Hut Albireo in YASHIGA-MINE

Gosh, I found the Web-site and a photo of the Hut Albireo （八子ヶ峰ヒュッテ，アルビレオ）

(When I searched in English before, I couldn’t find —– I got Japanese typing program only few years ago )

Hut Albireo (its name from a star in the Cygnus )  was a sister Hut of a mountain shelter Takami-ishi Goya (高見石小屋) in Kita-Yatsu-ga-take（北八ヶ岳）, in japan.

—– (Until now I didn’t reveal the name of the mountain shelter I talked, because of my stories often goes too far, I thought, unless the people can verify it with the first-hand independent source, I didn’t like to do name-dropping).

[]Both Takami-ishi Goya and Hut Albireo were originally built by Mr. Satta but later they were taken over by the another hotel, Honzawa-Onsen.  And the Hut Albireo was bought by one of keeper, Mr.Kaji who was the chief volunteer of us.  In fact it was in a financial mess  we keepers were involved in a nightmare as Mr.Satta lost a lots of money in betting.   (Not very mountain like peaceful stories  🙂 )

( So, I learned a man’s life’s up and down entwined with a silly money affair, rather early stages of my life, fortunately or unfortunately. —– Since I hate money and gamble  :-D)

[] To build the Hut Albireo, we keepers were also worked hard from digging the ground works, to carry-up the building materials  (all worked for free though  😀 )  —– coming to the age of stock takings of the life, and looking back to those life I spent in the mountain (from 15 years to 27 years), I convinced that it formed my base of  Zen Buddhism.

In fact, I’ve learned the Buddhism in hardest way in the harshest condition   😀 After all, the matter is just do the work regardless even if it is for others. =  No Ego required.  So, I’m very grateful I did it.  Ha ha ha  😀  —– (Such as a work in a building site in Okinawa while I was a drifter, the work in 30 m high was not too high for a rock climber, and the work was paid ! = In comparison to the unpaid work, such as carrying  the 50 kg of fire log 20 times everyday (its mean one ton everyday and continued one week ) any other work is easier =  who complains =only thankful to be alive = this must be the best lesson and the contemplation for one’s life.  Ha ha ha  😀 )

[] So that, to find the Hut Albireo is still there, and the same owner Mr.Kaji is still alive, was the greatest news to me.  (He was the keeper who carried 15 ton of log together every year. — the question is whether he became a Zen Buddhist or not  ? ) = I need to phone him ! —– Since then, what I found through phone was a bit spooky story that the volunteers, worked together with us (me and Mr.Kaji) around the same time, me and Mr.Kaji are the only surviving member now = rest of 5 were all dead.  What ? ? ? —– (I don’t miss them. Any how they didn’t work for cutting log, or carrying up the food staff = all the heavy work. — They did just disappeared.  😀 )

( Incidentally, when I had my wedding, the Ceremony was conducted in the Shinto Shirline  Suwa-taisha (諏訪大社) and we had wedding party in this very Hut = it was my biggest folly of my whole life.   😀 ) 

［］

Being Natural or Be Artful Perfection — Which is Zen ?

—— Left Mug is the one I’m using now.  Right is the one I brought from Japan 33 years ago

and served me till 1992 and since it got hole on the bottom, it became a pen stand  🙂

Once, my tea drinking was a kind of Art = as I’ve been drinking 1.5 ~ 2 liters

(3 ~ 4 pints) of tea everyday, to make it, was not just a daily routine, it was

a refined flow of the action.

To begin with, the way to put a water into a kettle ~ ~ ~ to pour the tea into a cup then

drop one or two slices of the lemon etc etc.

As all the actions has been repeated everyday (I don’t know how many thousands times

I did ) naturally each action has been rationalized to the most efficient smooth manner.

So that, once a person who observed this process summed up, “It’s formalized to the

almost tea ceremony like process isn’t it”. Of cause, it was not intended to be a ceremony

but just doing it in quickest and smoothest way. As it is always the same action, it has

no dither or need any thinking, let alone any emotion.

May be this is the way what Master Dogen (道元 / Founder of the Soto-Zen)

has taught = to become perfect to be “who I am and what I’m doing”.

(= Nobody else.  Nothing else = this is what Mindfulness meant !)

[]

Sound so far so good isn’t it ?   But wait a moment —– ?

To be “WHO I am” = the very one who has been born under own Karma, hence grown-up

according to the occurrences given next by next.

The result is the only one, “me” = To be my own is nothing but to be Natural

(but not necessary perfect), still, “to be perfect” mean the person has to be

refined to be pure = eliminate all the imperfection and the foreign substance

(imported idea or pretense).

This is quite an artful existence isn’t it ? ? ?

[]

Making and drinking my tea, I’ve refined its process to the art level though, one-day in

the last Summer, I couldn’t bother to make a tea as I was too thirsty, instead

I just filled my cup with a tap-water and a slice of lemon. ————

Since then, I stop to make a tea but just drink a tap-water. (I don’t buy any bottled drink).

