It wasn’t a dream
On center stage, Monday night football got to see the Cleveland Browns beat an undefeated New York Giants team.
Like many Browns fans we get prepared and hope for the best. We hope that there won’t be a repeat performance of the pre-season Browns/Giants matchup. We hope that if we lose, we only lose by a little. We hope that we don’t fumble on the 2 yard line to give up the win.
We did nothing of the sort. We did trick plays. We threw bombs (and caught them). We PLAYED DEFENSE. For Browns fans, this was the best we have seen the team in years. To have this sort of performance when we really needed it feels great. Actually staying up to watch the post game show felt great. Driving into work to listen to the recap all over again…FEELS GREAT.
Go Browns!!!
Living design
One of the more classical visual representations of Zen is the bonsai. All unique, symbolizing a balance of nature and symmetry. Maintaining one is quite difficult and requires patience, knowledge and an environment conducive to proper growth.
There must be a spiritual bond that allows for the most successful bonsai to live decades and longer. What makes this bonsai care so reminiscent of Zen practice is the ability to focus on something outside of one’s self while ultimately becoming better at appreciating all of earth’s amazing gifts. Also it can be said that the one that cares for the bonsai becomes the bonsai and the bonsai becomes the gardener - both becoming one representation of a single life.
I think as you view these examples — (2) — (3) — (4) and articles you will see what I mean. The heart and soul of the Bonsai continues to beat soundly after hundreds of years.
Hara - sculpture
This is a sculpture that I am working on completing soon.
Years ago when I wanted to learn more about martial arts and the masters that followed “The Way”, I discovered that the essence lies within the Datian or Hara (Japanese name).
During some meditation sessions I tried to picture this inner life force that unifies mind body and spirit. I imagined a seed that sits three fingers below my navel. But as I looked more closely at this seed in my mind, it became a figure, a smaller yet more important part of my being that holds me together with or without the mastery of strict meditation practices.
