Thursday, May 31, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Monday, May 28, 2018
On Changing the World
An old man walks down to the beach and sees it is covered with tens of thousands of starfish, as far as the eye can see. Far down the beach he sees a young girl who is picking the starfish up, one by one, and tossing them back in the ocean.
Amused, he walks to the girl to speak with her. “Little girl,” the old man says, “What are you doing?”
“I’m saving these starfishes lives,” says the girl. “If I don’t throw them back in the water, they’ll drown. They need the water to live.”
The old man laughs to himself. Näive girl, he thinks. “But you are only one person. There are tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. How can you possibly make a difference?”
The girl bends down, picks up a star fish, looks at it, looks up at the man, tosses it into the surf, then says, “I made a difference for that one.”
https://blog.sivanaspirit.com/zen-stories-youve-never-heard/
Amused, he walks to the girl to speak with her. “Little girl,” the old man says, “What are you doing?”
“I’m saving these starfishes lives,” says the girl. “If I don’t throw them back in the water, they’ll drown. They need the water to live.”
The old man laughs to himself. Näive girl, he thinks. “But you are only one person. There are tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. How can you possibly make a difference?”
The girl bends down, picks up a star fish, looks at it, looks up at the man, tosses it into the surf, then says, “I made a difference for that one.”
https://blog.sivanaspirit.com/zen-stories-youve-never-heard/
Ram Dass - How to Love Yourself
Instead of trying to love yourself, just accept yourself. Accept your humanity instead of trying to love yourself. Get behind the polarities of love and hate and simply allow yourself to be as you are and accept it. Appreciate what is. See people as trees - you don't judge a tree when looking at it.
Cid K6 hours ago
Zen wisdom has much to say on human efficiency, creativity, and realizing our potential as well
One must be deeply aware of the impermanence of the world.
– Dogen
The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something.
– Koun Yamada
Have good trust in yourself … not in the One that you think you should be, but in the One that you are.
– Maezumi Roshi
If you are unable to find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?
– Dogen
Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.
– Soyen Shaku
Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.
– Shunryu Suzuki
Nothing ever exists entirely alone. Everything is in relation to everything else.
– Buddha
https://www.goalcast.com/2017/09/06/25-zen-quotes-proverbs/
A young Buddhist on his journey home
One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river. Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier.
A duck waddling towards the water cross paths with this giant Shoebill, only for it to be lifted out of the way
Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river. The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, “Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river”?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, “My son, you are on the other side”.
https://theunboundedspirit.com/10-short-zen-stories/
A Cup of Tea
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
https://theunboundedspirit.com/10-short-zen-stories/
The Parable of the Raft
A man is trapped on one side of a river. On this side of the river, there is great danger and uncertainty; on the far side is safety. But there is no bridge spanning the river, nor is there a ferry to cross over. What to do?
The man gathers together logs, leaves, and creepers and by his wit fashions a raft from these materials. By lying on the raft and using his hands and feet as paddles he manages to cross the river from the dangerous side to the side of safety.
The man gathers together logs, leaves, and creepers and by his wit fashions a raft from these materials. By lying on the raft and using his hands and feet as paddles he manages to cross the river from the dangerous side to the side of safety.
The Buddha then asks the listeners a question. What would you think if the man, having crossed over the river thought to himself, That raft has served me well I will carry it on my back over the land now? The monks replied that it would not be a very sensible idea to cling to the raft in such a way.
The Buddha went on, What if he lay the raft down gratefully thinking that this raft has served him well but is no longer of use and can thus be laid down upon the shore? The monks replied that this would be the proper attitude. The Buddha concluded by saying, So it is with my teachings which are like a raft and are for crossing over with—not for seizing hold of.
The Buddha went on, What if he lay the raft down gratefully thinking that this raft has served him well but is no longer of use and can thus be laid down upon the shore? The monks replied that this would be the proper attitude. The Buddha concluded by saying, So it is with my teachings which are like a raft and are for crossing over with—not for seizing hold of.
http://findingyoursoul.com/2012/11/the-parable-of-the-raft/
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Words Provide a Bold Affirmation of Our Innermost Thoughts
Words consist of vibration and sound. It is these vibrations that create the very reality that surrounds us
Begin to choose the words that you speak consciously. Practice improved self-awareness over the words that you use to describe yourself and your life. Negative, powerless words such as ‘can’t’, ‘shouldn’t’, ‘need’, ‘won’t’ should all be avoided. They strip you of your ability to manifest a life that you want to live.
As the creator of your universe, what you say goes. Therefore, next time you catch yourself about to use negative words, regain control and frame your word choices so that they have a more positive impact on your world.
For example, if you would usually say something such as ‘I am unhealthy and overweight’ then why not turn this into a more positive, constructive statement such as ‘I am in the process of becoming healthier and every day I get closer and closer to my ideal weight’.
