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Buddhists should not judge by appearances ...
We have had a visitor to the Zendo in Tsukuba recently ...Opheodrys aestivus, commonly known as the rough green snake, is a nonvenomous North American colubrid. It is sometimes called grass snake or green grass snake, but these names are more commonly applied to the smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). The European colubrid called grass snake (Natrix natrix) is unrelated. The rough green snake is docile, often allowing close approach by humans, and seldom bites. Even when bites occur, they have no venom and are harmless. ... The rough green snake ranges throughout the Southeastern United States, from Florida, north to coastal Maine, Indiana, and west to Central Texas. ... The preferred habitat of O. aestivus is moist meadows and woodlands, often near water. It is highly arboreal, frequently found climbing in low vegetation, and is also a good swimmer. However, it is often found on the ground as well. Unlike many snakes, it is largely diurnal.
The diet of O. aestivus consists mostly of insects and other terrestrial arthropods, but some snails and tree frogs are eaten as well. This snake is not a constrictor; most prey are grabbed and simply swallowed alive. ... Predators of the rough green snake include birds and other snakes, such as the eastern racer (Coluber constrictor) and the eastern king snake (Lampropeltis getula).
Gassho, J
STLahALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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Green snakes are gorgeous as long as I am at a safe distance. Here is a cool article with pictures of green snakes. I wouldn't pick up one and find out if they are benign.Buddhists should not judge by appearances ...
We have had a visitor to the Zendo in Tsukuba recently ...
Gassho, J
STLah
Gasho, Jishin, __/stlah\__
PS:. A good buddist stays alive.
Last edited by Jishin; 08-20-2019, 12:45 AM.Comment
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Here are 2 more green snakes that I took pictures of. They look pretty scary to me.
Gasho, Jishin, __/stlah\__
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As a psychiatrist, Doc, didn't Freud say a thing or two about fear of snakes ?
Researchers have unlocked new evidence that could help them get to the bottom of our most common phobias and their causes. Hundreds of thousands of people count snakes and spiders among their fears, and while scientists have previously assumed we possess an evolutionary predisposition to fear the unpopular animals, new research seem to indicate otherwise. ,,, “[However], people tend to be exposed to a lot of negative information regarding snakes and spiders, and we argue this makes them more likely to be associated with phobia.”
In the study, researchers compared the responses to stimuli of participants with no particular experience with snakes and spiders, to that of snake and spider experts.
“Previous research has argued that snakes and spiders attract preferential attention (they capture attention very quickly) and that during this early processing a negative (fear) response is generated… as an implicit and indexed subconscious [action],” Dr Purkis said.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0320132646.htm
Gassho, J
STLahALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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Zen of Creativity Chapter 6
Interesting article and Buddha and Snake story. Thanks!
Here is a blurb from the web on Freud and snakes:
For Freud, founder of psychoanalysis, the snake is primarily a phallic symbol representing the penis and sexual drive. A Freudian interpretation of a snake dream emphasizes your relationship to sexuality and male figures in your life.
According to Freud, the snake is symbol for the penis. The meaning of a snake in a dream is associated with sexuality, and as an extension, with male figures in your life, or how you experience your own manhood, relationship with men or your male energy if you are a woman.
If you dream about snakes and would ask Freud or a Freudian analyst for help to interpret your dream, you could be invited to consider the snake as a symbol for repressed sexual desire or inner conflict about how you express or experience your sexuality.
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I like Freud but the snake/sex stuff is a bit of a stretch.
Gasho, Jishin, __/stlah\__Last edited by Jishin; 08-20-2019, 11:22 AM.Comment
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We have a range of snakes where we live. We have green and brown tree snakes living in the bamboo, red bellied black snakes in the bush and under the house, eastern brown snakes also in the bush and under the house and carpet pythons under the house, in the roof, in the walls and on two occasions inside our house. Eastern Brown's are extremely aggressive and deadly, red bellied blacks are also deadly but aren't aggressive. The green and brown treesnakes and carpets aren't venomous but that doesn't mean we go out of our way to play with them. There are a bunch of other snakes and other things like scorpions and a range of lizards including goannas around too but like most things if you leave them alone they'll not bother you. Great shots btw:-)
Gassho
Anna
Sat today/lent a hand穏 On (Calm)
火 Ka (Fires)
They/She.Comment
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An ethno-methodologist might have fun with this thread's conversation line. Starting with art criticism ending with snakes. hmmm? a connection can be made perhaps?
