This feature is: Zen thoughts, thought provoking wisdom and concepts worth pondering. This is a collection of my personal Zen Nuggets along with friends and other wise sages.

Included @ the bottom is ZEN inspired Photography & art.

FYI here are 2 great sites for Zen words and thoughts:
o Zen Proverbs [link]
o Daily Zen [link]
o Zen Proverbs [link]
o right below is a thank you to all who have contributed to this ongoing journal. THANK YOU! **If you have a wonderful thought you would like to share please let me know.


Also check out my other features:
o Conceptual thought provoking Photography ----- > [link]
o The magic of color vivid color focused artwork: [link]



My Rules for my words, quotes and Art:
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED! All Artwork, Images & words are © Zen Akita aka Bill.

My Images Do Not Belong To The Public Domain. All images and writing are copyright &#169 ZenAkita. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, You may not use, replicate, manipulate, redistribute, or modify this image without my express consent.

Thank you for respecting my artwork!



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Thank you to all who have contributed to this journal!





名词及物动词

Daily Thought.

What is beauty, what is perceived beauty? how do you define beauty? I want you to view this video and share it. It really shows the root of so much of our self esteem problems. I agree with what it shows: "PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING" << [link] >> Learn more about the Dove campaign: [link]


Daily Thought.
How do you define love, how to you measure it?

There are many thoughts but here is one that many of you have heard, but have you really imbued the lyrics and thought about it. THINK if you were to say this and mean it. IT DEFINES the ultimate most pure, RAW love. I think you will agree this is a 100% no compromise love spoken from one to another.

I'd gladly lose me to find you - I'd gladly give up all I had - To find you I'd suffer anything and be glad

I'd pay any price just to get you - I'd work all my life and I will -To win you I'd stand naked, stoned and stabbed

I'd call that a bargain - The best I ever had - The best I ever had

I'd gladly lose me to find you - I'd gladly give up all I got - To catch you I'm gonna run and never stop

I'd pay any price just to win you - Surrender my good life for bad - To find you I'm gonna drown an unsung man

I'd call that a bargain - The best I ever had - The best I ever had

I sit looking 'round - I look at my face inm the mirror -I know I'm worth nothing without you
And like one and one don't make two - One and one make one

And I'm looking for that free ride to me - I'm looking for you

I'd gladly lose me to find you - I'd gladly give up all I got - To catch you I'm gonna run and never stop

I'd pay any price just to win you - Surrender my good life for bad
To find you I'm gonna drown an unsung man

I'd call that a bargain The best I ever had - The best I ever had
THE WHO lyrics for the song = Bargain [link]


@@ I hope you enjoy my feature of Yummy ZEN nuggets (Thought provoking sayings & Mental food)@@

I pose this thought, if you dont laugh are your really living?? LOL I think not!

Here is a funny I enjoyed. Please note, I hope not to offend anyone, It is not meant as a racist or prejudice statement. That is hurtful and not my way.

Due to the climate of political correctness now pervading America , Kentuckians, Tennesseans and West Virginians will no longer be referred to as 'HILLBILLIES.'
You must now refer to them as APPALACHIAN-AMERICANS -
And furthermore
1. She is not a 'BABE' or a 'CHICK' - She is a BREASTED AMERICAN.'
2. She is not 'Easy' - She is 'HORIZONTALLY ACCESSIBLE.'
3. She is not a 'DUMB BLONDE' - She is a 'LIGHT-HAIRED DETOUR OFF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY.'
4. She has not 'BEEN AROUND' - She is a PREVIOUSLY-ENJOYED COMPANION.
5. She does not 'NAG' you - She becomes ' VERBALLY REPETITIVE.'
6. She is not a 'TWO-BIT Hooker' She is a ' LOW COST PROVIDER.'

HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT MEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:
1. He does not have a 'BEER GUT' He has developed a 'LIQUID GRAIN STORAGE FACILITY.' 2. He is not a 'BAD DANCER' - He is ' OVERLY CAUCASIAN..'
3. He does not 'GET LOST ALL THE TIME' - He ' INVESTIGATES ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS.'
4. He is not 'BALDING' - He is in 'FOLLICLE Recession.'
5. He does not act like a 'TOTAL A@# ' - He develops a case of RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION.'
6. It's not his 'CRACK' you see hanging out of his pants - It's 'REAR CLEAVAGE.'

o Carpe diem is a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace. It is popularly translated "seize the day". The definition of carpe is "pick, pluck, pluck off, gather" as in plucking or picking a rose or apple, although Horace uses the word in the sense of "enjoy, make use of, seize.

The most common interpretation of the phrase is making the most of current opportunities because life is short and time is fleeting. Your life is the sum of your moments and what you do with them. What is your life made of? I challenge you to understand and re think things. Carpe diem LIVE LIFE, Grab its passion drive your destiny, focus on your dreams and grab hold your wishes. [link]





o The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. unknown
o Assume nothing explain everything ~ ZA original

o To Assume is usually is your first mistake. Clarify, verify and remove assumption. A much better approach to business and life. ~ ZA original

o Structured Randomness is an interesting oxymoron that I made up many years ago. Years ago i did Aquarium design. I enjoyed setting up the plants, rock formations and structures to look natural, beautiful, & functional. Structured Randomness the art of purposely arranging a functional design in order to look random yet natural. ~ ZenAkita original

o Flowers are natures SMILE. ~ ZA Original
o "Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen." Mark Twain.

o your life is the sum of your moments & what you do with them. ~ unknown

o Goals they are "LIFE's" Shopping list. ~ ZA Original

o Civilization is the encouragement of differences. - Gandhi

o Change isn’t good or bad. It’s simply what you make of it. ~ ZA Original

o Today I watched my 11 month old son and I realized what beautiful is. Not the way you think though. I watched my smiling son who who loves to flirt, when I saw and recognized the face of pure beauty. My son flirts equally with blacks, whites, greens, middle eastern, Asian, overweight, skinny girls. Girls, He is gravitated to your smile, kind spirit, inner beauty and my point......... your face of any race. I found true beauty in his ability to be color blind and see only people. That my friends is beautiful. Please take this lesion from my son and teach color blindness in all your actions.

o the battle for your tomorrow starts today. There’s no fate but what we make for ourselves. Sarah Connor ~ Terminator

o Great adoption thought from thegratefulred People ask me all the time if I ever met my real parents. I'm like DUHHHH, I've lived with them my whole life! "Real" is where your heart is, not always where you DNA lies. "NOT FLESH OF MY FLESH, NOR BONE OF MY BONE BUT STILL MIRACULOUSLY MY OWN. NEVER FORGET, NOT FOR A SINGLE MINUTE, YOU DIDN'T GROW UNDER MY HEART BUT IN IT"


o Great thought from an amazing artist JamesBrey
I like to believe that much of any great model's illusive beauty is her real self showing in the images. We tend to think of a model as simply a 3D object that reflects light in pleasing ways. I don't buy that, I think that facial expressions, poses, tiny inflections from the eyes and mouth give us glimpses of the real woman. A woman who possesses real beauty on the inside makes the most amazing model, because images reveal more than light reflected. ~ James ((I have to agree sexy is an attitude & the emotions that a person wears on them))

o Family is those who share our hearts and are inside the circle of our lives. I find that blood is only one way to define "FAMILY". ZA Original inspired by my friend

o We have heard that every picture tells a story. We also have heard that a picture is worth a thousand words, can we conclude then that a photographer is the greatest understated novelist of the world? ZA Original

o I have found that Money and fame only amplified what was already there. If you seek something you need to look within, if you need something start from within. Quote from Alanis Morissette modified by ZA ~ me

o "Children make you want to start life over." ~ Muhammad Ali from Healzo:

o Things almost always happen for a reason. HOWEVER, The question is whether, when they happen, we will be duly motivated & alert enough to be able to identify the opportunity once it materializes. Maybe… just maybe… it was simply time for your life to take a completely different path. In other words, perhaps life simply has something else in store. To my thinking, it

o always our respective perspectives, attitudes and the choices we make that will most assuredly tell. A quote from a friend and author of The nurse in the delivery room slapped me ~ Once. "D Anthony" << [link] >>

o Sharing the worlds beauty and finding special moments that artistic calling of a photographer. ~ ZenAkita original

o I once heard this thought provoking concept about Christianity. (( If your not familiar with some of its fundamentals there is a basic premise that you should outwardly profess your faith and confess with your mouth that JC the master carpenter is your lord. )) So that being said, If you were on trial for being a christian. Would there be enough evidence to convict you? Think about it a minute. interesting thought!

o As you may know my son is adopted, his mother had chosen to abort him but she reconsidered. The joy I know every day reminds me of the great choice she made. "Chosen to love.........Adoption: its about choice its about Love.
Support adoption ~ Please Choose life

o If you want to curse, use your own name. --God Great quote from: waterbender-1-8-9

o our scars have the power to remind us the past was real. Hannibal Lecter

o Zen thought for the day. If the optimist sees the glass 1/2 full and the Pessimist sees this as 1/2 empty then can’t the optimist just grab the pessimist’s glass and have a full glass? Heck the Pessimist will complain either way right?? ~ ZenAkita original


o Peace is not only a state of mind its diplomacy of the mouth. Know when to speak and when to speak silence ~ ZenAkita original

o If you must shoot something grab a camera ~ ZenAkita original

o photo is what a camera does, photography is where the art starts. ~ ZenAkita original

o Just because you cant do Everthing, doesnt mean you shouldnt do something. Big Ideas for a small planet Sundance channel.

o they dont offer words for a moment that amazing but that is why God made the smile ~ ZenAkita original

o You can't explore new oceans if you're afraid to leave the shore. quote from devikadesilva

o What is beauty? none of us look Perfect, but perfect isn’t beautiful, the subtle flaws each of us have offer our distinct beauty and individuality. Cindy Crawford’s obvious flaw on her face is an ugly mole, that sure didn’t hurt her career. Cindy is beautiful flaws and all. ! ZenAkita original

o "I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine." -- Bruce Lee, Thx Alice

o Action without thought often leaves you in a place you didn’t want to be.

o Greatness is not one thing you do. Rather it’s the sum off all the little things and their momentum

o A good idea that’s not exercised will in turn become a bad idea. Act now. ~ ZenAkita original

o "Imagination is intelligence with an erection." --Victor Hugo From catchme-22

o Wishes are lofty thoughts that inspire. Dreams are wishes with realistic goals.

o Realize your dreams, grab them into reality~ ZenAkita original

o When will people understand that words can cut as sharply as any blade, and that those cuts leave scars upon our souls. Thought provoking wisdom from Alodia/Blackmage


o Great quote from [link] If you photograph in color you show the color of their clothes - if you use black and white, you will show the color of their soul. - Author Unknown

o A wise man once said "NOTHING" I often find saying nothing is a wiser course of action then speaking. ~ ZenAkita original

o Cute-aful (sounds like beautiful) My son is just so cute-aful when he smiles like that.

o Love is at your fingertips, embrace it ~ ZenAkita original

o Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad. ~Author Unknown

o "Only when the last tree has withered, and the last fish caught, and the last river been poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money."... ernieleo

o Pictures freezes the time so the next generation can see what it was like before them, so go out, capture the moment and create history! a quote by Windsfantasy

o The Photographers curse: To always take the photos and never be in them. Will there even be evidence we were here LOL ~ ZenAkita original

o "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." - Japanese proverb

o Live your live as to be Productive Not destructive ~ ZenAkita original

o Trish AKA AcidicGlamour had a great passion link to her boyfriend, LOVE IT and had to share: [link]"our slogan" for each other from that song is Take my hand Let's get famous.]