If you ask for something but really deep down don't believe that it can be manifested immediately because it is so big, then you are the one who is bringing time into your creation. You are creating the time it will take, based on your perception of the size of the thing you have asked for. But there is no size or time in the Universe. Everything exists now in the mind of the Universe!
Beliefs are created by thinking thoughts repeatedly - until they become beliefs. Beliefs are a constant frequency that you are transmitting, and our beliefs are the strongest things that create our life through the law of attraction. The law of attraction responds to what you believe! That is why when you want to create something you must ask and believe, and then you will receive.
In the context of wealth (or having more money), it is when you no longer feel the need for money that money will come. The feeling of needing money comes from the thought that you don't have enough, and so you continue to create not having enough money. You are always creating, and when it comes to money, you are either creating the lack of it or the abundance of it.
Your job is you and only you. When you are working in harmony with the law, no-one can come between you and the Universe. However if you think another person can get in the way of what you want, then you have done a flip to the negative. Focus on creating what you want. You are the center of divine operation in your life, and your partner is the Universe. No-one can get in the way of your creation.
Your job is you and only you. When you are working in harmony with the law, no-one can come between you and the Universe. However if you think another person can get in the way of what you want, then you have done a flip to the negative. Focus on creating what you want. You are the center of divine operation in your life, and your partner is the Universe. No-one can get in the way of your creation.
http://www.thelawofattraction.com/the-power-of-words/
http://tjk-musings.blogspot.com/search/label/Wealth
Trapiche emerald is a rare variety of the gemstone emerald, characterized by a six-pointed radial pattern of ray-like spokes of dark impurities
Emerald is a gem variety of beryl, a cyclosilicate with the ideal formula Be3Al2Si6O18. Its structure is characterized by six-membered rings of silica tetrahedra lying in planes parallel to (0001).
The presence of trace amounts of the metal elements chromium & sometimes vanadium do not play particularly well together, and can cause minute stresses, creating the typical inclusions seen in most emeralds.
Emeralds are in fact a very hard stone (they sit at 7.5 – 8 on the Moh’s hardness scale
It is one of several types of trapiche or trapiche-like minerals, which also include trapiche ruby, sapphire, garnet, chiastolite and tourmaline. The name comes from the Spanish term trapiche, a sugar mill, because of the resemblance of the pattern to the spokes of a grinding wheel.
During the formation of an emerald crystal, black carbon impurities may enter the gemstone mix. Because of emerald’s hexagonal crystal structure, these impurities may fill in at the crystal junctions, forming a six-point radial pattern.
In some trapiche emeralds, inclusions of albite, quartz, carbonaceous materials, or lutite may outline the hexagonal emerald core. From there, they extend in spokes that divide the surrounding emerald material into six trapezoidal sectors.
http://www.geologyin.com/2017/12/how-does-trapiche-emerald-form.html
https://evejewelry.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/romancing-the-stone-in-may/
Ultramarine Means “beyond the seas"
Lapis Lazuli is a stone created of other stones….Lazurite, Sodalite, Calcite, and Pyrite to name a few! The color, composition, and presentation is going to vary depending on the differing amounts of each mineral.
The name is said to be derived from the Latin, lapis, which means ‘stone’ and from the Arabic,aula, which means ‘blue’. Although when Lapis was initially introduced in Europe, it was called ultramarinum, which means “beyond the sea”.
Michelangelo couldn’t afford ultramarine. His painting The Entombment, the story goes, was left unfinished as the result of his failure to procure the prized pigment.
Rafael reserved ultramarine for his final coat, preferring for his base layers a common azurite; Vermeer was less parsimonious in his application and proceeded to mire his family in debt.
Ultramarine: the quality of the shade is embodied in its name. This is the superlative blue, the end-all blue, the blue to which all other hues quietly aspire. The name means “beyond the sea”—a dreamy ode to its distant origins, as romantic as it is imprecise.
The blue color has deep biblical roots in the Old Testament. According to Dr. R. Jared Staudt, color is specifically mentioned as the color of the people of Israel in the book of Numbers.
If you ever walk through the European Art wing of a museum, you might notice that the Virgin Mary almost always wears a blue cloak. This color symbolism can be attributed to a myriad of explanations, the simplest one being this: blue was the most expensive pigment throughout much of history.
Ultramarine, meaning “beyond the seas,” was known to come from a land so far away that no European had actually been there, not even Alexander the Great. Ultramarine paint is made from the semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli (meaning “blue stone”). It is found only in Chile, Zambia, a few small mines in Siberia, and – most importantly- in Afghanistan.
With few exceptions, all of the real ultramarine in both Eastern and Western art came from mines in Afghanistan. By the time it made its way down mountain passes, across ancient trade routes and into Europe in the 13th century, it had already been assigned a high value.
By standardizing liturgical color codes in the 16th century, reserving blue for the Virgin Mary, Pope Pius V bestowed even more prestige upon the color. Ultramarine retained its high status until a synthetic version of the color was discovered in France in 1828.
