無心 (mu-shin) “no-mind” or “nothingness mind”

An important concept in meditation and martial arts. If you have mu-shin, your mind is free from thoughts, desires and assumptions. The Buddhist nun Reverend Jiyu-Kennett once said: “It’s nothing… but it’s the fullest kind of nothing there ever was!” When your mind is clear, and you are free from ego and can act naturallyContinueContinue reading “無心 (mu-shin) “no-mind” or “nothingness mind””

無常 (mu-jō) “impermanence”

“Western aesthetics is sometimes familiar with simplicity, asymmetry and suggestion, but the idea that beauty lies in its own vanishing is an idea much less common. Perishability remains, however, what [Donald] Keene has called the ‘the most distinctively Japanese aesthetic ideal’. It is certainly among the earliest, being based on the Buddhist concept of “mujō”…ContinueContinue reading “無常 (mu-jō) “impermanence””

悟 (Satori) “enlightenment”

Satori is the Japanese word for the buddhist concept of enlightenment. It is said that once one has experienced satori, one’s perspective on life is forever changed. The artwork in the above photo is one of my original one-offs. You can own it by purchasing it from my Etsy store here.

無限 (mu-gen) “unlimited / no limits”

The idea of no limits, or infinity, can represent divine eternal consciousness. It is an important concept in Buddhism, often represented by an endless knot that is strikingly similar to Celtic designs.  It can also represent samsara, the endless cycle of death and rebirth. It is similar to the symbol of the ouroboros – theContinueContinue reading “無限 (mu-gen) “unlimited / no limits””

Pain is inevitable, but suffering depends on you!

My housemate wanted a Japanese translation of the above title, written in Japanese calligraphy. It’s one of his favourite quotes, and we originally thought it was an ancient Buddhist phrase. However… after a lot digging on the Internet to find a Japanese translation…. it seems that the original phrase is actually Japanese! It comes fromContinueContinue reading “Pain is inevitable, but suffering depends on you!”

悟 (satori) “enlightenment”

Satori (enlightenment) is often described as a sudden and profound realisation that goes beyond ordinary knowledge or understanding. It is a state of consciousness in which the individual transcends the limits of the ego and experiences a deep sense of oneness with the universe. Satori is not a fixed or permanent state, but rather aContinueContinue reading “悟 (satori) “enlightenment””

禅 Zen

The original of this work is available to purchase here on my Etsy site. WordPress users get 15% off with this code: WPCODE15 In Japan, calligraphy works of meaningful characters or phrases are displayed in homes, offices, temples and dōjōs as decoration and to provide inspiration. If you would like to own some Japanese calligraphy artwork to displayContinueContinue reading “禅 Zen”