Grace

One of the hundreds of trees in New Rochelle that blew down during Hurricane Sandy. This large silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) crashed between two parked cars, leaving both unscathed. Other cars and fences and houses weren't so lucky. About 65% of the households have lost power (including mine) and MetroNorth commuter railroad service is suspended. Will post when I can, but it may be pretty sporadic. [NOTE: The white pine in the side yard held it's ground against Sandy].

Waiting for Sandy

Here we go again (see Waiting for Irene). Hurricane Sandy is one its way to New York and it looks like it's a real big one that's going to stay awhile. Trains and buses and subways are all closed, as are schools and stores and offices. It has started to rain and the winds have picked up. We have done all the preparations that we can around the house and now we wait. Pumpkins are out on the front porch (see above) because Halloween is Wednesday. Hope they don't blow away. Hope Halloween isn't cancelled. [NOTE: Hope the big white pine tree (Pinus strobus L.) in the side yard doesn't fall on the house]. 

[NOTE (as I continue to wait): Wall Street Journal has an interesting comparison of Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. How Sandy is wider and stronger than Irene, and how this could be the worst East Coast storm on record. Gulp]. 

The Known Universe

Incredible video from the American Museum of Natural History depicting the expanse of the known universe. Every moon, planet, star, galaxy, and quasar seen in the clip is based on the Digital Universe Atlas, the world's most complete four-dimensional map of the universe maintained and updated by astrophysicists at AMNH.

A useful bit of context and perspective for your weekend. Best viewed full screen with headphones. [NOTES: Film was created for an exibition at the Rubin Museum of Art. Music by Hans Zimmer].

Hats

One of the hat stalls in the Central Market of Hue, Vietnam (see Hue Market and Commerce). So hard to choose.

Urban Altar

This beautiful little altar, with Quan Âm (see Quan Âm), water, incense, and flowers, is tucked away at the base of a large, whitewashed Ficus tree on a tiny sliver of concrete between three streets in the Old Quarter of Hanoi (see Scenes from the Old Quarter). Thousands of people walk by this every day. Some stop to offer incense - or to take a picture. [NOTE: Altar is right next to Dinh Tien Hoang where the last part of this video was shot].

Fujian Tea Bonsai

A previous shuso - and dear friend -  gave me a wonderful gift at the close of the Fall Practice Period (see Fall Practice Period 2012 and Shuso!). As shown in the image above, it is a lovely bonsai Chinese or Fujian Tea tree (Carmona retusa Vahl). I have it sitting on the filing cabinet next to my desk (see My Office) near the window where it will get sufficient light and where I can easily look at it. I put it on a cross-section of a large tea tree (Camillea sinensis (L.) Kuntze) from Yunnan, China and added a small brass Buddha that I got at Wat Si Saket (see Wat Si Saket) in Vientiane, Laos. Definitely a major improvement of the filing cabinet (thx, Glynn). [NOTE: The leaves in the background are from the Ficus elastica Roxb. that I have growing in a pot on the window sill].

The Bronx

The Bronx is the home of Edgar Allen Poe, Hip Hop music, The New York Yankees, Stanley Kubrik and The New York Botanical Garden, among other things. (go here to see a list of auspicious Bronx people and things). It also contains a pretty amazing assortment of graffiti.

Image above is from a wall on the corner of Whitlock Avenue and 165th Street. Mural was painted by Tats Cru. These guys started out as graffiti artists, and they were really good graffiti artists, and they discoved that that they could make a living out of it - and not have to do their art in the middle of night. Commercial graffiti. Maybe another first for The Bronx?  [NOTE: For all of the reasons mentioned above, this is a great NYC borough to work in. I used to live in the Norwood section of the Bronx (shown on line 2).

Lennon's Poster

Lovely short film of a huge Beatles fan who recreates the circus poster that inspired John Lennon to write "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Nice footage of the wood engraving and letterpress printing involved. [NOTE: Film by Nick Esdaile and Joe Fellows]. 

Shuso!

Last Sunday was the final day of the Fall Practice Period (see Fall Practice Period 2012) at the Empty Hand Zen Center. There was an intensive retreat (sitting, lunch, and more sitting) followed by a Shuso Hossen ceremony. I was given a beautiful fan (shown above), walked to my seat in a formal procession with gongs (inkin), clappers, and moktok, and presented a copy of Mumon's The Gateless Gate.  I read "Case 19: Ordinary Mind is the Way" from the book and gave a short Dharma Talk (go here for a translation of Case 19 from the Mumonkan; scroll down to Case 19). 

I was next given the Dharma staff by Jion Susan Postal, walked with it (and the fan) slowly back to my seat, and then, one by one, proceeded to answer the questions (Zen questions) posed by every person in the room. Each question began with the exclamation "Shuso!" (to get my attention). I answered as best I could, and then made a loud thump on the floor with the staff to receive the next query. After all the questions were finished, I apologized for my mistakes during the Practice Period ("they fill heaven and earth, leaving me no place to hide..."), returned the staff to my teacher, and then, with feelings of great relief and elation, joined the procession back to the dokusan room.

Powerful ceremony. Transformative practice period. Little by little. Day after day. The never-ending, concerted, keep your eye on the ball, continual practice of Ordinary Mind. [NOTES: Bows of gratitude to Susan and the entire EHZC sangha (thx, guys). Photo by J. Jacobson].

Can't Dance to Da Vinci

Sign on a side street in downtown Memphis for the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Didn't have time to visit this museum during my recent trip to Memphis (see Memphis and More Memphis), but it does look like "one seriously cool" place. [NOTE: Go here for the Stax museum website; be sure to check out the videos].