2 Oct
2013

Yoga Art Exhibit: Sackler Gallery

yogaart

Name: Yoga The Art of Transformation

Museum: Sackler Gallery

Location: Sublevel 1

Description: Through masterpieces of Indian sculpture and paintings, this exhibition explores yoga’s goals; its Hindu, as well as Buddhist, Jain, and Sufi manifestations; its means of transforming body and consciousness; and its profound philosophical foundations. It is the first exhibition to present this leitmotif of Indian visual culture and examines the roles of yogis and yoginis played in Indian society over two thousand years.

More than 120 works, from the 3rd century to the early 20th century, illuminate yoga’s central tenets as well as its obscured histories. Temple sculptures, devotional icons, illustrated manuscripts, court paintings, photographs, books, and films are on view. Borrowed from 25 museums and private collections in India, Europe, and the United States, its highlights include an installation that reunites for the first time three monumental stone yogini goddesses from a 10th-century Chola temple; 10 folios from the first illustrated compilation of asanas (yogic postures), which was made for a Mughal emperor in 1602 and has never been exhibited in the United States; and a Thomas Edison film, Hindoo Fakir (1906), the first movie ever produced about India.

0 comments blevine32

Minimalist Stacks

Check out more of Donald Judd’s  “Minimalist Stacks” — here.

 

Art

9/27 Art: Minimalist “Stacks”

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26 Sep
2013

Fall Movie Guide

Tom Hanks

Deadspin has put together a very nice “Fall Movie Guide.”  

Check it out — here.

0 comments blevine32

Hoop Dreams

Paris-based photographer Adrian Skenderovic displays Hoop Dreams: The Beautiful Ruins of Basketball Courts

Art, Sports

9/26 Art: Hoop Dreams

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Shadow Art

Art

9/21 Art: Shadow Art by Kumi Yamashita

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Rock on Top

Art

9/20 Art: Rock on Top of Another Rock, Serpentine Gallery

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17 Sep
2013

Poetry Corner: The Song of the Reed by Rumi

Translated by Ibrahim Gamard

1. Listen to the reed (flute), how it is complaining!
It is telling about separations,

2. (Saying), “Ever since I was severed from the reed field,
men and women have lamented in (the presence of) my shrill cries.

3. “(But) I want a heart (which is) torn, torn from separation,
so that I may explain the pain of yearning.”

4. “Anyone one who has remained far from his roots,
seeks a return (to the) time of his union.

5. “I lamented in every gathering;
I associated with those in bad or happy circumstances.

6. “(But) everyone became my friend from his (own) opinion;
he did not seek my secrets from within me.

7. “My secret is not far from my lament,
but eyes and ears do not have the light (to sense it).

8. “The body is not hidden from the soul, nor the soul from the
body; but seeing the soul is not permitted.”

9. The reed’s cry is fire — it’s not wind!
Whoever doesn’t have this fire, may he be nothing!

10. It is the fire of Love that fell into the reed.
(And) it is the ferment of Love that fell into the wine.

11. The reed (is) the companion of anyone who was severed from a
friend; its melodies tore our veils.

12. Who has seen a poison and a remedy like the reed?
Who has seen a harmonious companion and a yearning friend like
the reed?

13. The reed is telling the story of the path full of blood;
it is telling stories of Majnoon’s (crazed) love.

14. There is no confidant (of) this understanding except the
senseless! There is no purchaser of that tongue except the ear
[of the mystic.]

15. In our longing, the days became (like) evenings;
the days became fellow-travellers with burning fevers.

16. If the days have passed, tell (them to) go, (and) don’t worry.
(But) You remain! — O You, whom no one resembles in
Purity!

17. Everyone becomes satiated by water, except the fish.
(And) everyone who is without daily food [finds that] his days
become long.

18. None (who is) “raw” can understand the state of the “ripe.”
Therefore, (this) speech must be shortened. So farewell!

19. O son, break the chains (and) be free!
How long will you be shackled to silver and gold?

20. If you pour the sea into a jug,
how much will it contain? (Just) one day’s portion.

21. The jug of the eye of the greedy will never be filled.
(And) as long as the oyster is not content, it will never be filled by
a pearl.

22. Anyone (whose) robe is torn from love,
becomes completely purified from greed and defect.

23. Be joyous! O our sweet melancholy Love!
O doctor of all our diseases!

24. O Medicine of our pride and vanity!
O you (are) our Plato and (our) Galen!

25. The earthly body went up to the heavens from Love!
The mountain began to dance and became agile!

26. O lover! Love became the soul of Mount Sinai!
Mount Sinai (became) drunk “and Moses fell down senseless”!

27. If I were joined with the lip of a harmonious companion,
I (too) would utter speeches like the reed!

28. (But) anyone who becomes separated from one of the same
tongue becomes without a tongue, even if he has a hundred
songs [to share].

29. When the rose has gone and the garden has passed away,
you will no longer hear from the nightingale (about) what
happened.

30. The Beloved is All, and the lover (is merely) a veil;
the Beloved is Living, and the lover (is merely) a corpse.

31. When Love has no concern for him,
he is left like a bird without wings. Misery for him!

32. How can I have awareness of before and behind,
when the Light of my Beloved is no (longer) before and behind?

33. Love wants these words to manifest.
(But) how is it that the mirror reveals nothing?

34. Do you know why your mirror reveals nothing?
Because the rust is not separated from its face!

 

 

I like to think of Rumi writing about love for What Lays On The Other Side. the Inside.

0 comments blevine32
17 Sep
2013

Obscure, Free, Unknown Website Poised to Dethrone Pandora

Imagine a website where you could listen to your favorite artists for free all day without being bombarded with advertisements and without your personal data being collected. It’s here:

Listen to your favorite artists, for free with www.neverendingplaylist.com

This is ideal when you want to practice yoga to one of your favorite musicians but don’t want to keep pressing replay on YouTube and don’t want to hear the same song over and over again on iTunes.

I type Krishna Das’ name into the browser and a playlist of all his songs instantly appears. No sign up required. No data collected. No advertisements. Enjoy 🙂

0 comments Paz Romano
16 Sep
2013

What Each Color Means in Feng Shui

Via Katie Rogers on Mind Boddy Green

We’ve all experienced the profound difference a new shade of paint can make in a room. Or how a red dress makes us feel as opposed to a light blue one. This is not to be undervalued! Colors have meaning and express a certain energy, and our subconscious is constantly taking cues.

Simply put, color is one of the most powerful tools used in feng shui.

If you’re looking to make a change in your life, you may want to reconsider the color schemes in your home and office. But do so consciously! Start with the following list, and consider hiring a feng shui consultant who can help you choose the appropriate colors according to feng shui principles, such as the bagua map and elements.

bedroom-feng-shui-setting-with-home-office

Red

Red represents the element of fire, and because of its intensity, is considered a lucky color in feng shui. Use it in doses to redirect energy around the home.

Basic meanings: hot, bold, daring, high voltage, lucky.

To read the rest, click here for Katie’s terrific, succinct guide to feng shui colors.

0 comments Paz Romano