http://www.ted.com At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play -- with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn't).
Monday, December 6, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
RSA Animate - 21st century enlightenment
Matthew Taylor explores the meaning of 21st century enlightenment, how the idea might help us meet the challenges we face today, and the role that can be played by organisations such as the RSA..
"The research is clear that if you want to be happy, don't read a self-help book. Just have happier friends".
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity
Why don't we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it's because we've been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies -- far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity -- are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. It's a message with deep resonance. Robinson's TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? "Everyone should watch this."
A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government's 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009.
"Ken's vision and expertise is sought by public and commercial organizations throughout the world."
BBC Radio 4
http://www.sirkenrobinson.com/
Off his Face Book
If a child lives with hostiliy, He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.
If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance, He learns to find love in the world...
November 20 at 3:20am · Like · Comment
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity
Why don't we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it's because we've been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies -- far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity -- are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. It's a message with deep resonance. Robinson's TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006. The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? "Everyone should watch this."
A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government's 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009.
"Ken's vision and expertise is sought by public and commercial organizations throughout the world."
BBC Radio 4
http://www.sirkenrobinson.com/
Off his Face Book
If a child lives with hostiliy, He learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.
If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance, He learns to find love in the world...
November 20 at 3:20am · Like · Comment
Kevin Stone: The bio-future of joint replacement | Video on TED.com
Kevin Stone: The bio-future of joint replacement | Video on TED.com
Arthritis and injury grind down millions of joints, but few get the best remedy -- real biological tissue. Kevin Stone shows a treatment that could sidestep the high costs and donor shortfall of human-to-human transplants with a novel use of animal tissue.
Kevin Stone's clinic treats joint injury using the latest in bio-medicine: reconstructing damaged tissue, even replacing whole joint parts, with lab-grown cartilage and ligament.
Why you should listen to him:
Orthopedic surgeon Kevin Stone knows mobility means more than just where you go -- it's the foundation for a fulfilling daily life. (True whether you're an athlete or not.) His Stone Clinic specializes in "biologic knee replacement": replacing damaged joint parts, not with artificial components, but with lab-grown tissue and parts from human donors. He and team are spearheading new techniques that use animal tissue but avoid the complications associated with animal-to-human transplantations.
Stone has consulted publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek as a medical expert; he has contributed to TV programs such as ESPN's "Treating Athletes in the New Millennium" and The Discovery Channel.
"We can re-grow these surfaces biologically. Why isn't that good enough? There's not enough donor cycles. ... The solution is animal tissue."
Kevin Stone
http://www.stoneclinic.com/
Arthritis and injury grind down millions of joints, but few get the best remedy -- real biological tissue. Kevin Stone shows a treatment that could sidestep the high costs and donor shortfall of human-to-human transplants with a novel use of animal tissue.
Kevin Stone's clinic treats joint injury using the latest in bio-medicine: reconstructing damaged tissue, even replacing whole joint parts, with lab-grown cartilage and ligament.
Why you should listen to him:
Orthopedic surgeon Kevin Stone knows mobility means more than just where you go -- it's the foundation for a fulfilling daily life. (True whether you're an athlete or not.) His Stone Clinic specializes in "biologic knee replacement": replacing damaged joint parts, not with artificial components, but with lab-grown tissue and parts from human donors. He and team are spearheading new techniques that use animal tissue but avoid the complications associated with animal-to-human transplantations.
Stone has consulted publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek as a medical expert; he has contributed to TV programs such as ESPN's "Treating Athletes in the New Millennium" and The Discovery Channel.
"We can re-grow these surfaces biologically. Why isn't that good enough? There's not enough donor cycles. ... The solution is animal tissue."
Kevin Stone
http://www.stoneclinic.com/
Sunday, November 28, 2010
'Wild Nights! Wild Nights!' by Emily Dickinson 1830-1886, written in 1868
Wild Nights! Wild Nights!
Were I with thee,
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile the winds
To a heart in port, —
Done with the compass,
Done with the chart!
Rowing in Eden!
Ah! the sea!
Were I with thee,
Wild Nights should be
Our luxury!
Futile the winds
To a heart in port, —
Done with the compass,
Done with the chart!
Rowing in Eden!
Ah! the sea!
