.30 and doing around 14 hours a day/365 days a year. But I find the whole thing extremely rewarding, much more than anything I did on "civvie street".

One of my responsibilities is teaching English to a group of young kids aged 3 to 8. Most of them come from remote villages where it takes two or three days just to walk to the nearest road.

I've been keeping track of TF developments through the e-mails you send. You've done incredibly well. It seems to me that TF is at the top of its game, and this is the culmination of many years hard work. Congratulations.

I'm particularly looking forward to the release of the Caribbean. I will see if I can arrange someone in the UK to order me one. The Aerotimer you gave me I wear with pride every day. However, illuminated numerals and a date would be very handy, I think it might well be the last watch I ever buy.

It has been an incredibly difficult period for so many people around the globe. So many of the world's problems seem so large and so intractable but I am a firm believer that we can only bring about change if we change ourselves, and that is what I am doing here. To really change certainly isn't easy and takes a lot of time and effort but I think that if we don't change then things will just carry on as they are, or maybe get even worse.

Best wishes to you, all the best,

David aka "Seikopath"

[learningtofly]

Lovely to hear from him, albeit vicariously. Thanks for sharing, Eddie - he's an example to all of us.

[Rod]

I'm full of admiration for what is a life changing decision. Great to hear from him.
Thanks for posting his letter Eddie.

[Justin Case]

A man who did not just talk the talk, he is walking the walk.

All strength to him.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Thanks Eddie - nice to see Big Nose is in a great place in life.

[markbannister]

What a refreshing point of view compared to the sh1te that is posted in the BP every day.

[WORKSIMON]

Thanks for posting, what a joy to know Dave is doing something so rewarding, really have missed him !

[Raffe]

Nice to hear from Dave (I sometimes do via an intermediary, but haven't for quite a while).

I support Jase's idea to buy a Caribbean for him, nice thought to have one being worn at the top of the world.

A man who did not just talk the talk, he is walking the walk.

All strength to him.

He indeed is, pity you have never met him on the forum as he left almost two years before you joined.

Or am I missing something?

[manganr]

I'm in on the whip round too. I'm sure Eddie can facilitate one for him.

[snowman]

He indeed is, pity you have never met him on the forum as he left almost two years before you joined.

Or am I missing something?

Possibly that his posts are still present in the forum?

I wonder if there are any slots free at his retreat? That part of your post seemed rather unnecessarily aggressive to me, but I guess we're all a bit frazzled by COVID lockdowns.

Seikopath's posts always seemed very considered (I always found his username amusing too), which makes sense given the path he's chosen.

I'll chip in a few quid towards his Caribbean as long as it doesn't mean I don't get one!

Perhaps an Everest would be a more appropriate choice though?

M

[freeloader]

Thanks for posting this Eddie.

Dave is on a personal journey which should prompt us all to pause for thought.

[Raffe]

Possibly that his posts are still present in the forum?

I wonder if there are any slots free at his retreat? That part of your post seemed rather unnecessarily aggressive to me, but I guess we're all a bit frazzled by COVID lockdowns.

Seikopath's posts always seemed very considered (I always found his username amusing too), which makes sense given the path he's chosen.

I'll chip in a few quid towards his Caribbean as long as it doesn't mean I don't get one!

Perhaps an Everest would be a more appropriate choice though?

M

It might help your understanding when you consider that "Justin Case" is nothing but a new incarnation of the thrice-banned troll formerly known as -Ally-, DA56 and Benji053.

And he doesn't even make a secret of it.

[Dave+63]

Great to hear that he’s doing well and enjoying his new life.

[RobDad]

Thanks for sharing Eddie, what an amazing member of this great forum, good luck to him


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TaketheCannoli]

Thanks for sharing Eddie. It really makes you think about a lot of the pointless sh*te we do every day because we believe it to be important. Breaking the cycle to effect real change is the hardest bit.

[Wolfie]

Wonderful…. I knew him a little bit and I have to admit I am a bit in awe!

[Thewatchbloke]

Thanks for posting Dave's email Eddie, I'm glad to hear he's finding his chosen path rewarding.

[lenlec]

Nice to read. And I wish him luck and good health

[jukeboxs]

What an inspirational chap, I wish him well. It just goes to show that humans can be better - but (it seems to me) this is not the ultimate default position for most.

[Onelasttime]

"When the path to true enlightenment is littered with the weeds of material futility, go gardening" OLT 2021

All power to him. It must have taken huge courage to embark on his journey but wonderful to hear it's working out.

