#visual koan

[inkbrushmood]

IKB WIND: Swim Against The Current (2024)

[kolajmag]

THIS WEEK AT KOLAJ MAGAZINE

Collage the Planet, K Is for Koan, Finding One's Voice and Dharma

CALL TO ARTISTS Collage the Planet: Environmentalism in Art Artist Residency Early Deadline: Wednesday, 28 February 2024

CALL TO ARTISTS Curating Collage Workshop 2024 Deadline: Sunday, 18 February 2024

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS PoetryXCollage Deadline: Open

COLLAGE ON VIEW K is for Koan, T is for Tone Erika Schmidt at Studio Place Arts in Barre, Vermont, USA

FROM THE ARTIST DIRECTORY Closer to Finding My Own Voice Kira Evans | Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

FROM THE ARTIST DIRECTORY Dharma Art Fabio Borges | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

COLLAGE ON VIEW Collaging The Betsy Paul Loughney at The Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Read the full update

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Kolaj Magazine, a full color, print magazine, exists to show how the world of collage is rich, layered, and thick with complexity. By remixing history and culture, collage artists forge new thinking. To understand collage is to reshape one's thinking of art history and redefine the canon of visual culture that informs the present.

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[mahayanapilgrim]

An Exploration of Major Buddhist Traditions: Understanding the Diverse Paths to Enlightenment

Buddhism, founded over 2,500 years ago by Siddhartha Gautama, has evolved into various traditions, each with unique perspectives on the path to enlightenment. Here, we delve into the distinct characteristics of some major Buddhist schools:

1. Theravada Buddhism: The Way of the Elders

Theravada, often regarded as the oldest form of Buddhism, traces its roots to the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. This tradition emphasizes individual enlightenment through the Noble Eightfold Path, moral conduct, and meditation. The Pali Canon serves as its primary religious text, outlining the guidelines for monastic life and the pursuit of Nirvana.

2. Mahayana Buddhism: The Great Vehicle

Mahayana, emerging in the early centuries CE, expands the scope of Buddhist teachings. It emphasizes compassion and the Bodhisattva ideal—the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Followers engage in altruistic practices, striving to alleviate suffering on a universal scale. The Mahayana canon includes texts like the Lotus Sutra and the Heart Sutra.

3. Vajrayana Buddhism: The Diamond Vehicle

Originating in Tibet, Vajrayana is an esoteric extension of Mahayana. It incorporates tantric practices, employing rituals, mantras, and visualization techniques for swift enlightenment. Vajrayana practitioners believe in the transformative power of these practices to achieve a direct realization of the nature of reality. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a notable text within this tradition.

4. Zen Buddhism: The Art of Meditation

Zen, derived from the Chinese Chan tradition, places a strong emphasis on direct experience and meditation. It seeks to transcend intellectual understanding and attain enlightenment through experiential realization. Koans, enigmatic statements or questions, are used to provoke deep contemplation. The simplicity and directness of Zen teachings have made it influential in various cultures.

5. Pure Land Buddhism: Seeking Enlightenment through Devotion

Pure Land Buddhism, rooted in Mahayana, centers around devotion to Amitabha Buddha. Practitioners aim to be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land, a celestial realm, through sincere devotion and chanting Amitabha's name. This tradition offers a straightforward and accessible path to enlightenment, emphasizing faith and devotion.

6. Nichiren Buddhism: Chanting for Enlightenment

Founded by Nichiren in 13th-century Japan, this tradition revolves around the Lotus Sutra. Followers engage in the repeated chanting of the mantra "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" as a means to attain enlightenment. Nichiren Buddhism also encourages social engagement and activism as a means of contributing to a harmonious society.

7. Secular Buddhism: A Practical Approach to Mindfulness

In contemporary times, Secular Buddhism has emerged as a response to the need for a non-religious, practical approach. Stripping away supernatural elements, it focuses on mindfulness, ethics, and psychological well-being. This adaptive form of Buddhism caters to individuals seeking a practical application of Buddhist principles in their daily lives.

In conclusion, the diversity of Buddhist traditions reflects the rich tapestry of human interpretations of the path to enlightenment. Whether one resonates with the rigorous individual pursuit in Theravada, the compassionate Bodhisattva ideal in Mahayana, or the transformative practices of Vajrayana, Buddhism offers a spectrum of paths for seekers on their journey toward understanding and liberation from suffering.

[noxporium]

What Does The Deck Say? October 13, 2023

"While the 7 of Pentacles has been placed in the middle of the spread for the sake of visual balance, it was in fact the first card to be overturned for this reading. As such, it functions as the Stop Card and the divination has been brought to a halt. You’re on your own today. Whatever vice or virtue you choose to cultivate is left up to you."

The Bosch Tarot is a series of collages based on the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch. Using a unique set of meanings that doesn’t always aligns with Waite, it will sometimes read direct, and sometimes read like a koan. It is a good deck for introspection and examination of internal motives. The Bosch Tarot is presented by Atanas A. Atanassov and ©Lo Scarabeo.

“What Does The Deck Say” is a weekday series of 3 card pulls from a cartomancy deck. No context or query is given to frame what the cards say as the posts are reading samples and not personal instruction. The result is sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, and usually surprising. All readers are invited to leave a comment about what they perceive in the random spread as each person will interact with the cards in their own way.

Personalized, direct, and private cartomancy readings are available via Ko-Fi: Noxporium.

