Zen - Articles - Zimbio

Zen design pieces

Sun, 26 Feb 2007 22:40:30 GMT

posted by stts

As can be expected the N.Y. Gift show was a tad overwhelming, however there were a few standouts. Drawn to their use of a limited palette and clean lines, we discovered FTF Design Studio. They use minimal materials in their furniture, tabletop, and kitchen/bath line that is an outgrowth of their architectural backgrounds. I couldn’t stop thinking about how great the zen-like “pod line” in corian would look on my coffee table. Trays and servers available on web-site, furniture and bath line through phone. Check out the ultra fab “pond bathtub” that looks as if a robin just hatched from it. FTF Design Studio was truly a diamond in the rough.

The Illusion of Control

Fri, 9 Feb 2008 19:34:00 GMT

posted by ommeditation
One of the greatest illusions that we must deal with is that of "control". From very early, we are asked to "take control of our lives". This is an unrealistic and many times destructive request, for the simple reason is that nobody totally controls his or her life. Rather, we are cells in the Divine Body of the Universal Self, so we can only control a certain range of activities and/or thoughts. More important than control is learning to see things from a collective perspective - where we are all brothers and sisters, and can work together. If I know and believe that all people, ultimately, desire "goodness" and "benevolence" in their lives and even in my life, then there is no need to control others. Rather, I can work with them. And, conversely, they can work with me. At the end of his reign over Nazi Germany, Adolph Hitler killed himself because he lost "control". But if he had learned to give up his individual desire for political power and embrace collaboration, he could have taken Germany on a path of economic peace and prosperity instead of violence and war. OM Meditation will help you see that there is only the One Universal Self - we are rays of the Divine Self, and there is no need to control one another, but rather, we can work together harmoniously in a collaborative spirit.

http://www.sacredsyllable.com
http://www.greataffirmations.com

Hideaway in Mexico

Sun, 21 Jan 2008 21:05:26 GMT

posted by colinv

1/250
f/11

I discovered this place in Architectural Digest one year when my then-girlfriend wanted to go to Thailand. Only problem was I had been traveling a lot and was so not in the mood for another serious journey. It’s not the journey actually, it’s the planes and airports, etc. I can’t stand flying anymore. It drives me nuts. When I was a kid they still permitted smoking in the back of the plane, but they were more considerate of the people they now pack in and treat like cattle. I digress… The point is, I didn’t have to go through hell to get to heaven. If you live in California, Mexico is a quick (and fantastic) getaway, especially if you speak Spanish. Having lived in both Mexico and Costa Rica for short periods of time, my ability to communicate enriches my experience and in turn, my images. Here is the infinity pool at Verana. It’s a decent shot, but the sky is totally blown out. And because the palm trees are in the sky, I’m losing some detail there. I should have used a neutral-density graduated filter. We’ll talk about this at length in the landscape workshop.

Welcome to our blog about Zen

Wed, 11 Jan 2007 23:14:19 GMT

posted by The_Zimbio_Team
This is our group blog, which is unique because any Zimbio member can post an entry to it. Some members blog about recent news and trends related to the portal topic, others recount relevant personal stories. You can also comment on and rate existing blog entries, to voice your opinion and to help the community identify which members and entries on the portal are must-reads. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this portal? Well, then put on your journalist's cap and add your own blog entry!

Nihilism

Mon, 13 Nov 2007 15:55:00 GMT

posted by ommeditation
A few weeks ago I read a blog by this Zen Buddhist who strongly asserted that Buddhism is "not" nihilism. Well, actually it is because nihilism and sunyata (spiritual emptiness) are just two different ways of expressing the same conclusion. I don't understand why such bloggers exist...they contradict themselves. The message of my blog here is that emptiness is a realty and the essential nature of material existence. Science itself will confirm that 99% of "all this" on the physical level is empty space, and barely 1% is actually dense material. So, it is not wrong to initially conclude that emptiness prevails. However, if you read Holy Science by Swami Sri Yukteswar (Yogananda's Guru)...you will see that beyond sunyata lies The Absolute Reality, SAT, as it is called in Sanskrit. OM is considered to be the perfect sound that symbolizes and describes the Ultimate Reality, and so that is why I meditate on OM..it transports me from the relative and transitory material reality to the eternal and non-changing SAT. Krishna concluded the same in the Indian Gita (Song of God): OM TAT SAT (OM, That is the Absolute Truth).

http://www.sacredsyllable.com
http://www.greataffirmations.com