[Jdh1]

What a strange email. Not a single word about Rolex waiting lists or allocations. The man has clarly lost all sense of what's important in life.

All joking aside, good luck to him. All that matters in life is to find what makes you fulfilled and happy, and it sounds like he has.

[Jon Kenney]

Along with the other thread, all seems to be well.

Such a selfless character. One we should all take a piece of learning from.


Sent using Tapatalk. Excuse the lack of apostrophes.

[Suds]

+1 for the whip round Eddie, pretty sure we would collect enough to purchase and post via Llama mail

[bambam]

+1 for the whip round Eddie, pretty sure we would collect enough to purchase and post via Llama mail

Would definitely support that.

[Yorkshiremadmick]

Thanks for sharing this


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[Mr Curta]

Dave has asked me to facilitate obtaining a Smith Caribbean, with the intention of taking it over when I join him for a while at his retreat centre in Nepal. This is now most likely to be in early 2022 given current circumstances. I'm sure that we can get all joined up however things proceed.
M

[Daddelvirks]

Dave has asked me to facilitate obtaining a Smith Caribbean, with the intention of taking it over when I join him for a while at his retreat centre in Nepal. This is now most likely to be in early 2022 given current circumstances. I'm sure that we can get all joined up however things proceed.
M

Top man.

[Lammylee]

What a bloke! I suppose the key to happiness is to find it within yourself and he is closer than most.

[Mick P]

What a bloke! I suppose the key to happiness is to find it within yourself and he is closer than most.

In 2019 the wife and I did a tour of the Golden Triangle in India. One of the things on our bucket list was to spend a day meditating in the Baha House of Worship. Details of the temple are :-

https://bahaihouseofworship.in

We spent a very pleasant and uplifting day in the temple and yes throwing in the rat race can be rewarding for the soul.

However, even those who escape the rat race, need someone else to put food in tins and supermarkets. They also need someone to research, make and distribute a vaccination to conquer covid.

Devoting yourself to inner peace is fine, but someone like you needs to do the job that you do to help pay for roads, schools and hospitals and all the other things that help other people. You are just as important as someone in a temple and that should be sufficient reward in itself.

[wileeeeeey]

Lovely letter and a stand up guy. He's also spot on re Time Factors.

Mr Curta, count me in when you're collecting funds to get Dave the watch. Any excess could perhaps go towards his centre or the fundraiser.

[nickyboyo]

Somebody set a Dave fundraiser, I'd happily contribute to any fund for such an altruistic gentleman.


Sent from my IN2013 using Tapatalk

[macdaddymac]

Maybe a donation to the Monastery would be better?

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

[Dave+63]

Maybe a donation to the Monastery would be better?

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

The idea arose from his email to Eddie in which he says that he’s hoping to bug a Caribbean.

A donation to his monastery, whilst admirable, doesn’t get him the watch he’s after!

[thieuster]

Thanks for sharing this! Reading this makes me very humble.

Menno

[Dave O'Sullivan]

Wonderful to hear him doing so well.
A text he sent me on a New Year’s Eve a few years ago, although light hearted, very much changed my outlook on my attitude to money and life in general.

[Nealywheelie]

Happily chip in for Dave's watch fund, or donation to his monastery.


Sent from my Nokia 3.1 using TZ-UK mobile app

[jaytip]

Top marks that man. Leaving the rat race behind and doing what he is doing makes him a far richer man than most.
Good to hear that he’s well and enjoying life.

[Si]

An excellent update! Thanks for sharing it, Eddie.

Quite uplifting to be reminded of the story, and I am glad he is doing well.

I’m fine to chip in but it would be good to be more sure about his preference as to watch vs donations.

[PhilT]

Count me in for the Dave contribution - I’m sure he’d be horrified to think anyone would do this, so why don’t we do it anyway?! Maybe a matched contribution to charity if it all doesn’t get too pricey and spiral out of control.

I’d also like to propose a fund to help MickP borrow a Caribbean for one day, just to keep him grounded and humble.

[Craizeehair]

Our time here only crossed over for a short time but he remains very memorable. Glad to hear such positive news, I’d love to help contribute to a watch / good cause.

[Neil.C]

Left the rat race behind but still wants a Smiths Caribbean.

Well done Dave, you can take the man out of TZ-UK but you can't ....etc etc.

[abraxas]

I just came across this thread.

Did he actually become a monk or is he just travelling?

And if he is a monk, what kind? And if Buddhist, what type?