[dustedmagazine]

CIA Debutante — Down, Willow (Siltbreeze)

Photo by DIGARD Aurelien

CIA Debutante-Down, Willow LP by Siltbreeze Records

“Dark web…in the dark ages,” mutters Nathan Roche in voice like a tombstone, as a percolation of electronics corrodes in the background. The sound is immersive and disturbing, noises like factory equipment clashing with eerie Suicide-like beats. A dystopia emerges, but which dystopia? Are we trapped in some pre-Enlightenment dungeon, with dripping walls and iron chains and shadowy instruments of torture lurking in corners? Or are we in the wrong-turn environment of right this minute, where bitcoin billionaires arrange drug deals and assassinations in the blighted corners of a digital reality. “Dark Ages” slips queasily between these possibilities, as dread seethes and beats clatter and Fall-like rants morph into Current 93-ish apocalypse. It’s a creepy ride, but worth taking.

CIA Debutante has been at its unsettling craft for most of a decade, a duo of poet/guitarist Roche and the visual artist Paul Bonnet, who manages electronics and beats. Down, Willow is the group’s fourth full-length album, though there have been a slew of singles and EPs as well, and it has a startling dark clarity to it.

Consider, for instance, the two “Old Masters” tracks that bookend the disc. The opening salvo forms out of void-ish rush, a keyboard oscillating as Roche utters cryptic phrases. The lyrics are full of technological nouns, hard drives and floppy drives, files and replication, but also some archaic markets. “Old Masters” are at once antique oil paintings and neglected wav files, and the mystery resolves in a pun, as Roche mutters, “Truth be told, no one knows what mastering is.”

The second version comes at the very end of the recording, amid a rattle of metal, a foghorn moan of flickering tone. The lyrics are largely repeated—a horse carries old masters under threat of whip, but whether they are paintings or digital files is unclear—but the music is more agitated and dense. A sound like an old typewriter—or is it a glitch beat—clatters in the background, as space-age bloops of tone bloom and fade.

It’s a surreal movie in sense-surround, a VR-environment rusting at the edges, and you never know exactly where you are or what is happening. And yet it’s quite compelling on its own koan-like terms. Contradictions open passageways to strange alternate landscapes. A dove dies mid-ballet. An architect dreams a building. A cabinet minister awaits a clandestine meeting in a boiler room. It might be 1300 or 1800 or some futuristic ruin of now, and as in all the best nightmares, it’s all of them at once and none of them.

Jennifer Kelly

[alles-testen]

A Handpan Beginner Guide

The handpan is a beautiful, melodic percussion instrument known for its soothing, meditative sounds. Its UFO-like shape and harmonic resonance make it visually intriguing and musically captivating. Whether you’re drawn to its unique sound or look, this guide will help you take your first steps into handpan playing. Let’s dive into the fascinating world of the handpan.

What is a Handpan?

The handpan is a relatively new instrument, developed in the early 2000s. It’s made of steel and consists of a central note (called the “ding”) surrounded by several tone fields (typically 7 to 9) tuned to specific musical scales. When played, it produces rich, resonant tones that are both percussive and melodic. It got inspired by the steel drum. At the moment, the handpan world shifts more and more the material, from nitrided steel to ember steel or stainless steel.

Choosing Your First Handpan

Scale: Handpans are tuned to different scales, such as D minor, E major, or C# Kurd. A minor pentatonic scale is often recommended for beginners because of its versatility and soothing sound. If you start your journey, you will recognize soon, that the scale you will see most is the D Minor scale, which is often referred to as the D Kurd scale. Dealing with handpans means also dealing with many fantasy names for scales, which ultimately lead to classic minor or major scales in classic musical theory. It’s important to choose a scale that resonates with you emotionally and fits the type of music you want to play and whether you want to play on your own, or in a group.

Price: Handpans are hand-crafted and can be therefore expensive. Decent quality entry-level instruments typically start at $1000. Handpans below that price are not recommendable, if you already know, that you will play regularly, as most of them are very unstable, not or badly tuned and it is hard to get them returned. If you ant to test an instrument more or less risk-free (cause of the low price), test this one. I would not recommend this instrument to anyone who want to experience good quality, but start with something to learn the basics. However, higher-quality instruments usually have better tuning stability, tonal depth, and customer support. If you want to price stable instrument, try out the Opsilon Handpan. However, there are also instruments like Ayasa, that are way too expensive compared to the quality of competitors, but are very well-known, cause many famous players play their instruments.

Maker: Look for reputable handpan makers to ensure you’re getting a well-made instrument. Avoid cheap, mass-produced models, as they often lack proper tuning and resonance. Tere are many handpan crafters out there, so I will list you here five I would recommend.

Yishama

Tacta

Opsilon

Ayasa

KOAN

Getting Started: Basic Playing Techniques

1. Hand Position

Your hands are your main tools for playing the handpan. Use the pads of your fingers or the side of your thumb to strike the instrument gently. You don’t need to hit hard; a light touch will produce a beautiful sound. Keep your fingers relaxed and flexible. Think of your instrument as a hot potatoes, you don’t want to touch it for too long. It is recommended to try and find the right fingers for you to strike.

2. Finding the Notes

Each section of the handpan has a different pitch. Start by exploring the instrument, tapping the various tone fields with a relaxed hand to familiarize yourself with their sounds.

Ding (Central Note): The large note in the center is the ding. It’s typically the root note of the handpan’s scale.

Tone Fields: The smaller tone fields around the ding produce different pitches that correspond to the scale of the handpan.

Depending on where you hit the notes, the sound varies. Each tone field can resonate with multiple harmonics. These include the fundamental note, its octave, and the fifth. (This is for every note)

3. Playing Patterns

Once you get familiar with the notes, practice simple patterns:

Single Hits: Start by striking individual notes one at a time. Focus on getting a clean, resonant sound. Try to play slow and precise. Learn to hit every field precisely.