Might I but moor
To-night in Thee!Friday, November 26, 2010
SIFU SHI YAN MING TEACHING
During a seminar in Amsterdam, Sifu taught the basics of Ch'an (Zen) philosophy together with Tai Chi Chuan, Gong Fu and Chi Gung. Ch'an philosophy and the martial arts the Buddhist Shaolin monks practise are inseperable. This is just a small part of the teachings from that day.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun (Dick Cavett Show - 1969)
Video with Jimi Hendrix and his band playin' "Machine Gun" in 1969, at Dick Cavett's Show. Enjo
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
CHEN VILLAGE Trailer. Empty MInd Films
Our upcoming new release in July is CHEN VILLAGE, a story that revolves around life in Chen Village, China and Chen Family Tai Chi. There are 3,000 residents in Chen Village (Chenjiagou) and 2,500 practice Tai Chi Chuan on a daily basis. Almost ninety percent of the residents bear the Chen surname.
In this feature length film we explore the growing number of Tai Chi Chuan followers from abroad that descend upon the village and how the Chen style and the generations of the Chen family have survived China's turbulent history to make Chen style popular all over the world. A fact mainly attributed to 19th generation grand master Chen Xiaowang.
It is a fascinating look into rural village life and Chen Village's claim to fame as the birthplace of Tai Chi Chuan.
In this feature length film we explore the growing number of Tai Chi Chuan followers from abroad that descend upon the village and how the Chen style and the generations of the Chen family have survived China's turbulent history to make Chen style popular all over the world. A fact mainly attributed to 19th generation grand master Chen Xiaowang.
It is a fascinating look into rural village life and Chen Village's claim to fame as the birthplace of Tai Chi Chuan.
The Empty Mind - Wudang Mountain Tai Chi
A clip of our journey to the peaks of Wudang Mountain in China and to the Purple Cloud temple. It is 6.30am and Priest Yuen is starting his day with TaiChi while his students assemble for morning exercise. We removed voiceovers and narrative, so you can sit back and enjoy the really nice soundtrack. Jon Braeley producer of EmptyMind Films.
Tai Chi ~ Chen Manching's Yang Form
The most popular Tai Chi form, Beijing standardised (simplified) 24 Forms. The performance is by Angela Hsu Cantafio, a gold and silver medal national and international champion. The form is demonstrated in side view. Angela's masterful play of Tai Chi is filmed in Sydney, Australia. Camera and editing by Dan Stefan, 2008.
Zhang Gwang Ping teaches tai chi in Beijing. Here she performs the Chen Style 48 competition form. www.freedomfightingarts.com
Visit: http://taichi-power.blogspot.com/
This blog discuss on History of Tai Chi, Tai Chi As Fighting Art, Health exercise, Qi Gong, Chen Style , Yang Style, Wu style, Free Style and everything Chinese including medicine
Visit: http://taichi-power.blogspot.com/
This blog discuss on History of Tai Chi, Tai Chi As Fighting Art, Health exercise, Qi Gong, Chen Style , Yang Style, Wu style, Free Style and everything Chinese including medicine
This video is full of spiraling eye candy with some sayings mixed in. The background music is a recording of Alan Watts speaking about the relationship between life and music as an introduction to some pretty Oriental Flute Music.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Crocodile
Seeing this picture made me think I'd name something croc and crane holdings or some similar name. Looking up the name produced a similar title on this book.
Practitioners of a secret healing art that bestows immortality and more, Sanfeng and Zetian are brother and sister and have lived together in China for more than 3000 years.
Now, in the near future of 2009, they face an enemy they recognize from their childhood, a terrifying disease that left them orphaned and alone in the world. The disease kills quickly and without mercy—victims die grimacing grotesquely—and as it spreads, it brings the siblings to the edge of apocalypse and pits them against each other in a battle for the world.
They are joined in their global struggle by a famous American selfhelp guru, a naïve but smart young publishing executive, a bitter Australian cop, and a beautiful Indonesian nurse with a secret the whole world wants to steal from her.
This thrilling race against time offers a smorgasbord of Chinese history, an epic love story, and the trenchant tale of one very special, intimate, and gifted family. It is a warning against the pitfalls and perils of the modern world, and a clarion call to heed the wisdom of the ancients in new and ever more relevant ways—before it is too late.
Reviews:
Virginia Gazette
January 19, 2008
By Frank Shatz
[ also appeared in the Lake Placid News ]
Arthur Rosenfeld has done it again! He is an acclaimed novelist and a martial arts master. Combining his writing talent with his deep knowledge of Asian culture, history and philosophy, and drawing from his experience of practicing martial arts for decades, he has introduced a new category: Martial Arts Fiction, into the American literary scene.
His first book in this category "The Cutting Season" was published last year and reviewed by the Gazette. It has been followed up by "The Crocodile and The Crane".