Those snake images, Jishin, are surreal. gorgeous. And the Zendo's Japanese rat snake is a handsome creature, Jundo. I happen to love snakes (and spiders for that matter). We have many nonvenomous snakes but we do have rattle snakes here but I rarely have seen one. As Anna said 'if you leave them alone they'll not bother you.' They stay pretty much to themselves trying to eke out a living in the harsh desert. But I do love seeing them and feel it's a gift from nature when I get a glimpse of one.
And Anna sounds a bit much even for me a snake lover. I'd be concerned about my dogs constantly if there were so many venomous creatures about.
And yes, anyone can jump in anytime. The previous chapter threads are still up and Meitou and I will be posting Chapter 7 soon.
Gassho
Anne
~lahst~Comment
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Hello,
thank you all for sharing and opening such a wide view in this thread.
Personally, I feel this thread's questions/chapter and prompt quite complex.
It asks me about my general understanding of what 'art' is and where it starts and ends.
There is one mode of understanding/operating, that is about expressing something I feel and seeing the result as an 'work of art', a finished object.
This mode makes me anxious for critique and desperate, when people don't like it.
There is also a wider way of looking at this.
Where does the act of making art start and where does it end? Who is the artist?
There is the muse, the thing that sparks the light. Something already seen in the context of a culture and pre-formed mind.
The interpretation...
The act of producing, making something...
The reaction it creates in/with the viewer...
When I understand all the above together as the artwork.. from the spark in it's context to the reaction of the viewer,
I don't fear critique... It's essential part of the artwork itself.
Inseparable.
Regarding the prompt...
To me, it's the moment when threads come together.
When a single image or thought connects something.
The most recent of these moments is just some days ago.
Early morning, on my long run along the local river, a view, a (not taken) image connected some threads.
It was an old, antique fishing boat, fishing old school with gill nets, while standing still in the tides.
Behind the old boat, there was the ultra modern Airbus wharf with it's colourful, glittering metal birds waiting for service.
An image of tradition with it's place in the modern world. About things changing (tide and technology) and being somehow the same.
The tension between old and new, things that stay and things that change.
It connected with other things from that day.
Sitting old traditional Zazen together with the Europe Morning Crew in the Free sitting room with modern technology.
Running... doing what our bodies where made for, but for recreation, not for hunting and in high-tech clothes.
Kids arriving at a sailing school, boys and girls separated at different boats - on my way back - boys around the girls, explaining the world to them ;-).
Sun came out - flood from the northern sea - smelling the near sea in the river-water - large container ships from the nearby harbour - guided by doves
Somehow this image of the old fishing boat in front of the modern airplane wharf connected it all.
Maybe I should have a look at the tide calendar, come back with a camera and try to take this picture.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.Comment
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Thanks for this Kotei:
There is also a wider way of looking at this.
Where does the act of making art start and where does it end? Who is the artist?
There is the muse, the thing that sparks the light. Something already seen in the context of a culture and pre-formed mind.
The interpretation...
The act of producing, making something...
The reaction it creates in/with the viewer...
When I understand all the above together as the artwork.. from the spark in it's context to the reaction of the viewer,
I don't fear critique... It's essential part of the artwork itself.
Inseparable.
For me a work of art happens when my creative spark/spirit expresses itself through my hands. It is art to me. And beyond that I have no control. If someone else feels moved by it that's good, but not necessary for my own comfort with the expressive product of my creative act. And there is a moment when I know that what I was trying to achieve has worked or not. But really its about me. Not about trying to please anyone else. Usually, but not always the work is appreciated by others. Sometimes it is all mine. And I really think that the only way to get to this place of comfort with our art is to practice it, over and over, for years and years.
Same as our zazen practice.
Gassho
Anne
~st~Comment
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Thank you Anne,
you display publicly what you created.
The fire that you lit from the spark, you found.
Made with others and their reaction in mind (like the modernish works that explicitly include the viewer), or not.
The fire might warm, enlighten or burn the one, that gets touched by it... or extinguish. Good or bad. Likes it or not.
Beyond my control, yes. But it's still the spark I found and the fire I lit. Handed over to the next.
It continues existing and burning without the "I". Just like our Zazen practice
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.
義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.Comment
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