Alternating Hands: Try alternating between your left and right hands to create a simple rhythm. This will help you develop coordination. It is recommended to start as soon as possible to use both hands. This trains coordination and helps you later on if the melodies get more complex.

Simple Melodies: Combine different notes to create basic melodies. Start with just two or three notes before adding more complexity. Don’t try to rush too early, playing regularly is the key.

4. Using the Helmholtz Resonance

One of the unique features of the handpan is the Helmholtz resonance — a low, sustained sound produced by the hollow shape of the instrument. You can tap near the edges or even the bottom of the handpan to explore these resonant sounds. Especially at the beginning of your journey, it is good to know all the sounds you can create with your instrument. Even if some of the sounds you won’t need that often.

Beginner Exercises

The 1–2–1 Exercise: Choose two notes and alternate between them. Play the first note (1) with your dominant hand, the second note (2) with your other hand, and return to the first note. This helps build hand independence and rhythm.

The Circle Exercise: Play each note in a circular motion around the handpan. Start at the ding and move clockwise, playing each tone field in sequence. This helps you familiarize yourself with the layout of the instrument. And you learn the scale.

Rhythm Practice: Tap your foot or use a metronome to keep time, and practice hitting notes on the beat. This will help develop your sense of rhythm and timing.

The slap exercise 3–1–3–1: Use your finger right under the Ding, play right-left-right then with the left on the Ding, then right-left-right and then hit with the left hand any other note. Do this repeatedly and vary in speed.

Tuning into Your Creativity

The beauty of the handpan is its simplicity and the intuitive playing style. You don’t need to follow strict rules or be highly skilled to create something beautiful. The instrument invites improvisation and encourages exploration, which gives you early moments of success.

Improvisation: Let your hands move freely across the handpan without overthinking the notes. Create a connection between the sounds and your emotions.

Meditative Playing: The handpan is perfect for meditative, calming music. Find a quiet space and let the sound of the instrument guide you into a flow state.

Maintenance and Care

Keep it Clean: Depending on the material of your Handpan, there are some rules to follow. First of all, nitrided handpans are prone to rust, so wipe down your instrument with a microfiber cloth after each use to remove oils and moisture from your hands. I would recommend doing this with all handpans; even if the stainless will not rust, it is not very hygienic.

Regular Care Treatment: The most common variant to treat your handpan is with the use of oils, be it natural oils or special handpan oils. Both should be applied lightly every few months. Still there are concerns about oil altering the surface of the instrument, which is why there is an alternative, which is called TurtleCare, a ceramic coating, which is not absorbed by the material.

Storage: Keep your handpan in a padded case and store it in a dry environment. Avoid leaving it in direct sunlight or extreme temperatures, as this can damage the metal and affect tuning. Recommended is to use a wall mount to store it. Never leave your instrument in your hardcase for a long period.

Finding Resources and Community

Online Tutorials: There are many online tutorials for handpan beginners. YouTube and social media are great places to find step-by-step lessons from experienced players. Recommended is Master The Handpan, where you can learn this instrument at home.

Workshops: Some musicians offer handpan workshops, both in-person and online, to help beginners learn the instrument in a more structured setting. You should look for workshops in your regions.

Handpan Communities: Join online forums, groups, or local gatherings to connect with other handpan players. Sharing experiences, tips, and inspiration can enhance your learning journey. There are several very active groups on Facebook.

Final Thoughts

The handpan is an instrument that resonates not only through sound but also through the emotions it evokes. It’s intuitive to play, allowing you to express yourself freely. As a beginner, the key is to experiment, enjoy the process, and let the handpan become a tool for both musical expression and meditation.

[thequeenofsheba-blog]

Copenhagen Write-Up: Tasting Menu

TASTING MENUS

Koan: This meal was perhaps our most exciting in Copenhagen. We didn't know that we should be expecting a knock-out meal but that's what we got. Insanely delicious, very clean flavors, with clear Korean influences but it is by no means a Korean meal. And PERFECT technique. And that oolong tea souffle at the end, served with a side of ice cream and caviar is just the most insane ending. Incredible meal, and I could easily see Koan getting 3 stars very soon. The Korean liquor pairing is good (they have a Danish-Korean woman they get their Korean rice wines from and her bottles are really impressive) but the two cocktails on that menu arent great. The non-alcoholic pairing is excellent, and really, really pairs well with the food. This meal is not to be missed. Jordaener: Much of the meal here was superb- some of the best bites of our trip during the first half of the mean, including an incredible king crab tart, lobster tart, caviar and blue fin tuna tart, oyster and horseradish, etc. Such high highs. I would say that the two main dishes- the fish and the lobster tail- were well prepared but rather uninspired. The wines were all fantastic, though not so particularly paired to the dishes. The non-alcoholic pairing was meh. 

Geranium: We came to Geranium years ago and had an incredible meal- and also perhaps the most beautiful we had ever had. We came back to find that the dishes are just as strong as ever, and as beautiful. There is no doubt that this is a 3 star meal of light, bright, delicious and highly technical dishes. The only negatives I would point to are- the head chef and his sous are now vegans and since covid the restaurant has removed all meat from the menu. This doesnt need to be a bad thing, many restaurants we went to in Scandinavia don’t serve meat, but in the case of Geranium this somehow translated into a delicious, expensive tasting menu where you were still hungry at the end of it, becuase there werent enough proteins; service isnt great; the dining room is BUSY, and almost feels like a train station with people coming and going. Still though, a fab meal. Great wine pairing- very classical. The non-alcoholic pairing was meh.