“In this second book, I have explored 3,000 years of Chinese history, along with cutting-edge medical technology,” Rosenfeld said in an interview. “I did the same in the first book, but in a more simple and intimate package. The scope of this story – with its cast of characters, complexity, and message, demands a broader canvas and more intricate plotting.”
According to YMAA Publication Center, the publisher of both books, Rosenfeld managed to transplant an ancient, hugely popular, and authentic literary category into an American setting. Along with a thrilling story, his books also convey insights into genuine martial techniques and philosophies.
“In China, martial arts fiction is mainstream literature and does not suffer from the predictable constraints that crime fiction demands. The best in this category is the best of Chinese writing, offering philosophy, history, and action supported by trenchant themes and glorious prose,” Rosenfeld said.
In his latest thriller, Rosenfeld reaches back into ancient Chinese history and describes the fate of Gao the blacksmith, “who learned the secret of immortality through a special form of meditation.”
Gao passed on his secret to his two children. But he died at the hand of a high priest, being accused of bringing a terrible plague on the residents of a remote valley in China.
His two offspring escaped, carrying with them their father’s secret’s, and lived together in China for more than 3,000 years.. Now, in 2009, Gao’s son, Sanfeng, and his avaricious sister, Zetian, are discovering that the same deadly plague has returned, spreading around the world.
Sanfeng wants to save mankind, while his sister sees the plague as an opportunity to dominate the world. Rosenfeld introduces into the plot a famous American self-help guru Dalton Day, who has uncovered Gao’s secret and is determined to stop the plague.
The book revolves around the theme of finding a miracle cure to the plague that threatens the world with apocalypse.
“The martial arts have always been a path to enlightenment as well as practical study,” Rosenfeld said. “The best practitioners of this art, the masters, are the sages of our age, demonstrating an understanding of the way the world works, and the role of human being in it, that utterly transcend the ordinary.”
A recent episode, which received national TV exposure, seems to have demonstrated the practical application of what Rosenfeld learned from his master.
A man pulled up behind Rosenfeld at the Starbuck’s drive-through in Pompano Beach, Fla. Annoyed by waiting, in line, the driver started honking and yelling at him.
Rosenfeld, the master of martial arts, could have silenced the man with a chop of his hand. Instead, he paid for the man’s coffee. It started a chain reaction, and all day long, the person in the car ahead, paid for the coffee of the customer who followed him.
“It wasn’t an idea to pay anything forward, nor was it even a random act of kindness,” said Rosenfeld in a TV interview. “It was a change of consciousness. To take this negative and turn it into something positive.”
Responding to my question whether his martial arts fiction is a vehicle for entertainment or a teaching tool, Rosenfeld explained that he sees himself as a conduit for the wisdom of the ancient Daoists. “They had a very particular way of looking at things. They emphasized balance, harmony, and respect as well as sensitivity to nature.
“My role in society is to share this worldview in teaching and writing,” he said. “The novels offer what I hope are great characters and fun-stories, along with a philosophy that has the power to change the lives of others, as it had changed my own.”
According to a recent report in the Washington Post, the heirs of China’s New Elite are increasingly being schooled in ancient values of China. A professor from Zheijang University is quoted saying, “In China, if you are only rich, people will not respect you… You have to have a soul.”
It is a concept that seems to be the centerpiece of Rosenfeld’s new novels, his lectures and his teachings in martial arts classes. As I have suggested, when reviewing his first martial arts novel, "The Cutting Season", a reading by Rosenfeld, in the framework of William & Mary’s Patrick Hayes Writer’s Festival, would provide students with an opportunity to look at life from a different angle.
Frank Shatz lives in Williamsburg, Va. and Lake Placid. His column was reprinted with permission from The Virginia Gazette.
Sun Sentinel
November 19, 2007
Chauncey Mabe
Books Editor
Can the world be saved by tai chi?
Oh, come on. Don't roll your eyes. While that may be the premise of Arthur Rosenfeld's "The Crocodile and the Crane", you don't have to be a martial artist or an acolyte of Eastern philosophy to enjoy this novel's genre-bending mix of apocalyptic entertainments.
That's because "The Crocodile and the Crane" is as much sci-fi as it is mystical fantasy. It calls to mind nothing so much as Damon Knight's sadly underappreciated Why Do Birds, although with more narrative drive and less lofty literary ambitions than that 1992 end-of-the-world thriller.
Rosenfeld centers his story on Gao Sanfeng and Gao Zetian, brother and sister, who have found immortality through the practice of a secret form of qigong, a variety of tai chi, devised by their parents. More than 3,000 years ago, when they were still children, they watched as their father was sacrificed by the residents of Benpo, an overcrowded valley, where people were starting to die of a strange illness that dissolved their tissues and left their faces fixed in a grinning rictus.
