Fellowship Spiritual Art |
18th century Tibetan
gilt carved wood
The monk within us abstains from the delights of imagination
and devotes his life to labor in God’s name. The gesture of the three monks
illustrates the tremulous symmetry of a moment of presence, at once giving and
receiving.
Meditating Buddha
18th
century Chinese
gilt carved wood
The pearl on the Buddha’s forehead emerges from the inner friction to awaken. The lowered eyes ignore inner and outer distractions, while the upraised palm hails the achievement of a moment of presence.
Seated Buddha
18th
century Chinese
blanc de chine
porcelain
The jolly rotund Buddha, seemingly a contradictory image for ascetic practices, represents a steward filled with presence, satisfied with the moment and wanting nothing more.
19th century Indian
carved wood
A dancing figure symbolizes presence achieved, the momentary
lift from the habits of sleep to the lightness of one’s Self. The maidens—the
‘I’s in us that work to achieve presence—must learn to dance to the measure of
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