Alouette: the tasting menu here is lovely. The meal feels like a thoughtful progression. The dishes were all beautifully balanced, the sauces perfect, and some real punches of umami. The standout dish was a dish of beets and gooseberries that was out of this world. It was one of those 3* dishes that you enjoy every bite of, dream about later, and wish you could have again and again. The apple and schnapps palate cleanser was also superb. And the meat course, almost always the single most disappointing during a tasting menu, was fabulous. The buns you get at the end of the meal are so deliciously addictive- they give Frantzen's legendary madeleines a run for their money. Worth mentioning that chef Nick Curtin is the best kind of presence in the kitchen. We were sitting at the kitchen table, so were very close to the team and I have rarely, if ever, seen such a harmonious kitchen having so much fun together https://www.instagram.com/p/C-cq4X7tgh-/?img_index=1

Jatak: this place isn’t in the top star big leagues yet, but overall the chef served up an excellent meal, with lots of delicious bites. And of all the lobster tails we had in Copenhagen (and we had many) https://www.instagram.com/p/C-f0K4au4Y5/?img_index=1

Alchemist: I am so glad I went to Alchemist, if you can get a booking and are ready to spend that kind of money, it's worth it. You enter the space and leave reality, only to return to it when you leave 4 hours later. It is like no other evening u have ever had, and the rooms, music and visuals, coupled with the food, work beautifully and the experience is not gimmicky at all. In terms of the food, there were some amazing bites and many really interesting and impressive techniques. I wouldn't say though it was the best meal we had in Copenhagen, but to think of Alchemist as just a meal would be entirely missing the point. One challenge for chef Rasmus is that because he wants to serve you these 50 'impressions', almost everything you have is a 1 or 3 bite dish. This limits things slightly in terms of serving a complex dish that has different ingredients that changes bite by bite. But again, if you can get a booking and afford to go, it's totally worth it, no question.

Anaba: I can easily say this is the best sushi meal I have had in Europe. Great nigiri pieces that were all perfectly seasoned with rice of the right temp and very nice Shari. The plated dishes were also excellent. And wow did we get some great squid, scallop, clams and amazing uni. Excellent sake selection as well. This really is a sushi meal worth traveling for.

Mota: Mota was nice but perhaps not worth the drive all the way from Copenhagen. Some great dishes like a lovely, creamy cold opening soup, a delicious egg dish that had great textures and rich umami flavor, a buckwheat and celeriac cheese course, a celery yogurt mint palate cleanser that was really fab (I say that as someone who hates celery), and an awesome fried hemp and blackberry sorbet dessert. Some of the bigger plated dishes like the onion course were a bit one note and less successful. If you are in the area, then worth stopping by.

Søllerød Kro: If you want excellently prepared, traditional French food, then you come here. Unfortunately the atmosphere is so stuffy and uninspiring. And the chef's efforts to get creative (like a pea and vanilla desert) were not always successful. While the food is good, given the other options in CPH I wouldn't necessarily pick this as the spot to go to for classical French, over others.

[projecthipster]

The Big Lebowski

“The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners.”

(I think it’s funny when you see conservatives trying to use Sam Elliott’s character up there as a mouthpiece, when he only exists to praise a man they really wouldn’t be likely to.)

It's a good soundtrack, I'll give it that without question.

I don’t remember much of this movie, but I remember the vibes. I’m noticing another pattern as I go through fiction assigned by the crowdsourced and arbitrary Project Hipster selection process. In this case it's that “Hipster Fiction” doesn’t tend to have so much in the way of typical, linear plots. I’m not seeing many classic hero’s journeys here. I guess that makes sense. What defines a hipster movie? It’s one that displays auteurship and filmmaking skill, but maybe not in a way that will be appealing to everyone. The world loves a hero’s journey - just look at Star Wars. The hipster movie will be one less appealing to the mainstream because it focuses less on plot, and more on character development, symbolism, comedy, philosophy, or visuals.

I’m not sure which of those The Big Lebowski is supposed to be. It is a wry sort of comedy, yeah. I’ve also seen it described as one of the few examples of a “Zen movie,” which is an interesting take. A story which espouses forgoing the pursuit of desire. Like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, this is a story focusing on a hero who defies the conventions of agency, especially male agency. It’s passiveness and acceptance here, not raging against the tide, which saves the day. It may not save the world as in the supernatural dreamscape of Wind-Up Bird, but Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski’s refusal to take up the classical male hero’s active mantle is what saves his own ability to have an okay day despite the chaos of the world he’s thrown into. “The Dude abides” could be a sort of koan, like the Vedic summation of “renounce and enjoy.” Don’t act. Just abide. When you must act, act to sustain the abiding state. So many stories focus on dissatisfaction with mundane life. It’s interesting to see one where a simple and happy mundane life – bowling, keeping afloat, and having a good rug – isn’t just acceptable, it’s the goal.

I’ve also seen The Big Lebowski described as a movie where everyone thinks they’re the main character. It’s like Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions in that way, a counterpoint to great man history, an exercise in sonder, the realization that everyone is their own central hero. Lebowski is less branching than Breakfast, though. It remains focused on the titular character, despite the best narrative intentions of everyone else, to whom The Dude is just a side character bum drifting through.

There’s a lot of narrative weight to the drifting, though. For all that the main plot (which despite all I said, still exists) digs like a noir novel into the slums and mansions of a vaguely timeless Los Angeles, a good portion of the screen time is spent on hanging out and bowling. The bowling alley is the movie’s home, its steady setting of return. All the adventures are just interludes between bowling, which is life.