In the present day, Sanfeng and Zetian, magnates of a multinational corporation based in Hong Kong, are rich beyond measure, although immortality has affected each of them in very different ways.
Sanfeng remains, behind the mask of wealth, a humble seeker of truth, while Zetian has embraced the allure of power and sexuality her unnatural vitality puts within reach. Yet they remain bound by their love for each other, their shared qigong practice, and their pledge to their long-dead father not to show it to anyone else.
Meanwhile, a new plague breaks out in Jakarta, its first victim the beloved young son of a beautiful single-mom nurse named Leili Musi. Soon all of Indonesia is in the grip of the illness, which dissolves tissues and contorts the faces of its victims into a gruesome grin. When word of the disease reaches Hong Kong, Sanfeng and Zetian recognize it immediately — the "Banpo Smile" has returned, as they always knew it would.
Leili, the only survivor in Indonesia, assists a French researcher who figures out the cause of the plague just before he, too, succumbs.
It's not, as everyone else believes, a virus or germ or other pathogen, but instead the result of genetically programmed cell death, similar to the process by which people are programmed to age and die. The Banpo Smile is a Darwinian form of population control, designed to turn on when humanity reaches a tipping point of physical crowdedness and general degeneracy.
Soon outbreaks pop up in random parts of the world, and the human race stands on the brink of extinction.
Sanfeng and Zetian, of course, have a cure in the secret qigong practice that has protected them for millennia, but only one wishes to share it with what remains of humanity, selecting an American self-help author named Dalton Day as spokesman. The other, desiring only personal power, fights to keep the secret from the world.
Day, an expert on traditional Chinese philosophy traveling in Hong Kong on a book tour, is drawn into the cosmic drama as a sort of sorcerer's apprentice.
Rosenfeld mingles all these elements into a thriller of uncommon inventiveness.
He balances mysticism with just the right amount of science; comic-book-style action and intrigue with a countervailing degree of character development and personal story; big ideas with just the right dollop of pulpy narrative energy. Through it all runs a deep appreciation of martial arts and Chinese lore, as well a keen knowledge of the changes wrought in China by industrialization and a modern consumerist economy.
Rosenfeld's mastery of his story is so thorough that when a small group of people on a remote island begin to learn the qigong movements for the first time, even the most committed sluggard, accustomed to stretching no further than the potato chip bowl, may find a lump in his throat.
In the hands of the right filmmaker, "The Crocodile and the Crane" could be a terrific movie.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Galileo Galilei
56:24 - 1 year ago
In this two-hour special called "Galileo's Battle for the Heavens", Nova celebrates the story of the father of modern science and his struggle to get Church authorities to accept the truth of his astonishing discoveries. The program is based on Dava Sobel's bestselling book, Galileo's Daughter, which reveals a new side to the famously stubborn scientist-that his closest confidante was his illegitimate daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, a cloistered nun.
Living Forever: The Longevity Revolution 52:24 - 2 years ago
Immortality. Life Extension. The Fountain of Youth. Real science or simply wishful thinking? Is it hope or is it hype? Scientists from around the world are racing to answer one of humanity's chief questions: can we turn back the human clock? Hitch a ride on this controversial roller-coaster with charismatic gerontologist Michael Rose as he leads us to where the cutting-edge science in life extension is happening: biotechnology, genetic research, therapeutic cloning and stem-cell research – fields which have moved to the outer reaches of our wildest imagination. In Living Forever we also meet the “believers” among us: the colourful characters who refuse to succumb to the grim reaper. And let's not forget the specialists who predict whether their clients have what it takes to live past 100. Just to be clear, Living Forever is not a documentary about 60-year-olds who want to look like young and sexy 25-year-olds. This is a film about stopping, slowing down – even reversing – human aging. It is about the modern quest to create a longer, healthier old age, or – the Holy Grail – eliminating old age altogether. So, what happens if humans are able to live for another 100 or 500 years? Should we create a race of immortals, just because we have the know-how? At what evolutionary cost? What about the ethical issues? Given humanity's trajectory thus far, it's likely that most people will say ethics be damned: let The Longevity Revolution begin.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Universe: Secrets of the Sun
44:07 - 1 year ago
