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When we
ran out of ideas, what can we do? Take a break and take a deep breath. There
are various ways to do it, for example going somewhere or listening to music,
basically to find solitude. The latter tends to be hard for people
residing in the cities, with fast-paced lifestyle, and the business of all the
people around them. Then, many people believe that nature is a good solution to
it, and so they make gardens and parks alongside skyscrapers in the midst of
the town. The Japanese also
hold on to that belief, and this can be fulfilled by staying in a Zen garden. It
is a type of dry rock garden, filled with only rocks and sands arranged
aesthetically in a motion of water ripples without the addition of actual
water. Actually, it is seen more for its
aesthetic values compare to its function, even though originally coming from Buddhist religion who believes that
solitude is the start of a peaceful mind, thus they used it as an area for
contemplation. We have to see through the philosophical meanings of it, so that
the reason of why it is being specified as an art is revealed, and we can see
it through three aspects; the arrangement, the colors, and the type which is a
dry garden. Zen Garden is the answer for urban people to not only gain
solitude, but also an art that is enticing to both mind and eye.
To start with, Zen garden is being
portrayed as the representation of the natural world. Since this is a dry type
of garden, there are some must-items to be displayed so that it can be called
as a Zen garden; light grey sands, black/dark grey rocks in large or medium
sizes, and a little bit of green grass neatly cut and shaped. The rocks are
portrayed as mountains, the neat grass as the island, and the sands covering
all the open area in between them are the water of the ocean. The placement of everything
was undergoing the process of philosophical ideas, where even one crooked side of
a rock could mean the unbalance aspect of life. The sand is often shaped
circled around the rock in a water motion-pattern, to balance the natural
character where the sands were supposed to be solid, but also showing its
dynamic characteristics. Looking at a Zen garden can become a self-reflection
of our surroundings in life.
Second, the colors of Zen Garden are
already effective to calm its visitors. The color of light gray sands and black
rocks mixed perfectly like a gradation, Yin
and Yang alike, but with a hint
of green grass. J. A.
Young and
Rachel
Klein, gardening expertise, stated that “Yin is dark and feminine; Yang is light and masculine. They are
night and day; they are opposite sides of a coin; both are necessary to make up
a whole. A Zen garden aims to incorporate many Yin and Yang features
into the garden.” The
use of calm colors; grey and black, with a fresh green on some corners, is easy
for our eyes to adjust to in the most natural way.
Third, the nonexistent of water meant to
help gaining complete silence of the mind. Rather than using water like other
usual gardens, the Buddhist believes that meditating and shutting our mind from
the outside world tends to be more successful in gaining the peacefulness of a
mind. This is one of the reasons why there shouldn’t be any growing plants in a
Zen garden, but only neatly-shaped grass, assuming the wind may shake the
leaves and make sounds. But apparently, in some modern Zen garden this aspect
is being neglected, where the addition of small fountains and growing plants
are found, which depends on the person’s preference. After all, seeking
solitude is a matter of, and for, our inner self.
Overall, to blend with nature and gain
solitude is not so hard for people living in the middle of big cities. There
are a few things that we can find in a Zen garden; the aesthetic form of neat
and balanced mixed of rocks and sand, with the philosophical meanings which
reflects our life, its contrast yet calming colors to our eyes, plus the sound
of our own hearts. All of these aspects of a Zen garden will put our mind at
ease, and start living again.
References:
N, N. (2009). What
is a Zen Garden?. Retrieved from http://ohmyapt.apartmentratings.com/what-is-a-zen-garden.html
Young & Klein. (2016). Elements
of a Zen Garden. Retrieved from http://www.doityourself.com/stry/zengardenelements
My
Writing Process to “Zen Garden:
An Art to Gain Solitude”
Ideas often come like lightning,
suddenly, yet momentarily. In my case, that sudden ideas was mixed with personal
feeling. People say that you will do best by doing what you can and also love, and I could totally relate to that
saying. The idea of writing an explanatory about Zen garden came because I fell
in love with a character from a game, named Zen. Whenever I came to anything
called Zen, I cannot help but felt content, and so I decided to write about Zen
garden.
Rather than the first task, which was
about personal response essay, I liked this one better and find a joy in
writing it. So, when I found myself finished writing, I felt a sense a relief.
All I am worry about was whether the meaning that I try to convey will get
through or not.
Maybe because we have did it many times,
I did not feel anything when my friends were reading my draft and commenting on
the back of the paper. I knew that whatever they wrote would bring the best of my
writing, something that an online corrector and editor could not mention.
When I saw my friends’ writing, I was
amazed. It seemed that my friends also wrote what they consider as interesting
to them. There are some topics that did not seems academic, but apparently they
successful in writing through an academic perspective. All I could say is “Good
job”.
At first, I was embarrassed to know that
my essay will be discussed in the front of the class. But apparently,
everything went smooth. There were some corrections and additions that I have
to work on, but it is good that everyone could learn from others’ mistakes.
Overall, I had a great time in
writing this expository essay. It all might start from personal reasons, until
finally ended with learn together with my classmates.