Anyway. For all that the plot isn’t important, it does kick off pretty quick. A western-pastiche introduction turns the rugged male individualist ideal on its head when it moves beyond gravelly voices and open plains to focus instead on an unshaven Jeff Bridges in a ratty bathrobe drinking coffee cream from the carton inside an early 90s suburban LA bodega. This is our protagonist - and Sam Elliot’s western narrator, a voice from a different, more heroic sort of American male movie, doesn’t know what to make of him. There is not a hero, but there is a man. And that’s all he can see. We learn quickly that this man is, from the hustle culture perspective, little more than that. When some gangsters break into his house looking for a millionaire with his name, they’re not impressed. Neither is The Dude especially plussed. This is where we see the zen master creep in. Most people would have a pretty strong reaction to being waterboarded in their own toilet. The Dude just wants to be left in peace. He does, however, like his rug. This isn’t a materialist desire. The rug isn’t valuable. But the rug really ties the room together - it’s a symbol of aesthetic wholeness, of simple harmony. And a guy pissed on it. So our stoner zen master, while never quite reaching the level of “pissed,” is understandably miffed, and tracks down the Big Lebowski, the Rich Lebowski, who was the real target. It’s Dick Cheney. I don’t know if that was the Coen brothers’ intent – although they set the movie at the time of Operation Desert Storm which Cheney was commanding, so it seem likely – but from a post-Bush-administration perspective, the Jeff Lebowski who represents the polar opposite of our Lebowski, a high-strung paraplegic millionaire, railing at every chance against bums and building himself up as the Great Man – the symbol, if you like, of American Great Man military-industrial capitalist Darwinism – is unmistakably Cheney.

This meeting between the ultimate slacker and the ultimate square, the Coen brothers clearly on the side of the former, spirals beyond the bowling into a hostage plot that somehow ties in porn producers and eccentric artists. This is, like in Pulp Fiction, a 90s Los Angeles full of strange, vaguely anachronistic characters. It wouldn’t be unbelievable for one movie's set of criminals, drifters, and rich rotten-hearters to intersect in passing with the other's. And even with the enjoyably surreal dream sequences cutting in, it’s easy to read the plot itself as a set of dreams interrupting real life, which is to say, bowling. Again like Pulp Fiction, back in the day, by which I mean 2011 or so, these sequences were quote factories for early-middle social media memes. That’s just, like, your opinion, man. Am I the only one here who gives a shit about the rules? You’re not wrong, you’re just an asshole. You know them all. I guess that speaks to the memetic power of solid dialogue screenwriting, or maybe it just speaks to millennial Redditors’ desire to speak online exclusively in 90s movie quotes, a desire that thankfully fizzled out a bit after it peaked with Ready Player One and the mild cringe factor of a life memetic was made boldly apparent. Let’s say it speaks to good screenwriting.

Speaking of not wrong, just an asshole, let’s talk about Walter, just because I hate him so much. It’s always a bit annoying when one of the best written characters in a story is the most insufferable. People who don’t like Holden Caulfield must feel the way I feel about John Goodman’s Walter, a gun-toting All-American (derogatory) lump of agression who can’t shut up about Vietnam and constantly punches down at Steve Buscemi’s scrungly wet rat of character Donny, who just wants to be included. He’s the perfect foil to the Dude’s zen flow state, because he’s the representation of the other side, beating against the current to try to make something of himself. But unlike the classical hero struggling against all odds for betterment and victory, Walter achieves nothing by this but to make things worse for everyone around him, and what character arc he has - what character arc the whole movie has - involves him becoming incrementally more like his buddy the Dude. It's a good thing that making things worse for everyone in the movie makes the movie more fun to watch. That doesn’t redeem him though.

As a final note, apparently this movie has one of the highest counts ever of the word “fuck” appearing in its dialogue. It’s #32, after the likes of Goodfellas, Straight Outta Compton, Uncut Gems, and The Wolf of Wall Street. The top spot, above even a documentary about the word itself, goes to a Canadian-produced universally panned Trailer Park Boys spinoff. I’ll consider that a point of national pride I guess. 🇨🇦 Fuck. 🇨🇦

I give this Hipster Movie a spare out of strike.

Project Hipster is a futile and disorganized attempt to dive into the world of things that the internet has at some point claimed "are hipster," mostly through ListChallenges search results.

This review comes from the thirteenth list, The Definitive Guide to Hipster Movies.

Up next: a book I once surprised a French schoolteacher with by taking it out of my bag during a conversation about it over lunch at a barbeque joint and punk venue.

Stay deck.

[goodpix2021]

Love and Mercy

I made this. A new month, another new opportunity. To change. To be different. To renew my koan. To be more positive. To celebrate the start of a new month, let’s start with a little Generative AI since I haven’t done much else towards the end of the month. That’s not true. I was creative but not visual. Sheesh. Routing tours takes an active, flexible and focused mind. And, a bottle of…

[kolajmag]

COLLAGE ON VIEW

K is for Kōan, T is for Tone

Erika Schmidt at Studio Place Arts in Barre, Vermont, USA through 2 March 2024. “T is for Tone” is a project-based series made to interact with the interior structure and feel of the gallery as a response, reflection or excavation of understory to the visual/physical elements or Tone of the space itself. In juxtaposition, signifying “K is for Kōan”, are fourteen collages and mixed media prints interspersed and positioned uniquely as solitary expressions to the concept of a Koan. All together a convergence of compelling notions. Read More

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Kolaj Magazine, a full color, print magazine, exists to show how the world of collage is rich, layered, and thick with complexity. By remixing history and culture, collage artists forge new thinking. To understand collage is to reshape one's thinking of art history and redefine the canon of visual culture that informs the present.