However, almost all of the masterpieces of the European Renaissance owe some of their charm to the beautiful blue paint that originated in the mines of Afghanistan.
The name is said to be derived from the Latin, lapis, which means ‘stone’ and from the Arabic,aula, which means ‘blue’. Although when Lapis was initially introduced in Europe, it was called ultramarinum, which means “beyond the sea”.
A Victorian Bracelet set with five ancient Egyptian Lapis Lazuli Scaraboids, 18th Dynasty, ca
Michelangelo couldn’t afford ultramarine. His painting The Entombment, the story goes, was left unfinished as the result of his failure to procure the prized pigment.
Rafael reserved ultramarine for his final coat, preferring for his base layers a common azurite; Vermeer was less parsimonious in his application and proceeded to mire his family in debt.
Ultramarine: the quality of the shade is embodied in its name. This is the superlative blue, the end-all blue, the blue to which all other hues quietly aspire. The name means “beyond the sea”—a dreamy ode to its distant origins, as romantic as it is imprecise.
If you ever walk through the European Art wing of a museum, you might notice that the Virgin Mary almost always wears a blue cloak. This color symbolism can be attributed to a myriad of explanations, the simplest one being this: blue was the most expensive pigment throughout much of history.
Ultramarine, meaning “beyond the seas,” was known to come from a land so far away that no European had actually been there, not even Alexander the Great. Ultramarine paint is made from the semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli (meaning “blue stone”). It is found only in Chile, Zambia, a few small mines in Siberia, and – most importantly- in Afghanistan.
With few exceptions, all of the real ultramarine in both Eastern and Western art came from mines in Afghanistan. By the time it made its way down mountain passes, across ancient trade routes and into Europe in the 13th century, it had already been assigned a high value.
By standardizing liturgical color codes in the 16th century, reserving blue for the Virgin Mary, Pope Pius V bestowed even more prestige upon the color. Ultramarine retained its high status until a synthetic version of the color was discovered in France in 1828.
However, almost all of the masterpieces of the European Renaissance owe some of their charm to the beautiful blue paint that originated in the mines of Afghanistan.
Hearst Castle
Derived from the lapis lazuli stone, the pigment was considered more precious than gold. For centuries, the lone source of ultramarine was an arid strip of mountains in northern Afghanistan.
The process of extraction involved grinding the stone into a fine powder, infusing the deposits with melted wax, oils, and pine resin, and then kneading the product in a dilute lye solution. Because of its prohibitive costs, the color was traditionally restricted to the raiment of Christ or the Virgin Mary.
European painters depended on wealthy patrons to underwrite their purchase. Less scrupulous craftsmen were known to swap ultramarine for smalt or indigo and pocket the difference; if they were caught, the swindle left their reputation in ruin.
The process of extraction involved grinding the stone into a fine powder, infusing the deposits with melted wax, oils, and pine resin, and then kneading the product in a dilute lye solution. Because of its prohibitive costs, the color was traditionally restricted to the raiment of Christ or the Virgin Mary.
European painters depended on wealthy patrons to underwrite their purchase. Less scrupulous craftsmen were known to swap ultramarine for smalt or indigo and pocket the difference; if they were caught, the swindle left their reputation in ruin.
Large Figural Bronze & Lapis Jewelry Box
In 1824, the Societé d’Encouragement offered a reward of six thousand francs to anyone who could develop a synthetic alternative to ultramarine. Two men came forward within several weeks of one another: Jean-Baptiste Guimet, a French chemist, and Christian Gmelin, a German professor from the University of Tübingen.
The prize was fiercely contested. Gmelin claimed he had arrived at a solution a year earlier but had waited to publish his results. Guimet countered by declaring that he had conceived his formula two years prior but—like Gmelin—had opted not to publicize his findings. The committee awarded the prize to Guimet, much to the displeasure of the German gentry, and the artificial blue became known as “french ultramarine.”
Johannes Vermeer, ca. 1660
"Natural ultramarine is the painter's dream; the natural ultramarine pigment with its crystalline structure and multiple surfaces reflect light like a finely faceted jewel thereby exhibiting ever-changing display of rich, vibrant blues.
This creates a three dimensional, gems like effect which is not at all possible with a tiny, round and uniformly shaped particles of the synthetic ultramarine pigment"
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/06/08/true-blue/
https://mysticcrystalimports.com/pages/lapis-lazuli-properties
https://becauseilovesand.com/2013/09/16/lapis-lazuli/
https://mysticcrystalimports.com/pages/lapis-lazuli-properties
https://becauseilovesand.com/2013/09/16/lapis-lazuli/
Edfu Temple
Horus was a god of the sky. He is probably most well-known as the protector of the ruler of Egypt. The Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was the 'living Horus'
http://wetherbyadventures.blogspot.com/2011/01/egypt-nile-cruise-edfu-temple.html
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