Water, Waves, Zen Gardens
Living every day as if it’s my first
See Instagram | See LinkedIn | See previous posts
*All images taken by me unless specified
Rather than living every day as if it’s my last, I have shifted to a gentler approach of living every day as if it’s my first. I want to wake up and meet the day with the wonder of a newborn, to cultivate childlike qualities like curiosity and play.” - Suleika Jaouad, American author of ‘Between Two Kingdoms’It is Umi no Hi 海の日 or Ocean Day today. A relatively newly introduced national holiday here to honor the blessings of oceans to Japan as a maritime country.
The Gion Matsuri 祇園祭 is also in full swing with the kick off of Yoiyama last night, food stalls lining the streets and floats lit up.
Kyoto is becoming overly touristy these days. Reminiscent of my time in bustling New York City where you walked elbow to elbow, the humid smell unbearable. Since this May, different old friends from our past have been visiting us every single month.
Reunions are great. They are also a stark reminder of ichigo ichie 一期一会. Cherish each moment and every chapter in your life, for the conditions of the next meeting is never the same.
This weekend, we avoided being part of the crowd and mostly chilled at home (me recovering from another bout of brief sickness. This time it’s vertigo, my head spinning with ongoing nausea that’s thankfully gone now).
Karesansui Zen Gardens
In honor of Ocean Day, I would like to share a short post on karesansui 枯山水 or dry mountain water gardens, which are often found in Kyoto’s temple gardens.
Given the name, one might think that Zen gardens are primarily influenced by Zen Buddhism. While that is true, Zen gardens are in fact a confluence of 3 influences: Zen Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism.
Zen emphasizing simplicity and appreciation of the present moment. Zen gardens are a miniaturized version of the world, where you contemplate your place on earth.
Shinto focuses on reverence of natural elements, arranged to honor the natural world. The creation of raked gravel sand originated at Shinto shrines, which was then adapted to yuniwa 斎庭 at the Imperial Palace during the Heian period, pre-dating such incorporation at karesansui gardens during the Muromachi period. See also previous post on Water and Shintoism.
Taoism, originated from China, and its philosophy on harmony, balance, naturalness, and the idea of immortality is depicted in the designs of many Zen gardens.
Raking Patterns
Zen gardens (or dry karesansui rock gardens) are devoid of water. Stone patterns or raked gravels are used to represent water and waves to capture the essence of seascapes and natural landscapes.
Contrary to simplistic and superficial understanding, Zen gardens are not just calming; they are also dynamic and at times volatile.
Depending on the wave patterns, different emotions can be triggered. Light, shadow, wind, and the interaction with the evolving natural environment can alter one’s experience entirely - a constant dance between tension and emptiness.
Shunmyo Masuyo (Japanese monk, award-winning Zen garden designer, world-leading landscape architect) knows that the spirit of truth-seeking holds far more importance than the act of garden making. He wrote, "There is nothing special in water and mountain, there is special only in the mind of people."
How to Find Zen?
The true spirit of Zen cannot be fully expressed in words, for it is best understood through direct experience and practice.
In Kyoto, one can experience Zen in multiple forms through Zazen (meditation), chado (tea ceremony), aikido (martial arts), shodo (calligraphy), kado (incense appreciation), Zen gardens, and Shojin-ryori of mindful eating.
Ultimately, Zen is best experienced through daily tasks, like cleaning and mundane chores (the ones modern society is asking us to delegate to others) that can help us cultivate deeper connection with the present moment.
Parenting and caregiving, sadly, often do not receive the recognition they deserve despite their crucial contributions to society (e.g. Stay-home parents are not just loitering about; Childcare teachers need greater recognition and pay!).
Caregiving is one of the most complex lifelong Zen practice of tireless juggling between patience, mindfulness, and presence.
Zen Gardens in Kyoto
Visualize yourself as a wave on the surface of the ocean. Watch as you are being created: You rise to the surface, you stay a little while, and then you return to the ocean. You know that at some point you are going to end. But if you know how to touch the ground of your being - the water - all your fears will vanish.
You will see that as a wave, you share the life of the water with every other wave. This is the nature of our inter-being. When we live only the life of a wave and are not able to live the life of water, we suffer quite a lot.
The reality is that every moment is a moment of continuation. You continue life in new forms, that's all. - Zen Master Thich Nhah Hanh
such a good reminder to be more connected to our mundane chores. also love the pictures of the gardens!
Thank you for your reflections. And I'm especially grateful for your eye; the photographs are a delight