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[acalavidyaraja]

An Exploration of Major Buddhist Traditions: Understanding the Diverse Paths to Enlightenment

Buddhism, founded over 2,500 years ago by Siddhartha Gautama, has evolved into various traditions, each with unique perspectives on the path to enlightenment. Here, we delve into the distinct characteristics of some major Buddhist schools:

1. Theravada Buddhism: The Way of the Elders

Theravada, often regarded as the oldest form of Buddhism, traces its roots to the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. This tradition emphasizes individual enlightenment through the Noble Eightfold Path, moral conduct, and meditation. The Pali Canon serves as its primary religious text, outlining the guidelines for monastic life and the pursuit of Nirvana.

2. Mahayana Buddhism: The Great Vehicle

Mahayana, emerging in the early centuries CE, expands the scope of Buddhist teachings. It emphasizes compassion and the Bodhisattva ideal—the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Followers engage in altruistic practices, striving to alleviate suffering on a universal scale. The Mahayana canon includes texts like the Lotus Sutra and the Heart Sutra.

3. Vajrayana Buddhism: The Diamond Vehicle

Originating in Tibet, Vajrayana is an esoteric extension of Mahayana. It incorporates tantric practices, employing rituals, mantras, and visualization techniques for swift enlightenment. Vajrayana practitioners believe in the transformative power of these practices to achieve a direct realization of the nature of reality. The Tibetan Book of the Dead is a notable text within this tradition.

4. Zen Buddhism: The Art of Meditation

Zen, derived from the Chinese Chan tradition, places a strong emphasis on direct experience and meditation. It seeks to transcend intellectual understanding and attain enlightenment through experiential realization. Koans, enigmatic statements or questions, are used to provoke deep contemplation. The simplicity and directness of Zen teachings have made it influential in various cultures.

5. Pure Land Buddhism: Seeking Enlightenment through Devotion

Pure Land Buddhism, rooted in Mahayana, centers around devotion to Amitabha Buddha. Practitioners aim to be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land, a celestial realm, through sincere devotion and chanting Amitabha's name. This tradition offers a straightforward and accessible path to enlightenment, emphasizing faith and devotion.

6. Nichiren Buddhism: Chanting for Enlightenment

Founded by Nichiren in 13th-century Japan, this tradition revolves around the Lotus Sutra. Followers engage in the repeated chanting of the mantra "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" as a means to attain enlightenment. Nichiren Buddhism also encourages social engagement and activism as a means of contributing to a harmonious society.

7. Secular Buddhism: A Practical Approach to Mindfulness

In contemporary times, Secular Buddhism has emerged as a response to the need for a non-religious, practical approach. Stripping away supernatural elements, it focuses on mindfulness, ethics, and psychological well-being. This adaptive form of Buddhism caters to individuals seeking a practical application of Buddhist principles in their daily lives.

In conclusion, the diversity of Buddhist traditions reflects the rich tapestry of human interpretations of the path to enlightenment. Whether one resonates with the rigorous individual pursuit in Theravada, the compassionate Bodhisattva ideal in Mahayana, or the transformative practices of Vajrayana, Buddhism offers a spectrum of paths for seekers on their journey toward understanding and liberation from suffering.

[wellnessresort07]

What is Meditation and its types

Meditation is a mental practice practiced at many best meditation centres in Prayagraj that involves focusing one's attention and eliminating distractions in order to achieve a state of mental clarity, relaxation, and heightened awareness. It has been practiced for thousands of years and is associated with various spiritual, religious, and secular traditions. Meditation is often used for stress reduction, improving concentration, promoting emotional well-being, and exploring one's inner self.

There are several types of meditation, each with its own techniques and objectives. Here are some common types of meditation:

Mindfulness Meditation: This form of meditation involves paying non-judgmental attention to the present moment. Ayurvedic Doctors focus on their breath, bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions without trying to change them. Mindfulness meditation is often used to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, and improve emotional regulation.

Transcendental Meditation (TM): TM is a popular form of mantra meditation. Practitioners repeat a specific mantra silently to themselves, which is believed to help the mind reach a state of deep rest and inner peace. TM is often taught by certified instructors.

Guided Meditation: In guided meditation, a trained instructor or a recorded audio guides the practitioner through a specific meditation session. This can involve visualization, body scans, or focusing on particular themes or goals. It's commonly used for relaxation and personal growth.

Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta): Metta meditation involves generating feelings of love, compassion, and goodwill towards oneself and others. Practitioners of some of the best wellness centres in Prayagraj typically repeat phrases or affirmations designed to cultivate these positive emotions and send them out to others.

Zen Meditation (Zazen): Zen meditation is a central practice in Zen Buddhism. It involves sitting in a specific posture and focusing on the breath or a koan (a paradoxical question or statement) to develop insight and mindfulness.

Vipassana Meditation: Vipassana is an ancient form of meditation that aims to develop insight into the true nature of reality. Practitioners observe bodily sensations, thoughts, and feelings with a clear and focused mind, ultimately leading to greater self-awareness and wisdom.

Chakra Meditation: Rooted in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, chakra meditation involves focusing on the body's energy centers, or chakras, to balance and align them. Each chakra is associated with specific qualities and emotions.

