G’day, greetings, and salutations. I hope as you view this post you find yourself smiling and content.
I gave myself a dose of art therapy today with photos I snapped of flowers that have been in my home this summer, all gifts from dear people in my life. I adore the text I placed below the photos—a favorite poem from Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki.
The poem captures the notion that we can only truly see something when our perception is interrupted. As an example, we more fully experience the open, blue sky when clouds drift through, or perhaps the beauty of the expanse of ocean when waves form to break the ocean’s flat skin.
I’ve considered these words often in light of “bad” situations or even when I see something that I might not find beautiful or pleasing at the time. Thinking about this concept really does help me re-frame my perception and make certain aspects of life easier, lighter, or more bearable.
I like to think I more deeply appreciate events, things, physical sensations, and emotions these days because I am mindful of perceptions interrupted.
When I asked hubs if he had a favorite of my flower photos from the summer, I was a bit shocked that he picked the one that I initially didn’t like at all. The one on the center bottom of the collage. The one with the hunk of gunk in the bottom amongst the stems.
I looked again at the photo and now I agree with him. I think the small curled-up brown leaf actually drew my eye to the interesting part of the photo where light magically bends through the glass.
If you’ll allow me to offer something to you today, think of this notion when your world is interrupted. What can you see because of it?
As a post script, I’d like to thank all of you who are here today reading. I am thankful for you and hope you had a wonderful summer. Enjoy the last week of summer if you are in the northern hemisphere!
Namasté, friends. ~xo
[Fine Print: I offer to you free use of the designs at my site. Please use as you see fit. Link back to my site if you feel so moved or let me know you enjoyed my work (lori[@]janebenimble[dot]com). However, my policy is to create for all with no expectation. All images are either solely created by me or used within terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License when noted. I photographed the images above and designed the graphic in Adobe Illustrator®.]
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Illustrated Poetry in the JBN stacks:
∞ Savor
∞ Silence
Hi Lori .. so good to see you again – I was on the verge of emailing but hadn’t got there .. love your sentiments here and am so glad you’ve had an artistic peaceful summer .. just love the words of wisdom – and it’s so restful.
Thanks so much for your sentiments .. lovely to read this today .. Perception Interrupted – a necessary part of life .. with many thoughts – Hilary
Hilary´s last [type] ..If I could be AnyOne, I’d be Mary Wollstonecraft …
Greetings, Hilary,
It’s lovely to see you again, too, lovely. I hope I didn’t cause you any worry, was just taking some much-needed time away. Thanks so much for thinking of me.
I appreciate your words very much; like you, they are kind, thoughtful, and heartfelt. That means a lot. I hope all is well your way and that this reply finds you with a peaceful heart.
~xo
How nice to see you here again. Made me smile! The new look and feel of the blog is perfect. So you!
Thanks you for sharing your beautiful photographs and thoughts. I find that, often, when I take the extra moment to take a second look and try on a different perception, I always see something new to appreciate.
“When you change what you look for, the things you look at change.” or something like that.
Debbie Hampton´s last [type] ..What Meditation Is To Me
Hi Debbie, nice to see you, too!
Thanks for your kind thoughts regarding how I redesigned my blog. This spring, I was sketching a bit in Illustrator and actually really liked what came from my little session. I thought, Yip! That’ll be a component of my new header.
Thanks also for your kind comment. I was actually thinking about you when I was creating this post. I’m glad your post is linked in your comment signature, I suggest other people who happen by to click through to yours. It’s one of my favorites at your site.
Enjoy your day, Debbie.
~xo
In the northern hemisphere and definetly enjoying the last week, before I have to hide from that dreadful snow..haha
Pat Hatt´s last [type] ..All I Can Say, Is What The Hell Today!
Thanks for visiting, Pat. I hope you have a mild winter, I totally understand. I lived in the far north and Midwest US long enough to know I don’t particularly enjoy shoveling snow for five-month stretches. lol
Have a great day!
So lovely to find you post in my inbox this morning – I have been thinking about you and hoping you were well and refreshed in your time away.
We are having our first very fallish day today with wind, rain, and grey sky…just last Sunday it was 97′F – Had to pull out a sweatshirt jack and put on socks.
In the middle center picture of the collage I saw a ghost face and then a fancy #2 and did not see a brown leaf – well tiny brown spot and what looked like a ribbon…or bookmark….I almost totally missed the flower stems and wondered what you were trying to convey in the midst of all the blooms? My perception was interrupted. With my professional listening service at WISE EARS, I must continually stop myself from projecting onto the conversation and truly listen…continually change the perspective and perception.
Nice sharing here – thank you Good words and welcome back
Patricia – Wisdom´s last [type] ..Pain Relief – the ZIP METHOD
Hi Patricia,
It’s so wonderful to be thought about, and I’m sure your loving energy helped me quite a bit this summer. My thanks and gratitude to you.
I liked your comment about the fallish day, I feel that here, too. I woke a bit chilly and there’s that certain “fall aroma” in the air. I like!
