Koh-Yama and the Ten Virtues of Incense

Just back from a couple of days with mum and dad on the Gold Coast. I came home to find "The Book of Incense" by Kiyoko Morita had arrive much early than expected from the US! This coupled with the little pots I had picked up from a delightful bonsai shop on Chevron Island meant I could enjoy an evening listening and reading about incense. I learned that incense appreciation is referred to as listening to incense, and this rings true for me. I find the process thoroughly intriguing...I imagine this is the same feeling that wine connoissieurs must have about tastings.

I'm just in love with this tiny three mouth ceramic pot. Filled with sand it's perfect for planting the fine sticks of Japanese koh. When planted with three sticks it looks like the kanji for mountain, so I've called it Koh-Yama, that is, Incense Mountain :)

Some of my favourite Japanese books are featured in the picture next to my Incense Mountain. They are "The Tale of Genji", "The Tales of Ise" and "A Chime of Wind Bells."

I'll leave you with the Ten Virtues of Incense said to have been written by a Zen priest in the sixteenth century.

It brings communication with the transcendent.
It purifies mind and body.
It removes uncleanliness.
It keeps one alert.
It can be a companion in the midst of solitude.
In the middle of busy affairs, it brings a moment of peace.
When it is plentiful, one never tires of it.
When there is little, still one is satisfied.
Age does not change its efficacy.
Used everyday, it does no harm.

How many things can be said to have so many virtues!

May your week be fragrant :)

A Flight of Butterflies

"Hoping to see the spring violets, I walked out into the fields. The wind had died down and I could hear nothing but the sound of bees. I began to make a poem in the warm sleepy atmosphere, when down the hill where dandelions were blooming came a group of girls.

One was dressed in dark violet; another in patterns of red, blue and yellow; still others wore white, black, brown, pink, navy or green. They were coloured as exquisitely as flowers in the field. They came closer and danced in a flock under a blossom.

As I drank another cup of sake, they came and said,'You are watching the flowers all alone! Do come where we are dancing. We thought we were the only ones who delight in the flowers of spring. We are pleased to know you enjoy them too....'"

Yesterday Nadine let me borrow a much cherished book of hers called "A Flight of Butterflies", one thousand kinds of butterflies by Kanzanka Sekka originally published in Japan 1904. Part of the preface by Yoshi Zo is quoted above. It's a beautiful facsimile of the original and is printed and bound in the original Japanese album style.

Within, every page is an oasis.....What scents of perfume waft up to colour the subtle senses?...What string is beginning to hum along its length into the distance? The symbol of the butterfly keeps lighting ever so gently upon my shoulder...let me not move too awkwardly, disturbing its fragile heart.

The New Year Begins

Last night before going to bed I was reading one of my favourite books of folk tales - Heroes, Monsters and Other Worlds from Russian Mythology by Elizabeth Warner.  It is accompanied by wonderous illustrations by Alexander Koshkin.  The large double page illustration above shows a few Rusalkas, mermaid like water creatures, sporting alluringly on the left and a burly, red Leshii with dexterous hands holding a basket of bright magic mushrooms on the right. (click the image for a better look.)

It was a painting that struck me for one reason or another and without giving away my secrets I thought I would share its beauty with you to start off what I hope will be a very happy new year.

Happy New Year to you all for 2009!

book info: Heroes, Monsters and Other Worlds from Russian Mythology, Elizabeth Warner, Hodder and Stoughton, Sydney, 1985.

News Flash: New book on Contemporary Craft

Before I continue on my own thought path, I'd like to share this book review highlighted in the latest designboom newsletter of the new book "By Hand: the use of craft in contemporary art" by Shu Hung and Joseph Magliaro, Princeton Architectural, 2006, ISBN: 1568986106.

Here's a sample of the review:

"age-old techniques, often passed down from one generation to another. with focus on detail.it takes a long time to make something.in these laborious art works the process becomes important.to ‘craft’, meaning to ‘care’, is restored to its original sense.the process of fabrication as gestures of sincerity."

Unfortunately, it wont be available on Amazon until after Christmas, but worth adding to the wishlist.

Image 2: "Cute and Scary" (detail) by Aya Kakeda, 2004