26 January 2016 A new Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) report released last week is a chilling warning of the accelerating preparations of the United States for war with China—…
Born in 1987 in Karaj, Iran, Neda Taiyebi received her B.A. in Painting from Art University of Tehran in 2011. Since then her focus has been on painting, drawing, sketching and experimenting with different techniques and various materials to produce works that emphasize color, movement and energy. In a recent series entitled “Tank Art” she […]
During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived – everyone except the Zen master. Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master was. When he wasn’t treated with the deference and submissiveness to which he was accustomed, the general burst into anger.
“You fool,” he shouted as he reached for his sword, “don’t you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!”
But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved. “And do you realize,” the master replied calmly, “that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?”
“”Happy are those who do not fear death. They know no fear and therefore cannot be controlled.”
Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily, once ones body and mind are at peace; they should imagine being ripped apart by arrows, swords, and spears.
Being thrown off thousand foot cliffs, dying of disease, or commuting seppuku at the deaths of one’s master.
One should consider themselves as dead..
-Hagakure
Why should I be afraid to face anything, death….
Here and now I stand strong as myrtle trees. In depth in the substance of the way.
Although tyrant treachery stands to my face clutching weapons; I have nothing to hide nor fear… with weapons of my own.
Do not attest to who and what I am before I eclipse your mind into the nothingness in which we came from.
You cannot acclimate to this level of which you I fear not; devil in the midst, you make me laugh as I draw my sword.
Like an olden tax collector in Roman times you harass the poor and underprivileged. You disgrace the city we worked so hard to rise.
I didn’t know it was tax collection day….
I cut you down at dawn and watch the sunrise twinkle in your pool of blood, wiping my blade on your Babylonian uniform.
Bowing unto your rotting flesh.
-Nina
-Lotus in the Mud- Street Art, Poetry & The Inner Bodhisattva
GoodnightNina. 
You must be logged in to post a comment.