Impermanence

The weather went from no prospect of rain to heavy rain when I took a transit bus up a mountain, through a tunnel, and down the other side. Without a jacket I got soaked, accepted getting wet is temporary, and walked to a non-practicing Buddhist temple. It didn’t have all the features or atmosphere of a practicing temple, but the location was lovely.

Impermanent Wind

On my way to pick up meds at Walgreens, dismounted at the Central Library for Taiko drumming. A guy used a calligraphy brush to interpret the piece, “Impermanent Wind.” The drumming and my meds speak to my own impermanence, and that’s OK. Mono no aware.

Less is More

“Less is more” is famously the motto of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969). The idea is to reduce design to its necessary elements. Less famously, Mies picked up the phrase from his teacher, architect Peter Behrens, in Berlin around 1910. Behrens is considered to be the first industrial designer. In the 1930’s Mies… Continue reading Less is More

Mono no aware: the Pathos of Things

Mono no aware, Japanese.Roughly pronounced: moh-noh noh ah-wah-ray.  Roughly translated:  A wistful awareness of the impermanence or transience of things. [Source] Cherry blossoms exemplify the Japanese mono no aware sensibility. The intense beauty lasts just a few days before disappearing. The short time blossoms are in season is a time for celebration. Kyushu, southern Japan, March 2014.… Continue reading Mono no aware: the Pathos of Things