The Japanese way of seeing beauty in entropy We tend to think of entropy as something “bad,” the inevitable tendency for matter to dissipate, for all living things to die. As embodied creatures, we naturally would prefer to avoid this downward spiral—for ourselves, loved ones, pets, creations, cherished objects and the systems we use in […]
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. […]
Awakening to the truth of who we are and what we can become together About two-thousand years ago a radical idea was born, presaged by a star that guided some wise men to a cave in Bethlehem. That idea, “Love they neighbor,” is a simple admonition admired by many but so challenging that, after all […]
A creative act that makes a powerful statement Ethan Miller, my grandson, when he was four Wouldn’t we all like to get this kind of response from those we deeply care about—at any age? Gifting is a critically significant form of communication, extending as far back as one Neanderthal offering a cherished stone or bone […]
How we lift another’s spirit and the human project as a whole In the above sun-flare, I see a dove. As well as “peace,” the dove symbolizes altruism. And in this context, the trees represent the strength and growth that accompanies the privilege of giving and helping. The word “altruism” was coined by French philosopher […]
A deeper perspective Philosopher Ken Wilber’s perspective on art in The Eye of Spirit: An Integral Vision For a World Gone Slightly Mad beautifully expresses what I believe is its highest potential—that everything is art. My philosopher friend, Beatrice Bruteau, made it explicit. “Since the divine Artist has chosen to create, we cannot love the […]
They don’t really “fall” of their own accord, they’re evicted Function Leaves serve as solar collectors for a tree, gathering carbon dioxide and water from the atmosphere to create energy—sugar—through photosynthesis. In the process, they release oxygen into the air. For a tree to stand tall and survive the ravages of wind, rain, snow and […]
“Fall,” yes. Also a demonstration of Nature’s color palette—and more. The coming of Fall triggers my appreciation of the things that make the season delectable—sweater weather, yellow, orange and red trees, cider, pumpkin pie, apple farms and Thanksgiving. When the leaves begin to fall and the temperature dips, my thoughts turn to the possibility of […]
Qualities and behaviors that inhibit entropy These retired coin-operated newspaper boxes call to mind two fundamental principals in the science of whole systems. The first is “entropy,” a term borrowed from the second law of thermodynamics in physics. It describes the process whereby matter gradually dissipates or declines into a state of disorder. Throughout the […]
An art style that sheds light on the value of choice In a dream, I walked around an art gallery where all the large black and white photographs were made in “high key”—white subjects on white backgrounds with some grey values but no blacks. Attempting to achieve this with film was challenging because it required […]
Contemplative Photography 