This series takes a fascinating new look at a very old universe. Fifty years after man first ventured into outer space, we examine the greatest secrets of the heavens. Each episode outlines how humans have explored the universe, and scrutinises the discoveries they have made. We look at hi-tech space telescopes which record the violent birth of stars, robotic rovers which glimpse the red surface of Mars, and sophisticated NASA probes which delve into the mysterious make-up of comets. As the earth churns ominously with the effects of global warming, this is a revealing and prescient journey into the heavens. From the planets to the stars and out to the edge of the unknown, history and science collide in this epic exploration of the Universe and its mysteries. In ‘Secrets of the Sun’, we explore the myriad mysteries which lie beneath the fiery surface of the sun. Our sun is a fireball in the sky - a bubbling, boiling, kinetic sphere of white hot plasma, exploding and erupting. Its size is almost unimaginable: one million Earths would fit within its boundaries. In this violence is born almost all the energy that makes existence on Earth possible. Yet its full mysteries are only now beginning to be understood. From sun spots to solar eclipses, solar flares to solar storms, the birth of the sun to its potential death, discover the science and history behind this celestial object that makes life on Earth possible.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Nature of Genius: Beethoven and the Sonata Form
Cecil Lytle, Professor of Music and Provost, explores Beethoven's use of the sonata - his development and early influences. He also performs Beethoven's first sonata for piano. [1/1997] [Humanities] [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 1297 ]
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Dragon Lore and Sculpture by B.C. Artist
http://www.metalanimation.com/newDragon.php
Chinese Imperial Water Dragon - Mythology
In Chinese mythology there are five types of dragon:-
- 1. Those guarding the gods and emperors
- 2. Those controlling the wind and rain
- 3. Earthly dragons which deepened the rivers and seas
- 4. Guardians of hidden treasure
- 5. The first dragon
The First dragon appeared to the mythical emperor Fu-hsi, and filled the hole in the sky made by the monster Kung Kung. Its waking, sleeping and breathing determined day and night. Season and weather.
There are many differences between the classical dragon and the Chinese dragon, these include the ability to fly even without wings, shape-shifting abilities, and of course the general benevolent behaviour to the populace.
The Chinese dragon is made up of nine entities. The head of camel, the eyes of a demon, the ears of a cow, the horns of a stag, the neck & body of a snake, It's claws that of an eagle, while the soles of his feet are that of a tiger, and the scales that cover it's body are that of a carp.
The Chinese dragon has four claws as standard, but the Imperial dragon has five, this is to identify it above the lesser classes. Anyone other than the emperor using the 5 claw motif was put to death.
The Chinese dragon (Lung) was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good of the people. Throughout Chinese history the dragon has been equated with weather. It is said that some of the worst floodings were caused when a mortal has upset a dragon. The dragon was also a symbol of the emperor whose wisdom and divine power assured the well-being of his subjects. Many legends draw connections between the dragon and the emperor. Some emperors claimed to have descended from the dragon.
Chinese dragons of myth could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a silkworm. They could also change color and disappear in a flash. They rise to the skies in the spring and plunge into the waters in the autumn.
Ancient China Dragon occupies a very important position in Chinese mythology. It shows up in arts, literature, poetry, architecture, songs, and many aspects of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but certainly pre-dates the written history.
There are many differences between the classical dragon and the Chinese dragon, these include the ability to fly even without wings, shape-shifting abilities, and of course the general benevolent behaviour to the populace.
The Chinese dragon is made up of nine entities. The head of camel, the eyes of a demon, the ears of a cow, the horns of a stag, the neck & body of a snake, It's claws that of an eagle, while the soles of his feet are that of a tiger, and the scales that cover it's body are that of a carp.
The Chinese dragon has four claws as standard, but the Imperial dragon has five, this is to identify it above the lesser classes. Anyone other than the emperor using the 5 claw motif was put to death.
The Chinese dragon (Lung) was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good of the people. Throughout Chinese history the dragon has been equated with weather. It is said that some of the worst floodings were caused when a mortal has upset a dragon. The dragon was also a symbol of the emperor whose wisdom and divine power assured the well-being of his subjects. Many legends draw connections between the dragon and the emperor. Some emperors claimed to have descended from the dragon.
Chinese dragons of myth could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a silkworm. They could also change color and disappear in a flash. They rise to the skies in the spring and plunge into the waters in the autumn.
Ancient China Dragon occupies a very important position in Chinese mythology. It shows up in arts, literature, poetry, architecture, songs, and many aspects of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but certainly pre-dates the written history.
Dragons
http://www.metalanimation.com/newDragon.php
Chinese Imperial Water Dragon - Mythology
In Chinese mythology there are five types of dragon:-
- 1. Those guarding the gods and emperors
- 2. Those controlling the wind and rain
- 3. Earthly dragons which deepened the rivers and seas
- 4. Guardians of hidden treasure
- 5. The first dragon
The First dragon appeared to the mythical emperor Fu-hsi, and filled the hole in the sky made by the monster Kung Kung. Its waking, sleeping and breathing determined day and night. Season and weather.
