Arhat stories

Nihonji Temple: where history, magic and beauty meet

I loved seeing the arhat statues because of their expressive faces – each of had its own character. Some looked lost in meditation, some were serious and others had a dream-like expression. And then there were those who seemed engaged in a lively conversation with their neighbors. The statues felt alive and as if each one had a story to tell I could spend the day listening to.
Manifesting Kalyn's Meigetsuin

The Rabbit In The Moon

I found the Moon window mesmerizing. It was like an opening into another world and its scenery, ever changing with the seasons to be like a magical kaleidoscope offering a different view every time we look at it. You almost expect a magical creature to suddenly jump through it and surprise you. And I hear it sometimes does - a bunny! But why a bunny you may say?
Shorounagashi

O-Bon, The Spirits Festival

Today, August 13th marks the beginning of O-bon, one of the most important spiritual and secular events in Japan. The festival traces its origin in ancient Buddhist and Confucian beliefs according to which the spirits of the dead return to their earthly homes on August 13, stay for three days and then depart for heaven again on the night of August 15th.
japanese lotus

The Sacred Lotus

"Of all the plants in the world, the lotus flower is the most unique.”  - Cao Zhi (192-232). In Japan the beginning of July falls in the middle of the rainy season and rivers, lakes and ponds all swell from the abundant rains. It is the time of the year when I like to visit a nearby park to see the lotus flowers blooming in its lake...
tanabata japanese festival

Tanabata Festival

One of my favorite festivals is Tanabata, also known as the star festival that is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month, just a couple of days from today. According to a Chinese legend, this is the only day that the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meet...
Eijeiji Temple in Fukui

The Power Of Zen

Many years ago, when I first started on my spiritual path, a friend suggested that since I lived in Japan I should go to a temple and try Zazen meditation. He said it would help me quiet my mind and also help me to center. After a brief search I was fortunate to find a temple in the shita-machi (the old town) in Tokyo...
Wabi-sabi Zen phylosophy of life

Wabi-Sabi, the Zen Philosophy of Life

Since pottery is one of my passions, I love looking at photos of ceramics. The cup here caught my eye right away. It is old and faded and has cracks, yet all these imperfections seem to add to its beauty instead of taking away from it. The cracks on the back are highlighted and not hidden, as if to celebrate and bring forward the richness of the cup’s long life...
Takarabune by Hiroshige

The Seven Gods Of Fortune

The image of the sea and ocean waves can be seen on various forms of Japanese art: ukiyo-e paintings, kimono and Sometimes what you are looking for is right in front of you and you don’t even know.” John Hall. In the last two months, with the pandemic changing our daily routines and restricting our activities, one of the things I have been enjoying greatly is hopping on my cross-bike and exploring the area where I live...
sacred goma fire article

The Sacred Fire Goma Ceremony

The Goma Ritual of consecrated fire is unique to Esoteric Buddhism and is the most recognizable ritual of the esoteric Shingon sect in Japan. The ceremony is performed with the purpose of destroying negative energies and detrimental thoughts and desires. In the ceremony, a priest burns wooden sticks in the scared fire...
Wave Pattern Bowl, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Understanding Zen Through The Arts

The image of the sea and ocean waves can be seen on various forms of Japanese art: ukiyo-e paintings, kimono and other textile patterns, pottery etc. What many do not know however, is that there is a deeper, spiritual meaning that the pattern represents - Zen Buddhism’s concept of Ku or emptiness...