o It is not our abilitys that show who we really are, Rather it is our choices. Professor Dumbledore from HARRY POTTER

o Timeodd offered a great quote: [link] A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into. ~ Ansel Adams

o Eskimo blue boy: [link] "Words are small are boxes that never encompass reality."

o Great opportunity only comes from great effort and responsibility. ~ ZenAkita original

o Wisdom is product of Time, Mistakes & Experience ~ ZenAkita original

o 2 try is 2 realize failure, do or don’t do (inspired by Yoda)

o results are a direct correlation 2effort ~ ZenAkita original

o 2 b happy, have success, COMMIT 2 do what it takes & you will have your desired result. ~ ZenAkita original

o Remember to take it upon yourself to live life; no one will remind you to do so, Remember to commit to what you want and be satisfied with it. Ultimately it’s important to be happy with what you have chosen. ~ ZenAkita original

o Let the wonder of your blessings overshadow the bad things in your life ~ ZenAkita original

o Realize life’s wonder……………….

o Open your eyes to the beauty before them ~ ZenAkita original.

o Extend your heart to those you love ~ ZenAkita original.

o Realize your dreamz ~ ZenAkita original.

o (my brother said this to me yesterday)Procrastinators Of The World Unite! ...Tomorrow

o Balance between what is work & what your heart needs to smile………. ~ ZenAkita original

o Take time to feel the passion~ ZenAkita original

o Listen and you will hear ~ ZA original

LOVE, embrace it, share it and let it thrive ~ ZA original

o Paint your life with excellence ~ ZA original

o If you leave things to chance then you are accepting the higher chance of failure ~ ZA original


o from a new friend: "You weren't born an original, to die a copy." [link] Little Pretty
• sometimes i like to think i Hopscotch thru live looking to land on the next beautiful ZEN moment ~ ZA original

o Follow your hearts plan, Choose the building block of change and the tool
that builds reality. Choose your dreams!! ~ ZA original

o A picture is a moment in time, that moment is preserved along with its memory in that picture. This is the magic of photography. ~ ZA original

o All that is good or bad in life starts with one thing ~ YOUR CHOICE ~ ZA original
o The ultimate key to EVERYTHING is one word. There is one word that will give u everything and unlock every door. CHOICE.
It all boils down to Choice. If you decide what you want, create a plan with goals and -----> CHOOSE the actions that it takes to get there you will find yourself at your chosen place.
Ya I know its not that simple, but with a plan and goals you never loose sight of where you are &where you are going for they R your road map. To choice! Choose to win, choose your dreams & plan to accomplish them. ~ ZA original

o Prospectively deficient ~ a crazy concept i came up with. Its about a person that is missing there perspective that anyone around them exists and there focus is so missing the ability to see anyone elsesneeds or concerns. A prospectively deficient person would rarely yield, hold a door for anyone or even respond to a hi when you speak to them. Im sure many of us see too many of these people. Well know u can use the Zen Akita Sniglet like concept. And If your like this at all, I say to you "DONT BE THAT GUY"

o To appreciate HOT you need to feel cold, to know normal you need to see extreme. To know what dark is you have to see the light. The contrasting elements of the world help us to appreciate all the building blocks the whole picture. I do agree its not always easy or desirable to see the ugly, but it does help to understand the beauty of people and all things. ~ ZA original

o Chris Weeks: [link] i'm firmly convinced that photographers are painters with ADD.

o Bobby @ KnightDigital [link] reminded me of a epic thought from, Ben Franklin: "They that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

o friends are lifes way of telling the tale of your success ~ ZA original

o A dream is a lofty goal that makes fuels our creative passions. ~ ZA original
o "The sky is a never-ending photo opportunity" Akai-Shot

o OceanStarr says: Some days you look out the window and see the mountains. Some days you see the dirt on the glass.

