Moon by the Window - New book

Congratulations to Alan Gensho Florence. He has been helping Shodo Harada Roshi (the abbot of Sogenji in Okayama, Japan) with his book of calligraphy for well over 10 years -- and it has finally been published as an over-sized paperback called MOON BY THE WINDOW - the Calligraphy and Zen Insights of Shodo Harada.

he book consists of 108 calligraphies, each accompanied by a short commentary.

Beautiful collection.

Jcbaran wrote:

Congratulations to Alan Gensho Florence. He has been helping Shodo Harada Roshi (the abbot of Sogenji in Okayama, Japan) with his book of calligraphy for well over 10 years -- and it has finally been published as an over-sized paperback called MOON BY THE WINDOW - the Calligraphy and Zen Insights of Shodo Harada.

It's available from Amazon and you can "look inside" (preview) the book to get a feel for it.

And what a wonderful book.
The calligraphies are simply superb, it is definitely a book to take ones time over, being a paperback does not hinder the display as the book is quite wide.
The explanations of calligraphies, really help and to me are essential, to bring the ink to life.
these explanations are why I chose to seek the wisdom of Zen Buddhism, not only do they point to the way; the realization of being;they also show instantly where I am right now in my journey, and inspire me to continue my practice.

Particularly pertinent for me right now is Harada Roshi's comment

' In life we have dreams, we have hopes, we have ideals. But what does it mean to have a dream? Everything in this world is in flux. No matter how real we may think things are everything passes. We all think our life is special, but no matter how happy we are or how much we achieve we all die......We chase dreams , but we forget to realize ourselves. We have to see the reality and value of who is alive right here and now.When we awaken to the splendid value of each person, we no longer need to depend on dreams and hopes and ideals. Instead, we can depend on our own life right at our own feet'

It is a beautiful commentary, right now my mum gets weaker by the day I sit and be with her watch her slowly die. 20 odd years ago a friend I sat with was dying I asked Ikko Roshi to do a calligraphy for him, it was a beautiful calligraphy 'All the love in the world' Within a few weeks, I was sitting on my friends bed holding his hand as he died.

A book like this and teachers like Harada Roshi, not only can point the way, they can touch the heart with a simple stroke of a brush,that my friends is true Zen.

Michael, thank you for the beautiful commentary. I treasure the recent experience -- sad as it was -- of being present at the death of much-loved, close relative. You realize that all of the problems and achievements to which we cling to so desparately aren't so important and will vanish in an instant.