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Birdsnest Fern on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Rated Mar 21 2007 • 1 review • photography, hawaii • flickr.com

PHOTO
Photographer:Dark Sevier on flickr
Subject: Birdsnest ferns growing on the branches of
Kukui nut trees in Hawai'i.

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Alan Watts. The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who...

Rated Mar 21 2007 • 1 review • religion • terebess.hu

Title: The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
Author: Alan Watts
Year of publication: 1966

From the Preface: "This book explores an unrecognized but mighty taboo--our tacit conspiracy to ignore who, or what, we really are. Briefly, the thesis is that the prevalent sensation of oneself as a separate ego enclosed in a bag of skin is a hallucination which accords neither with Western science nor with the experimental philosophy religions of the East--in particular the central and germinal Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism. This hallucination underlies the misuse of technology for the violent subjugation of man's natural environment and, consequently, its eventual destruction.

We are therefore in urgent need of a sense of our own existence which is in accord with the physical facts and which overcomes our feeling of alienation from the universe. For this purpose I have drawn on the insights of Vedanta, stating them, however, in a completely modern and Western style--so that this volume makes no attempt to be a textbook on or introduction to Vedanta in the ordinary sense. It is rather a cross-fertilization of Western science with an Eastern intuition. "

Terebess Asia Online is sharing the preface and the first two chapters of the book online, a favorite of mine. A small but powerful book. Very pertinent.

On this day, Alan Watts died 34 years ago.

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Monk in PP on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Rated Mar 20 2007 • 2 reviews • buddhism, photography • flickr.com

Monk in Phnom Penh
Acrobatic Pony

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Brother Sun, Sister Moon - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes...

Rated Mar 20 2007 • 1 review • movies • nytimes.com

MOVIE
Title: Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Language: Italian with English subtitles.
Director: Franco Zefirelli
Date of release: 1973
Reviewer: Vincent Canby
Newspaper: New York Times

From the page: "St. Francis of Assisi
was an extraordinarily complex and
difficult figure whose effect on his
contemporary society was electrifying.
Even today, many people are moved by
his visionary message of universal
toleration. Twelfth-century Italy had
an exceptionally grim and regimented
society, but the barefoot monk from
Assisi undoubtedly had the courage that
comes from deep faith and was able to
transcend the oppressiveness of the
time. In this Italian/British-produced
film, director Franco Zeffirelli
attempts to bring his vision of this
great man to the screen."

A movie which questions what it truly
means to be religous. The simplicity of
Francis radiates brighter than the be-
jeweled, decked out purveyors of encrusted
dogma. A wonderful, beautiful movie."
Click link above to read full review.

See also Who Was St. Francis?
by Leonard Foley, O.F.M.

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Maple leaves. on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Rated Mar 20 2007 • 1 review • photography • flickr.com

Title:Maple leaves
Photographer: H@Ru

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Opihi on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Rated Mar 20 2007 • 1 review • cooking, food, hawaii • flickr.com

Title: 'Opihi
Photographer: konaboy.

From the page: "These are Hawaiian limpet snails,
known as Opihi. Our hero and provider, Kerry, picked
these off the rocks near shore on our Waimanu Valley
trip. These are great quickly cooked on the grill like
this with maybe just a little shoyu drizzled on top.
These Opihi also have a good covering of Limu (seaweed)
on their backs, which is also edible. The Limu gets a
little crispy from the fire, and is a good contrast to
the soft and somewhat rubbery texture of the Opihi."

See also this Honolulu Advertiser article dated June 1,
2005, 'Opihi overharvesting means slim pickings by Jan
TenBruggencate.

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BABETTES FEAST

Rated Mar 20 2007 • 1 review • movies • londonfoodfilmfiesta.co.uk

MOVIE
Movie: Babette's Feast
Languages: Danish and French with
English subtitles
Dir: Gabriel Axel
Length: 102 mins
Year of release: 1987

From the page: "Gabriel Axel's adaptation
of an Isak Dinesen story contrasts the
sumptuous cuisine of Anna Karina's former
Parisian chef with the simple asceticism
of the nuns whom she serves. Here, pot-
ential excess and gluttony are sublimated
into sacrifice and sacrament. Blessed are
the frugal, Axel implies, for they shall
be rewarded by an ultimate feast.

The preparation of the meal is magnificent,
the photography is wonderful, all the shots
of the live quails and sea turtle show just
what a feast the two elderly sisters will
be treated to. The shots of the dough being
cut and shaped and the quail being plucked
are wonderful. The real visual feast is at
the table as the guests start their meal.
The soup is real turtle and the finest
wines and champagnes are served. The
dinner scene is hilarious as the people
begin to enjoy the meal despite their
solemn vow not to.... "

This is an exceptional film, of heart and
soul, superficially it's about a feast,
which is thoroughly sumptuous looking.
But ultimately it's about a feast of
heart, a thoroughly spiritual film.
Winner of Best Foreign Film.

Click link to see full review.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinday/92525603/

Mar 19 2007 • 0 reviews • flickr.com

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