o Laughter is life, if you are not laughing often, ask yourself are you truly living. Even the medical community agrees laughter is good 4 U. ~ ZA original

o *Eowyn831 shared some great quotes I wanted to post for everyone to
read: "The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams" - anon
o *Eowyn831 "Never miss a chance to tell someone you love them...for it is
better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."...the second
half is from someone famous, but I mod with the first half.
o Balance its about priorities, choose to meet your goals ~ ZA original
o In life I have found PERCEPTION doesn’t always tell a truthful tale. So I
encourage everyone to think things thru, never let your mind be told what
to think. Free your mind! Red Pill or Blue pill, Its your CHOICE!
~ ZA original
o Bosniak suggests: " Please re-install your mind and press any key " I
o I would also like to suggest if you cant find your "ANY Key" please step out of
the gene pool and unplug the power cord for our safety. ~ ZA original
o KNOW THIS: Its better to focus on the right thing.........in both life and in
photography ~ ZA original
o "Choice" is the key to success & a"Plan" is the road map to reach it, Choose
success &make plan to get there. ~ ZA original
o Its not the strongest of species that survives or the most intelligent but the one
most responsive to change “Charles Darwin”
o "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all
day." ~Mary Ann, Age 4 Brought to me by Stormy Blue eyez

o (paraphrase of earlier one from me)Bad things can have good
results
o Be proactive strive to find the opportunities hidden in plain sight all
around you!! ~ ZA original
o Vision is not something you need your eyes to see.
However, you do need to actively look to see. ~ ZA original
o Art is not what you see but what you make others see." Edgar Degas, French artist (1834-1917) Thanks RJCarroll for that quote:
o eskimoblueboy shares a great quote:Alan Watts says in Latin, Ex nihilo nihil fit. which means:"out of nothing comes nothing [link]
o Winston Churchill "The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences."
o Don’t procrastinate until tomorrow when tomorrow will not
come..........you did not prepare. Global warming, It is the time to react was
yesterday. ~ ZA original
o Accomplishment without acknowledgment is like winning a race with no spectators. ~ ZA original
o A 19 y/o cousin and a friends father have passed recently. I had this thought, what words can I say to them at a time like this?? Here is thought I had: " there are no words made for moments like this..........but that is what friends and family are for" So I leave u with that thought where words leave off thats where love picks up. At times like these my prayers are always the same "God when the angry and confused and grieving come to you and shout WHY or look @ u with emotional intensity and speak to you GOD, I pray you answer them and they hear you with clarity. ~ ZA original
o This evening as I’m trying to finish my work day and as I watch other corporate
rats run long hours in the maze......... i had a funny thought: what if my life
got the ERROR............... WARNING your "GET_A_LIFE_FUNCTION" has
returned an unrecoverable error, please cut your connection to work and
reboot your evening. ~ ZA original

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
@Now and ZEN ~ Simple, minimal, Balanced / ZEN Art

Zen & Conceptual shots from my camera:














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7 Zen Principles that Konijntje tries to convey through photography: [link]
1. Fukinsei - Asymmetry
2. Kanso - Simplicity
3. Koko - Austerity
4. Shizen - Naturalness
5. Yugen - Subtle Profundity
6. Datsuzoku - Freedom From Worldly Attachments
7. Seijaku - Silence

What is the Yin Yang? To me its a charge and a realization that extremes are not the key. Power, wealth, lust, to much not enough are all extremes. Instead its the balance and flow of things knowing one is part of the other and to stand true to yourself. During the fierce storm the rain it will balance and give birth to new things. [link] and [link]


a thought i shared with a friend. Here is my take on Art. Luciano Pavarotti was an artist, I hate opera but I am very clear he is a gifted artist. You do not have to love that specific kind of art to recognize it as art.

If your heart loves art then your eyes or ears should be able to objectivly say that is art, i just dont like it. I hate horror art but on some level I can see some as art. there is a difference in porn pix and what you do. If someone says you do porn then clearly they dont love art. Jenna Jamison is a porn star not an artist. Mike, you are an artist, like u or not you are still an artist. ~ photo is what a camera does, photography is where the art starts.