Meta-Ken

Someone gave me a copy of Miyamoto Musashi's "Book of Five Rings". It's interesting to delve into the mind of a 17th century samurai who walked the narrow path of an ascetic and is famed as one of the greatest swordsman of all time. One of the rules he lays down in the Earth Scroll is "Never do anything useless." If only I could follow that one rule - so much more would I be able to accomplish! As a matter of fact, perhaps I should stop doing this rig

A web search today on "poor in spirit" just now brought up a customized add which promised "great deals on 'spirit' at www.ebay.com!" I'm not sure if the irony in that makes me want to laugh or cry. Lying in bed tonight, feeling so hopeless and miserable, the meaning of that phrase finally came to me. In the midst of this anguish building inside which left me unable to sleep, it just appeared. Although I had heard the admonishment so many times before, it never really clicked. To be "poor in spirit" is to be humble in the face of the Divine. It is to realize you are powerless, to realize that your existence depends on something greater. Oddly, that realization is empowering. It is only in the surrender of Self that man is able to realize that he is actually part of the Divine, and can draw strength from it. I've always been so certain of the power of my own Will to conquer anything, and I've only been frustrated by my quite obvious limitations. Now I'm beginning to understand why Pride is the first sin - Pride is what keeps us separate, keeps us blind to Sacred that is hidden in plain sight.

I'm thankful for a ray of Hope in such a dark hour.

Shading Session Three!

Here's after the 2nd shading session. If only my wallet and my body could keep up with Shinji, this tattoo would be finished in no time! The pain was worse this session, not sure if it was just me or the area he was shading. I see people in the shop popping pills to take the edge off, but it seems to me the experience would lose something without the pain. Often when I'm on the table, I think of the scene in Hebert's "Dune" when Paul Atreides' humanity is tested with pain. I like to test my limits, I like to test my will...