The next exhibit I wandered across at the Forbidden Gardens was a miniature town called Calming of the Heat.
It was an entire little village, set among the mountains and rivers, in tiny size. People and architecture were modeled in a disarming mix of realism and tragedy.
Like most of the other exhibits, the quasi-disarray of the scene added a sense of drama and trauma to the peek into the daily lives.
But the water was still flowing & something about the soothing melody of bubbling falls brought a sense of peace and serenity to the scene.
Much like a gorgeous movie, standing outside these masterpieces made me want to be there- to actually take it all in myself and watch the scene unfold around me in real-time, full-size.
The broken doors & crumbling pieces added drama to the scene & reminded me that all of our world are slowly crumbling down around us day in and day out but at such a slow pace that it’s hardly discernible above the everyday noise of life.
In the past few weeks since I’ve been doing yoga, the phrase “calming of the heart” had taken on special meaning, especially calming of the mind. I need to slow down. I need to simplify. I need to focus. I need to be present in this moment. I need to let go of worry. I need to relax.
This broken bridge looked like a scene unfolding from a movie where a distraught lover was about to throw herself down int the murky waters below.
On my favorite exhibit, the central pagoda was my favorite building. A place for people to gather, a place for an exchange of news and ideas, a place to forge relationships and history together, a place to connect with each other. There’s nothing really like it in our modern day culture & I’m sad that there is no calming of the heart in our communities as we become invested in each others’ lives.
GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: Headed out in Baltimore to the waterfront today after class to do some sightseeing.
[...] various updates on the status of the Forbidden Gardens- namely that the terra cotta warriors and various pieces were being sold on Craigslist and to local collectors. I’m deeply saddened that this [...]