I meditate every day and find a lot of wisdom in Buddhist teachings. When I had my hip replaced last fall, there was a lot of time on my hands. Embroidering looked like a good idea for sitting around, so I tried a few things and liked it. I wanted to have a theme and book to assemble with the stitching I did, therefore, this is a book of drawings based on the paintings by Shubun, a Chinese artist of the 15th century. The cover of this experiment into fiber books is one of my drawings, but the interior pages are all mostly copied from the Chinese paintings. The Zen tradition has often taught that there are ten steps to enlightenment. Front and back covers spread out. Inside the book, the first step is trying to discipline the Ox, which is a metaphor for one's mind. The meditator chases the ox around and around. Step two: The meditator finally gets a rope on the ox, and thinks that beating it will tame it. [Have you ever beaten yourself up for some perceived transgression?] As the path continues to be accomplished, the ox becomes empty of color--or -- the mind loses it's delusions and begins to understand reality. These last two pages are the moon on the left, with a note inside about materials used, and a barn on the right with an encrusted ox that goes inside it.
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7/18/2019 03:10:46 am
The path to enlightenment is a hard path to take. Not only do you go on a path of total freedom, but you are much more spiritually awakened. First of all, those who take a path to enlightenment will never have to worry about depression. Those who are more spiritually enlightened cannot even care less about how people view them. Enlightenment is about happiness, it is about clearing your mind off of all the stupid ideologies that the people of the world have.
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Pat enjoys designing and weaving tapestries, designing and constructing books, cooking, painting with watercolor, and fooling around in Atlanta, GA. Member of the American Tapestry Alliance, Tapestry Weavers South, Southern Highland Craft Guild, Southeastern Fiber Arts AllianceArchives
April 2020
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