'Tis the Season of Giving!

Carl

Doesn't art, like the philosophical words I write (Embarassed), murder the mystery?

I don't think art has the power to in any way minimize the mystery. Art is just our little way of celebrating the mystery, and maybe trying to possess it, make it "mine." I've heard you say that art is an attempt to break off nature into bite-sized pieces for easy digestion and that sounds true to me, but I think it's harmless. I like to do art and then let go of it; I don't like to belabor it and show it and use it as a reflection of who I am. I like to do it freely and then give it away and never see it again. I don't know why; it just feels clean.

There is an artist in Murphy's I like...he paints stuff we think of as ugly, like junk yards and weeds and twisted old dead sticks and treats them with as much respect as he would traditionally beautiful things. I asked him if he were a Zen student and he knew nothing of Zen or Tao. Interesting.

What you are saying goes beyond that....seeing with an eye with no names, by which I think you mean no judgement, no preconception, seeing with no self. What would that look like?

Carl

Bah humbug :P. Well not exactly, though many of us decry how materialistic Christmas has become. Yet, we give loads of stuff to each other, and still more food to our plump bodies. Is this 'true giving'? True? I knew you'd ask that. Personally, giving time feels like a 'truer' form of giving. Giving time to who - family, friends? Nope. Give time to yourself! Give yourself the time to slow down, [chref=37]remain still[/chref], and allow your [chref=23]natural[/chref] self to catch up to your ideal self. As it does, everyone benefits in the long term. And you will save a lot of money on wrapping paper and postage. So why do we [chref=53]prefer[/chref] to rush around and give stuff instead? Is that path just easier? :oops:

Anyway, merry Christmas!

unclebob

and a merry Bah Humbug back. just kidding.

I like this time of year for the gift giving because it gives me the "excuse" to buy things and do things for my friends, which I do most of the year anyhow, but around chirstmas I have that as my umbrella clause (no pun) for why I am doing it.

As for time, I do try to make time for myself but it isn't easy with work, friends, my dad each taking a bit. I'm not sure if you could call it "making time for myself" but I get some when I go to the gym daily. When I'm on the elipitical trainer I can zone out without having worries about tripping as when I'm on the treadmil. After the workout, I go into the dry sauna and then the steamroom when I relax and mediate some .. this is where most of "me time" comes from. I always feel great when I leave.

Merry Christmas to all
Feliz Navidad
peace,
bob (unclebob)

Carl

Hi Unclebob, My point was more about people giving stuff in lieu of 'time'. So, of course, this really has nothing to do with whether we buy stuff for others or not.

Also, I was not alluding to taking time from one place and doing something else.

[cite] I:[/cite]Give time to yourself! Give yourself the time to slow down, [chref=37]remain still[/chref], and allow your [chref=23]natural[/chref] self to catch up to your ideal self.

By this I mean giving time (care, love, patience - the Yin correlations) in each and every action, big and small, each moment of the day, week, month, year, life. This is the [chref=64]easy[/chref] way to bring balance to life. And with greater balance, [chref=16]action leads to impartiality[/chref]. I suppose from a Taoist point of view, giving 'impartiality' would be the [chref=45]perfect[/chref] gift. Ho, ho, ho!