There are many differences between the classical dragon and the Chinese dragon, these include the ability to fly even without wings, shape-shifting abilities, and of course the general benevolent behaviour to the populace.
The Chinese dragon is made up of nine entities. The head of camel, the eyes of a demon, the ears of a cow, the horns of a stag, the neck & body of a snake, It's claws that of an eagle, while the soles of his feet are that of a tiger, and the scales that cover it's body are that of a carp.
The Chinese dragon has four claws as standard, but the Imperial dragon has five, this is to identify it above the lesser classes. Anyone other than the emperor using the 5 claw motif was put to death.
The Chinese dragon (Lung) was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good of the people. Throughout Chinese history the dragon has been equated with weather. It is said that some of the worst floodings were caused when a mortal has upset a dragon. The dragon was also a symbol of the emperor whose wisdom and divine power assured the well-being of his subjects. Many legends draw connections between the dragon and the emperor. Some emperors claimed to have descended from the dragon.
Chinese dragons of myth could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a silkworm. They could also change color and disappear in a flash. They rise to the skies in the spring and plunge into the waters in the autumn.
Ancient China Dragon occupies a very important position in Chinese mythology. It shows up in arts, literature, poetry, architecture, songs, and many aspects of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but certainly pre-dates the written history.
There are many differences between the classical dragon and the Chinese dragon, these include the ability to fly even without wings, shape-shifting abilities, and of course the general benevolent behaviour to the populace.
The Chinese dragon is made up of nine entities. The head of camel, the eyes of a demon, the ears of a cow, the horns of a stag, the neck & body of a snake, It's claws that of an eagle, while the soles of his feet are that of a tiger, and the scales that cover it's body are that of a carp.
The Chinese dragon has four claws as standard, but the Imperial dragon has five, this is to identify it above the lesser classes. Anyone other than the emperor using the 5 claw motif was put to death.
The Chinese dragon (Lung) was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good of the people. Throughout Chinese history the dragon has been equated with weather. It is said that some of the worst floodings were caused when a mortal has upset a dragon. The dragon was also a symbol of the emperor whose wisdom and divine power assured the well-being of his subjects. Many legends draw connections between the dragon and the emperor. Some emperors claimed to have descended from the dragon.
Chinese dragons of myth could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a silkworm. They could also change color and disappear in a flash. They rise to the skies in the spring and plunge into the waters in the autumn.
Ancient China Dragon occupies a very important position in Chinese mythology. It shows up in arts, literature, poetry, architecture, songs, and many aspects of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but certainly pre-dates the written history.
Beautiful.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Third part of King Henry VI. King Richard III. King ... By William Shakespeare
"Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,
But sad mortality o'ersways their power,
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea
Whose action is no stronger than a flower?
O how shall honey's summer breath hold out
Against the wrackful siege of of batt'ring days,
When rocks impregnable are not so stout,
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?
O fearful meditation! where, alack,
Shalls Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back,
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?
O none, unless this miracle have might,
That in black ink my love may still shine bright."
- Wm. Shakespeare
But sad mortality o'ersways their power,
How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea
Whose action is no stronger than a flower?
O how shall honey's summer breath hold out
Against the wrackful siege of of batt'ring days,
When rocks impregnable are not so stout,
Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?
O fearful meditation! where, alack,
Shalls Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid?
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back,
Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?
O none, unless this miracle have might,
That in black ink my love may still shine bright."
- Wm. Shakespeare
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Blues man
Blues Music
- Mahalia Jackson, the great gospel diva, once said, "Anybody that sings the blues is in a deep pit, yelling for help
- Mahalia Jackson, the great gospel diva, once said, "Anybody that sings the blues is in a deep pit, yelling for help
Friday, September 17, 2010
Kendo
Finding Buddhism Everywhere: The Concept and Purpose of Kendo
To mold the mind and body.
To cultivate a vigorous spirit,
And through correct and rigid training,
To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo.
To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor.
To associate with others with sincerity.
And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
Thus will one be able:
To love ones country and society;
To contribute to the development of culture;
And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
To mold the mind and body.
To cultivate a vigorous spirit,
And through correct and rigid training,
To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo.
To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor.
To associate with others with sincerity.
And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
Thus will one be able:
To love ones country and society;
To contribute to the development of culture;
And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Life after all is beautiful.
“Life is meditation.
Whatever you do with love is meditation.”
