An Artful Act

Yesterday's entry was inspired by a passage from Issa's book, Oraga Haru:

"Without lifting the foot, he arrives.
Without moving the tongue, he preaches.
Be you ever in the lead, you still must know
That there is always One who comes before
you."

- Issa, quoting Mumonkan


I appreciate the simplicity in this notion, as I interpret it:

We are shown the way by those who have gone before us. We learn from them, we follow them along the path until we come to a fork in that path which is simply too compelling to ignore, and we begin our own journey down a new path, our path.

We may not be covering new ground, but we are traveling with a knowledge and a passion that will help us experience this 'new' path in a unique way. We observe and interpret our experiences and express them through our work. What ever that work may be, it is driven and shaped by our creative minds.

This is what we do.


Text and photo ©2008 David W. Sumner

A Thoughtful Act

Art and thought, there is nothing more. All art is the expression of thought. Thought inspires and motivates one. Thought sustains one. Without thought, there is nothing. Achieving nothingness is a goal of Zen meditation. But in itself, the process of achieving nothingness is a thoughtful act, an artful act.

Life is to be spent in thought and expressed through art.

This, is the way.

Text and photo: ©2008 David W. Sumner