Soto Zen teacher, Dogen Zenji said, “Handle even a single leaf of green in such a way that it manifests the body of the Buddha. This in turn allows the Buddha to manifest through the leaf.” Was Dogen referring to … Read more →
Bamboo, an evergreen plant that can be found growing in the woodlands of South and Central America as well as Africa and Asia. The Chinese see the Bamboo as a symbol of honesty, of eternal youth and Buddhist use Bamboo … Read more →
Life is hectic and perhaps stressful at times. Everyone needs an outlet to discharge those struggles and anxieties of the day and growing Bonsai can help you achieve this much-needed balance in one’s life.
In my previous article I wrote about considerations and decisions to be taken when you are going to build your own Japanese garden. In this article I’ll elaborate on that. As the Japanese garden evolved over 15 centuries it is … Read more →
In Japan, rock gardens were created by Zen Buddhist priests to offer a place for quiet reflection near Japanese temples. Several features are essential to these gardens; a typical garden will contain a water element, boulders, a gravel sand area … Read more →
As Bonsai and garden lovers we spend alot of time getting to know our trees, we get intimate with shaping, trimming and styling. We water and feed, but how close are we to our trees! If we were a Bonsai … Read more →
By their very nature Zen gardens encourage you to use your imagination. Using carefully placed rocks and stones and open spaces filled with sand or gravel these gardens tend to capture the eye and the mind and hold both. Soon … Read more →
Suzhou is one of the most beautiful cities of China. Its the motherland of silk and one of the oldest traditional forms of Chinese opera – Kunqu, listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of … Read more →
The Japanese regard bonsai as a union of very old beliefs and Eastern philosophies regarding harmony between man, his soul and nature. Much focus and patience is required to carefully prune the roots and branches to prevent unwanted growth. The … Read more →