Yoga Nidra: Also known as yogic sleep, this form of guided meditation is often done lying down. It promotes deep relaxation and can be used for stress relief and improving sleep quality.

Christian Meditation: This type of meditation involves contemplation of religious texts, such as the Bible, and deepening one's connection with God through prayer and reflection.

Tai Chi and Qigong: These are moving meditative practices that combine physical movements with focused breathing and mindfulness. They originate from Chinese martial arts traditions and promote relaxation, balance, and flexibility.

These are just a few examples of the many meditation techniques available. The choice of meditation type often depends on individual preferences, goals, and cultural or spiritual beliefs. Regular practice of meditation can lead to various physical, mental, and emotional benefits, including reduced stress, increased clarity of thought, and a greater sense of inner peace and well-being.

[dominchiocappuccino]

BUY PRINTED CANVAS

Focus

It isn't easy to be focused in modern society.

The black triangle is represented on an orange background. The contrast between the two represents the focus people have today on something that should be easy to see and understand: the black triangle in the shadow of the focus left by the light hue of the orange background, which is associated with gold, good luck, and health in Asian cultures.

In the radiant glow of an orange canvas, reminiscent of the auspicious gold revered in Asian cultures, a stark black triangle emerges from the shadows. This striking juxtaposition embodies the modern paradox of hyper-focus: the essential truth, the black triangle, obscured by the blinding spotlight of distraction.

The orange hue, vibrant and warm, symbolizes the abundance of life, health, and fortune. It evokes the sun's energy, a life-giving force that nourishes and sustains. Yet, within this radiant field, the black triangle stands as a stark reminder of the unseen, the overlooked. Its sharp angles pierce the complacency of the orange, demanding attention and contemplation.

The painting invites us to question our priorities. Are we so consumed by the pursuit of external validation and material wealth that we neglect the fundamental truths that lie beneath the surface? The black triangle serves as a silent rebuke, a call to return to simplicity and authenticity.

In the contrast between the bold black triangle and the luminous orange background, we find a powerful metaphor for the human condition. We are constantly bombarded with information and stimuli, vying for our attention. Yet, in the midst of this chaos, we must learn to discern the essential from the ephemeral, the truth from the illusion.

The painting is a visual koan, a riddle that challenges us to look beyond the obvious and delve deeper into the mysteries of existence. It is a reminder that the most profound truths are often the simplest, and that in the silence of contemplation, we may find the clarity we seek.

#AbstractArt #Minimalism #Symbolism #ModernArt #ContemporaryArt #ArtInterpretation #Focus #Truth #Distraction #Simplicity #Authenticity #HumanCondition #Contemplation #dominchiocappuccino @dominchiocappuccino

[psykulor]

The Water Monks

Since Deepwells started as an attempt to homebrew DnD 5e for the Genesys system, I wanted to focus on classes that are traditionally held to be underpowered, especially my favorite flavory Avatar boys, the Way of the Elements monk. I have a few talents hacked together for the system that I hope will provide a balanced experience without giving up on the flavor, but I also wanted to practice writing for the feel of bending water or another element - what it would be like to move with the element and feel it move with you.

Kuu stood knee-deep in the frigid stream. Already his toes had gone from biting pain to frigid numbness, and he had the unsettling feeling that he was suspended over the slippery rocks.

The old elephant regarded him sternly. At least, he looked stern. Kuu was still figuring out Loxodon expressions. "Are you able to feel the flow?" he said.

"No," Kuu said, truthfully.

"The blood will thicken with practice." The small eyes softened. "For now, perform the stance once and come out to the warmth."

Kuu steadied himself. The water traced diamond patterns in his legs' wake - the visual would have to do. He shifted into an attacking stance, drawing the diamond patterns with his hands, willing the water to keep its shape. 

To Kuu's delight, the water bent upwards. It fed into the space between his hands until a gleaming disc of water swirled in front of him, rushing and rippling in time with the frigid river below. 

“To freeze the water, tighten your stance and become still. Cold is merely the stillness of small things.” The koan made little sense to Kuu. But he calmed his shivering legs and brought his elbows in, then tried to do the same to the water.

It felt like an eternity before he saw white fingers of ice spreading through the disc. “Master! I’m doing it!” Kuu shouted. He knew not to expect praise, but he thought the old elephant might at least remark. He risked looking over at the island where his master stood.

The expression on his master’s face was one Kuu had never seen before, but something in him knew it meant terror. Kuu followed the gaze of the Loxodon’s lowered head to the riverbank, where the two had left their clothes and bags. Two skaven were rummaging through the bags, and one had already found Kuu’s fried fish. The other had a crudely sharpened stone in one paw. It glared at the terrified Loxodon as it methodically pulled the gem ornaments off the ornate master’s robes.

“Master? What do we do?” Kuu whispered. He was surprised at his master’s fear. The other initiates had told him tales of Wide Zurgara’s martial prowess in the bandit raids before Kuu had arrived. Not to mention that the two ratfolk together were about as large as one of the elephant’s legs. “We can drive them off, can’t we?”

Zurgara’s whisper was a deep rumble, hoarse with fear. “More. There will be more.” And already Kuu could see skulking shapes in the dense evergreens, tens, dozens. Their chittering calls shot back and forth across the river, and Kuu looked behind him to see the Skaven were crossing the dam upstream. They were surrounded. But they’re afraid to enter the river, Kuu realized.

The realization was brief respite. A sharpened stake caught him in the shoulder, followed by a pelting of small stones. The Skaven were not great throwers, but it was clear they would overwhelm him soon. Kuu glanced at his master - clearly catatonic with fear. It would be up to him to get them out of this.

