Collected Observations on Wisdom
The text from the journal painting above:
The ancient hermit poets sought wisdom
By remote mountain streams.
Status, power over others, held no interest.
- Chuang Tzu (4th century BCE). This interpretation was inspired by Thomas Merton’s fascinating book, The Way of Chuang Tzu.
I keep notes on a wide variety of subjects of particular interest. Here are my random notes on wisdom collected over the last several years.
The basis of wisdom is the seeking of a positive future.
Wisdom makes the lives of others better.
Wisdom looks for, tunes into, the beauty of others.
Wisdom is thoughtful, quiet, contemplative.
Wisdom looks with skepticism at the flow of the mainstream culture that surrounds which is based on desire and fear.
Wisdom avoids rushing, avoids frantic, desperate behavior.
Wisdom looks for the good in others.
Wisdom avoids waste.
Wisdom boils things down to their essence.
Wisdom seeks simplicity, avoids unnecessary complication.
Humans are complicated.
Wisdom lives within its own center, and doesn’t depend on others or hook into others in an effort to achieve equanimity or peace.
Wisdom is careful what it engages in, especially what it gets emotionally wrapped up in.
Wisdom seeks harmony, the point of agreement.
Wisdom believes in focusing on points of leverage where small action achieves a big result.
Wisdom believes in harmony, friendship with one’s inner world.
Wisdom believes in the power of quiet.
Wisdom seeks transcendent beauty in nature, people and art.
Wisdom knows how to relax mind and body.
Wisdom believes in the power within, the beauty within.
Wisdom is resourceful.
Wisdom likes peace and quiet.
Wisdom knows it doesn’t have all of the answers.
Wisdom believes in the simplest, easiest way to accomplish an objective with the fewest moving parts.
Changes at Heron Dance:
The creation of a series of journals focused on exploring questions at the core of a quality human life. The same focus will apply to the Substack, Zen Mountain Journal.
The liquidation or discontinuance of 75% of the currently offered products on the website: nature art originals, nature art and Zen Mountain Art canvas prints, nature art and holiday notecards, posters, framed prints,
The Tao Te Ching Journal: A Path To Inner Quiet
Zen Mountain Journal blends Taoist hermit poetry, contemplative art, and reflections drawn from a lifetime shaped by wilderness, solitude, and decades doing creative work on the outer boundaries of our culture. These journals are companions for seekers — guides in the reconnection with inner quiet, beauty, and the “soundless music” of a life lived with simplicity and meaning.
• Size: 9.25 × 8.5 inches — convenient size for desk or lap.
• Hardcover — the book can be written in without a table or desk.
• Double wire-o bound to lay flat.
• Printed on Mohawk Superfine, a premium uncoated paper for a beautiful writing surface.
• 160 pages.
Everything Heron Dance does and offers is summarized here.
Zen Buddhism resulted from the encounter between Buddhism from India and Taoism from northern China. Poetry was an important part of the tradition of the Taoist hermit monks of the Zhongnan Mountains. The Tao Te Ching is the best known of those poems but there were thousands of others written over two thousand years ago. Many are as beautiful and mysterious as the Tao.
Zen Mountain Journal also draws from the poetry of the Zen Buddhist monks of old Japan.
Zen Mountain Journal offers a Taoist journaling practice for those who seek to connect with inner worlds, with the deep silence and peace within. The poems and paintings in these posts are part of a journal now being created by Heron Dance Press. It will be available for preorder shortly.
The Zen Mountain Journal is reader supported but there is no obligation to contribute. If you would be willing to contribute, please do that here.