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Meditation Instruction
How to Meditate
The following is from the first chapter of Alan Wallace's Genuine Happiness, and is a very good introduction to basic mindfulness of breathing meditation:
Relaxation
There are two postures I would recommend for this practice: sitting or lying down.
Generally, the optimal and most widely recommended posture is sitting cross-legged on a cushion. If this is too uncomfortable, you may sit in a chair, with both feet resting on the ground. But another, less commonly used posture is lying down on the back, with your arms outstretched to your sides, palms up, and your head resting on a pillow. This is especially useful if you have a back problem or if you are physically tired or ill.
Whatever posture you adopt, let your body rest at ease, with your spine straight but not rigid. Relax your shoulders, with your arms loosely dropping to your sides.
Allow gravity to take over. Now bring your awareness to your face. It’s best if your eyes are hooded, not completely shut.
Soften the muscles of your face, specifically the jaw, temples, and forehead. Soften your eyes. Let your face be as relaxed as that of a sleeping baby.
Then complete this initial relaxation process by taking three slow, deep, gentle
breaths through the nostrils. As you inhale, breathe smoothly and deeply down to the bottom of your abdomen.
Like filling a pot with water, feel your abdomen slowly fill and expand, then breathe into your diaphragm, and finally into the upper chest. Then release the breath fully, without forcing it out. Do this three times, keeping your awareness present in the body, especially noting the sensations of the in- and out-breaths. Following these deep breaths, return to normal, unregulated respiration.
Let this quality of bodily relaxation be an outer expression of your mind: let your awareness be at ease, releasing all your cares; simply be present in the here and now.
As you breathe in and out, direct your attention to the tactile sensations of the passage of the breath at the apertures of your nostrils or above your upper lip. Take a moment to locate the sensation. Rest your attention right where you feel the incoming and outgoing breaths. Once in a while, check to see that you are still breathing down into the abdomen. This will happen naturally if your body is settled, with your back straight and your belly relaxed and soft.
Stillness
Throughout each meditation session, let your body be as still as possible, with a minimum of fidgeting; remain motionless as a mountain. This helps to bring about the same quality in the mind: one of stillness, where your attention is focused and continuous.
Vigilance
Even if you are lying down, let your posture reflect a sense of vigilance, not just collapsing into drowsiness. If you are sitting up, either on a cushion or in a chair, slightly raise your sternum, while keeping the belly soft and relaxed. In this way, you will naturally breathe into your abdomen first, and when the respiration deepens you may feel your diaphragm and chest expanding as well. Sit at attention, without slouching forward or tilting to either side. This physical posture also reinforces this same quality of vigilance mentally.
Mindfulness of Breathing
Maintaining focused attention is vital for virtually everything we do throughout the day, including working, driving, relating to others, enjoying times of recreation and entertainment, and engaging in spiritual practice. Therefore, the theme for this session is learning to focus the attention. Whatever your normal level of attention—whether you are usually scattered or composed— the quality of your attention can be improved, and this brings with it extraordinary benefits. In this practice, we shift from a compulsively conceptual, fragmented mode of awareness to one of deeper simplicity, moving into a witnessing or observing mode.
In addition to honing the attention, this meditation will enhance your health, tune your nervous system, allow you to sleep better, and improve your emotional balance. This is a different way of applying our minds, and it improves with practice. The specific method we will follow is the cultivation of mindfulness of breathing.
Due to habit, thoughts are bound to intrude. When they come, just release them as you exhale, without identifying with them, without emotionally responding to them. Watch the thought emerge, pass before you, and then fade away. Then rest your attention in the sense of repose, not dull and sluggish, but at ease.
For the time being, if all you can accomplish in one ghatika, or twenty-four minutes, is to bring forth a sense of mental relaxation, that’s great. Maintain your attention right where you feel the sensations of the in- and out-breaths.
Maintain mindfulness of your breathing as continuously as you can. The term mindfulness in this context refers to the faculty of focusing continuously upon a familiar, chosen object without distraction. In Tibetan and Sanskrit, the word translated as mindfulness also means remembering. So the cultivation of mindfulness means maintaining an unbroken flow of remembering, remembering, remembering. It doesn’t involve any internal commentary. You are simply remembering to attend to the stream of tactile sensations of the in- and out-breaths. The quality of awareness you are cultivating here is a kind of bare attention, a simple witnessing, with no mental analysis or conceptual elaboration. In addition to sustaining mindfulness, it’s crucial to apply introspection intermittently throughout the session. This does not mean thinking about yourself. Rather, it is the internal monitoring of your mental state. By means of introspection, looking within, you can determine whether your attention has disengaged from the breath and has wandered off to sounds, other sensations in your body, or vagrant thoughts, memories, or anticipations of the future. Introspection entails quality control, monitoring the processes of both the mind and the body. From time to time, see if any tension has built up around your eyes or forehead. If so, release it. Let your face soften and relax. Then spend a few minutes seeing if you can divide your attention while remaining at ease. Be mindful of your breath, but also be aware of how your mind is operating.
