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Beautiful Places Beautiful Things

Exhibit at Asian Art Museum

Worth a look.  Really wanted to see the India and Persia (yes Persia is Asia) floor but this time third floor is closed off due to expansion construction – a dramatic transformation in the works, generously funded by Jerry Yang and his wife, Akiko Yamazaki:)  The place is going to have outdoor terrace with sculptures and possibly nibbles according to our excited docent.  (Thank you Joy for a thoughtful gift. )

We had a docent led tour of China, Korea and Japan sections of second floor.  While it was a very very super abbreviated overview, it struck a chord with me when the docent said the following:

“Japanese finds beauty in imperfections”

referring to the Wabi-Sabi aesthetics.

That relates to the idea of striking a balance that’s not necessarily perfect or symmetrical  – while there’s striving and pursuit of perfections and precision(YANG), there’s greater appreciation for the fleeting nature of our conditions (YIN) in Japanese aesthetics, especially in the Tea Ceremony/Ritual teachings (which actually is a meditation practice or pre-meditation practice … yes, Match has caffeine content).

When it comes to technology, there’s obsession over precision and accuracy but as with Fuzzy Logic & Technology, there’s so much clarity when we come out of the fuzziness.  The exhibit fueled my sense of creativity of all the kimono that lays dormant, wrapped in moth balls … maybe there needs for renewal emptying out the clutter and taking – a fresh look at things that’s old and forgotten.

And bringing them to LIFE … Both active and especially a more quiet practice of yoga is like that … we are cleansed, purified and renewed:)  What’s old is new again; once we empty out the clutter and keep only the most precious, we see the value of things.

All Gratitude …

I love this escalator because it reminds me of subways in Tokyo:)

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Beautiful Places Beautiful Things Healthy Living

My favorite college town

And no, it’s not Berkeley…

Never counted but there must be over 100 magazines in this little throw-back-in-time mom&pop newsstand shop …  There’s something so very satisfying about tactile touch turning paper pages rather than swiping the screen.

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Beautiful Things

Forms & Shapes @ Haneda Airport, Tokyo

& … there’s functionality to each of these beautiful ceramic pieces  – a work of art. Starbucks is ubiquitous in this land of rising sun but … Japan is a tea drinking country after all.

There was a silent vigil to remember the victims of the Tohoku earthquake from March 11th.  It’s hard to believe that eight years ago, so many lives were lost and people’s lives forever changed.  Some went about ignoring the announcement but I was fixated on a beautiful young lady, who like me, put our palms together in Gassho at our heart center.

I am here to care for a precious family member and I am happy to be here where refinement and delicacy is not seen as a weakness but strength and that of … beauty.