The cold was gone. Kuu felt warmth surge through his body, and his focus shifted. The skaven weren’t just staying out of the river - they were staying away from the water. And the water would go where he wanted it. Kuu widened his stance and planted a foot on the algae-covered stones. With a great heave upward, he pulled a flowing strand out of the water, then shifted forward to send it at the biggest skaven on the near bank. The ratman sent out a whine that pierced Kuu’s ears as he flew backwards into a nearby tree.

Without giving the horde time to react, Kuu whirled to the other bank. As he turned, Kuu locked his fingers and brought them over his head, and a great sphere of water spun up from the pool above the dam. When he released, the sphere atomized into a frigid rain that pounded a cluster of skaven into the muddy ground. With satisfaction, Kuu turned to the near bank again, readying another jet of river water - but a low booming noise gave him pause. The dam was breaking.

Perhaps it was his overstated maneuvers, or perhaps the weight of the skaven who were now stumbling and scrambling to the banks, but the timbers of the dam were cracking. Water was pushing them further askew, spilling out in all directions and flooding the area around the riverbed. The outflow was not torrential - and not enough to drive away the remaining skaven. Rubble from the dam crowded the river, allowing the braver of the beasts to advance from both sides. Soon they would be within stabbing distance. Already he was surrounded. The warmth in his chest left him, replaced by icy tendrils of fear. Kuu could feel himself beginning to freeze.

Freeze.

He dropped his wide stance, brought his elbows in, slowed his breathing. One breath quelled the shivers dancing around his neck. Another brought down the hairs standing up on his arms. With a third, he began to see the white spreading out from his place on the rock. The skaven were looking at him - not the water - not the ice racing towards them. Kuu focused on complete stillness. It calmed the water, slowed it down until it locked into crystal formation. The skaven were frozen in place, statues on the flooded plain. Kuu took a few quiet breaths, then relaxed. 

He had spared his master, of course. In the circle of liquid surrounded by ice, Wide Zurgara stirred. “I am sorry for my absence. This crippling fear is the ancient curse of the Loxodonta. But,” he said, gesturing at the frozen forms, “you acquitted yourself well.”

“Thank you, master.” Kuu saluted. The first words of praise his master had uttered.

“Now come. You were promised warmth. I think a fire is in order."

One thing I don't like - I wrote this story before I did more worldbuilding - is the use of skaven as antagonists. I pulled the term from Warhammer fiction, mostly as an alternative to "ratfolk" which is a species naming convention I don't like, but that carries a lot of baggage with it about how a sapient rat society conducts itself. Here I've tried to reframe skaven as more of a semi-sapient antagonist creature akin to the hominids that might have come into conflict with early humans in our migration outwards from the Great Rift. But overall, I want to get away from the idea of conflict as inevitable, and move towards conflict as a conscious violation of boundaries by one party, however much it is wrapped in rationales of irreconcilable difference.

[jaidonschool]

AI & Art: My Questions

The biology narrative -> Sociocultural playing field (memetics) -> Economy (social system for biological system - trade and exchange). They are all grounded in [sapien] genetic reproduction. Aesthetics are visual signifiers/communication for social system coordination.

Photographers are those who continually ask: What should I take a picture of? Users of Pinterest continually ask: what should X look like? Ripples and generative currents, trends and patterns, institutional transition, all supports in the social system to answer questions. They generate dreams out of their curiosity.

Sometimes the questions are “how can I shave?” (instructional visual communication) Or “what is meaningful?” (fine art) Or “what is modern, professional, sexy?” Or “what is the future?” Or “avant garde? Ahead of the times?” (conceptual high art). "Finding my style" is cherrypicking from other’s answers to the question “what should I be like?”.

Instead of fishing for questions and answers through study, choose: what answers do you want to give? What questions (koans) do you want to struggle with?

AI and Art are two mysteries I am very interested in these days. These threads run through all my processing: I am generating knowledge and emergence based on these topics.

Pursuing art, aesthetics, reading, ai, history, human society, service-dominant logic, are the questions I want to ask, the answers I want to share. (Dasein, the root of my social media.) This is a big picture scientific journey. I speculate induction of diverse stimuli from traveling the world will likely optimize and expedite this process. Perhaps it's a crux of value and logic - comprehending the implications of transcending goods/scarcity dominant logic.

It feels a divergence between my big interests and my income generating behavior makes sense. Economics are requisite to my survival. Organization, design, production, marketing, are a matter of satisficing; squeezing juice out of reliable high value nuggets. I will never have all knowledge; by starting this second I'm only at a marginal disadvantage. This practice earns resources for my use. Life is a game.

Several strategies can be used. I can compound my learning journey and curiosities where appropriate, I can lower my living costs and maximize my gliding distance, or I can pursue high value resource extraction as an isolated endeavor. However, too radically adapting my curiosities doesn't align with the organic emergence of my subconscious, which I believe will lead to my personal definition of success.

[wakamotogarou]

An alphabetic Tautogram is a respectable goal. You have to write a poem but every single word has to start with the same letter. I've done it a few times, it's but very limiting but its a good exercise.

The sound of letter determines if they are stressed or relaxed and every letter has its own energy and deep history regarding its formation and that should be taken into effect.

The shape of a letter, sharp vs. soft there are many things that help a poem look visually appealing and flow more naturally. Melodic and lyrical and even playful. Create a nice contrast between playful and serious.

Tomorrow, I will touch upon Japanese and Asian poetry. In fact I believe it will require a few days.

Ready for 1.5 days of zen koans? I'm totally ready.