About the photo collage, I was drawn to include the photo of the bottom of the vase/stems because they are just as beautiful, to me, as the blooms and buds. I really love to play with light and try to photograph effects of light, too. I have a long journey regarding my photography skills, though! ha
Thanks for sharing about your professional listening service, that’s interesting. I have to work very hard in that area, too, and control my urge to jump in or interrupt people. Thanks for the reminder.
It’s wonderful to see you again, too. Thanks for your kind words, I really appreciate you.
~xo
Hey Lori, welcome back. I, too, had been thinking about you and was on the verge of emailing you to say “Hi” when—ta-da! There you were! So I did a really excited happy dance and said YEA! Lori’s back! You were out-of- sight but never out-of-mind!
I think the photo’s are lovely and the one of the vase adds mystery. And something mysterious always makes me stop and look again and again, trying to figure out how this fits into the whole picture. So my expectations of seeing another similar picture were interrupted and I did have to look at everything to see how this fit. It breaks up expectations which, I think is a good thing. I think a certain amount of art, music, writing, etc, has to be what we expect and what fulfills our expectations and anticipations….and then—WHAM! We need to have something intrude and shake us up a little bit or maybe a lot.
I am so glad you brought the poem to us, also, and this wonderful concept of interruption making things more visible. Lots of great stuff for an artist to chew on in this post! Thanks! Love you!
Hi Jean,
What a nice surprise to see you here. Thank you for your kind, caring comment. I feel like I just received a hug from you. Thanks for understanding my absence and being here for me when I returned. I means a lot.
Jean, you are the artists’ artist. I love what you said in your comment about perception, and you said better what I was trying to explain, I think.
I know me, personally, love to be shaken up a bit regarding art and pushing the edges. I love lightning bolts! I do agree, though, there needs to be a certain ‘comfort’ there, too, that meets an expectation. That’s a very good point.
I’m glad the poem touched you. It’s an anonymous/traditional zen poem that I discovered that says so much, so very much, in two short stanzas. I just love it. I’m glad you appreciate it, too.
Great to see you again, Jean, and I love you, too. I hope you had a great summer! ~xo
Hi Lori:
Hey there…nice post! I really dig your photo collage, it’s full of interesting colors and shapes. And it reminds me of the flowering plant I purchased earlier this summer for my balcony…that $15 purchase gave me a lot of smiles and inner peace. And as you remind us of our fading summer, I realize it may not be around much longer because of colder weather. We all need to appreciate what we have while it’s in front of us. Thanks for your images and words!
Tim´s last [type] ..My Summer of Stieg
Hi Tim,
Always nice to see you. I hope all is well your way. Also, thanks for your kind words, I really appreciate them!
That’s so cool, I love houseplants. And, you’re spot on, it’s a small price to pay for a bit of oxygen and inner peace.
Thanks for visiting and for being thankful for what I can offer of my world to yours.
Be well and smile.
~xo
Lori
The flowers are pretty but you’re beautiful. Perception interrupted!
XOXO
Tess,
You’re the best, I love seeing you here. Now we can get the party started! lol
You’re so kind to say that, Tess. Like you always say: if you spot it, you got it!
Have a GREAT week!
~xo
Lori,
How embarrassing! Jean was the one who told me you posted and I missed it:~(
Still, I am ever so pleased to see the pictures and your beautiful thoughts once again at this site.
You always have such a wonderful way of looking at life. You make me stop and think about what I’m not seeing that’s right in front of me. This line was so eloquently put this idea into words, “As an example, we more fully experience the open, blue sky when clouds drift through, or perhaps the beauty of the expanse of ocean when waves form to break the ocean’s flat skin.” Nicely written:~)
Regarding your pictures, I liked the tulips best. They look like young girls crowded together, peeking out of the curtain, as the wait to go on stage to dance.
I am so pleased to back in this comment box:!)
BTW For some reason I’m not getting notices from Feedburner about your posts going up. I tried to subscribe again and it says I already am. I checked my email and I didn’t get anything.
Whatever…I will check in more often! It’s good to read your words:~) Have a wonderful day, my friend.
Sara´s last [type] ..Fun with words
Hi Sara,
It’s always wonderful to see your smiling face. Thanks so much for taking the time to visit this space.
I’m glad you liked this post and the imagery, thanks, too, for your kind comment about the line you quoted. I think I was feeling a bit poetic when I wrote that.
Oh, and actually what looks like tulips are actually a macro shot of a different complex flower, but I’m blanking on the flower type. I’ll update this comment when I think of it.
Sorry about the feedburner issue, I’ll check that out from my side as well. I appreciate you coming here after a long hiatus, you’re the best, Sara Songbird.
Much Love,
~SurferGirl xo!
Hi Lori, I’m so happy to reconnect with you again. Your flowers and the poem and your words in this post are beautiful. They stop me, and remind me of my oneness with all creation — and what an amazing adventure it is that we all share together. Every good wish.
Christopher Foster´s last [type] ..Are you connecting with your authentic self?
Oh my, Christopher! It’s lovely to see you here again. Thanks for taking the time to stop by, my friend. I think about you a lot and you’re always in my best wishes. I miss seeing you and reading you. I hope all is well your way and that this finds you with a peaceful heart.
Warmly,
~xo
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