Let me emphasize that this is not a concentration technique in the Western sense. We are not bearing down with tight, focused effort. It is essential to maintain a physical and mental sense of relaxation, and on that basis we gradually enhance the stability and then the vividness of attention. This entails a spacious quality of awareness, and within that spaciousness, a sense of openness and ease; mindfulness comes to rest on the breath, like a hand laid gently on a child’s head. As the vividness of attention increases, you will notice sensations even between breaths. As the turbulence of the mind subsides, you will find that you can simply attend to the tactile sensations of the breath, rather than your thoughts about it.
I’ll now introduce a technique you may find useful on occasion, a simple device of counting that, done with precision, may bring greater stability and continuity to your attention. Once again, with a luxurious sense of being at ease and giving your overworked and overwrought conceptual mind a rest, place your attention on the tactile sensations of the breath. After exhaling, just as the next in-breath begins, mentally count “one.” Maintaining an erect posture, with the chest raised so the breath flows back in effortlessly, breathe in and follow the tactile sensations of the breath, letting your conceptual mind rest. Then experience the wonderful sense of refreshment as the breath is released, all the way out, until reaching the next turnaround point. Cultivate a “Teflon mind”—a mind to which nothing sticks, that doesn’t cling to thoughts about the present, past, or future. In this manner, count from one to ten. You may then repeat counting to ten, or continue counting up from ten to higher numbers. This is a practice of simplifying rather than suppressing your discursive mind. You are reducing mental activity to just counting, taking a holiday from compulsive thinking throughout the entire cycle of the breath. Practice for several minutes before ending this session.
To bring any worthy endeavor to a close in a meaningful fashion, Buddhists dedicate merit. Something has been drawn together in our hearts and minds by applying ourselves to this wholesome activity. After completing a meditation session, you may want to dwell for a minute or so to dedicate the merit of your practice, that it may lead to the fulfillment of whatever you find to be most meaningful for yourself and for others. With intention and attention, that goodness can be directed wherever we wish.
Alice Coltrane
“The music is within your heart, your soul, your spirit. It's not really in some intellectual realm in your brain. And this is all I do when I sit at the piano, I just go within.”
– Turiyasangitananda
Monday, August 30, 2010
Toward the First Revolution in the Mind Sciences
August 8, 2006
B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D. has been a scholar and practitioner of Buddhism since 1970. He is currently seeking ways to integrate Buddhist contemplative practices and Western science to advance the study of the mind. He is the founder and president of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies ( http://sbinstitute.com ).
ABSTRACT
Galileo took a seminal role in launching the first revolution in the physical sciences, and a key element in this revolution was the rigorous, sophisticated observation of physical phenomena. Darwin likewise launched a revolution in the life sciences on the basis of decades of meticulous observation of biological phenomena. Although...
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Vegan Philosophy
"Veganism may be defined as a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, the animal kingdom for food, clothing, or any other purpose. In dietary terms it refers to the practice of dispensing with all animal produce - including flesh, fish, fowl, eggs, (non-human) animal milks, and their derivatives, with the taking of honey being left to individual conscience."
( THE VEGAN; Winter 1985 )
( THE VEGAN; Winter 1985 )
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Sparrow
Swallows.
Here a female mate is injured and the condition is soon fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.![[]](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=bbb7f69f6d&view=att&th=129e0ce75912f6d7&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw)
Here he brought her food and attended to her withlove and compassion.He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead.He tried to move her ... a rarely-seen effort for swallows!Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will nevercome back to him again, He cries with adoring love.He stood beside her, saddened of her death.Finally aware she would never return to him,he stood beside her bodywith sadness and sorrow.Millions of people cried after seeing these photosin America, Europe, Australia, and even India .The photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to the most famous newspaper in France .All copies of that edition were sold out on the daythese pictures were published.And many people think animals don't havebrains or feelings?You have just witnessed Love and Sorrowfelt by God's creatures.The Bible says God knows when a sparrow falls. How much more He cares for us
Priorities need to be established and focused on to accomplish your goals.
PAY:
Prioritize your
Activities by
Yield
The mind wanders. Direct it.
"It's not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with the sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause and who, at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
(Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919, 26th US President and 1906 Nobel Peace Prize-winner.)
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