—- Am I lost an art and the mindfulness, while becoming lazy ?

OR, was that an Enlightenment ? —– Good, good question 🙂

To drink a water instead of tea —– It is obvious, which is simpler and natural.

[]

Tea-making started in the Rinzai Zen temple as Master Yousai (栄西) brought it from China.

Hence, Tea-making is a part of Zen teachings. In comparison, Soto Zen tend to remain much

humble and simple. ( = So that, I’m a simple poor man 😀 )

Therefore, isn’t it to drink water instead of Tea, is more Soto Zen ?

Not lazy isn’t it ?

[]

My answer is = I don’t care. As long as something to sip in the cup, it’s enough.

(with its consequence to drink 2 litres of water and going to a toilet every 2 hours =

flushing out any toxins in the body = no need to have doctor or any medicine

—– it may be true :-))

As I don’t need to bother buying tea any more, this is even more peaceful Life and the Mind.

(and cost less 😀 ) —– After all, I don’t think I was born for tea making.

This is my Zen as I’m nobody else of simple yoshizen 😀

[]

In fact, here lies very interesting question.

The ideal early Buddhists were the one who forsaken all the ordinary life to

pursuit Enlightenment, namely Bhikku and Arakhan though, the Buddhism

took the direction to more inclusive Mahayana = while living in the ordinary

life, still maintaining the Mind-set to be a Buddhist = more Natural life style.

My position is, the matter is not a superficial life style but the Mind-set since

the  Mind-set such as Mushin, Ichijo, Mindfulness , Selflessness are naturally

in our subconsciousness, in other words Natural Life-style is not a hindrance

to achieve its refinement, ultimately to reach Enlightenment.

(By the way, me doing something utterly useless, is for fun = Do something on

the hand and creating something new with good laugh is better than just

being passive, such as watching TV or Inter-netting.  😀 )

___/\___

[]

Capricorns Ball

Last night, there was a party [Capricorns Ball] held in a Pub in Brixton.  In fact this party

started as a birthday party of the Capricorn people among the staffs or ex-staffs of the

Fridge Night Club,  and as a regular I was invited every year —– in the past 15 years or so !

May be an excuse to get together and get drank or annual reunion of the people who had

their youth in the Club  (I mean, while working —– I was only dancing though)   😀

And all the photos here were intended for the guest to download and copy,  if they want.

It’s nice to see the old faces, even though everybody is getting a bit older and having

different kind of life. (It’s really amazing, I acquainted many of them 20 years ago ! ! ! )

As a party in a pub,  Pub-quiz is in a menu—– this time, about the Capricorns  🙂

( I didn’t know our Emperor, I mean Japanese, is also Capricorns.)

And a birthday cake  🙂

The top two Quiz winner received Trophy = they are ecstatic with a joy  😀 

The each candle on the cake was blown by each Capricorns one by one.

Then, live gig. (Not necessary my kind of music —– still it’s OK )

I think it’s a nice photo !  (or, at least they think I’m a nice man. —– mind you, the camera

was only 10″  away from their faces)

The Capricorn Short cake was made by a young lady and the piece here said to be an

art installation created by another young lady = happen to be a Japanese though, too

young to know what the Fridge Club was  😀

This is not intended for a self portrait but a demonstration of how the lighting of those

photos were done. (Hand aimed bounce lighting).  By the way, something hang  from my

neck is one of my Disco Pendant = Sound-activated Flashing Pendant, I made 20 years ago

and been used in the Club almost every week. (I’ll talk about this design, in here soon)

Then, let’s dance  🙂

Despite the London having quite a snow and pretty cold though, number of people turned up. 

And it was a fabulous joyful night. 

Thanks to the Ex-Fridge Capricorns, work hard to organize this.

[]

Sushi Party

Me and the Artists friends, who also being involved in education, training program to the

disadvantaged people had a Sushi Party at a flat where those two are living.  I prepared some

in my place and brought up to their flat. —– I used to have a Sushi party in my place though,

my flat runs out of the space to receive the guests  😀 —– Preparation for Temaki Sushi is just

cut the material to a stick shape, other than the shoppings  🙂  —– So, cutting is very easy, but

the hardest part I always found was = to get the best Avocado, = matured still not too soft  😀

(So, all the ingredients were prepared and cut into a stick shape for roll-up.

Photo left = Cucumber, Seafood Stick and the front three were  Cooked Kombu (Kelp seaweed),

Cooked fried Tofu ( Soybean Curd) and Cooked Shiitake mushroom = those three were

boiled together in one hour or so, then Soy-sauce, a bit of sugar, vinegar were added = they

were the improvisation and the substitute  of cooked Japanese Kanpyo (Dried Marlow) = as

Kombu and the Shiitake act as Dashi (taste base) no other Dashi was needed.

Photo middle = Salmon and front left was a substitute of Shime Saba (marinated Mackerel)

= Herring Rollmop and dark colored one was Tuna.

Photo right = Avocado, Cucumber and the front = Flied Egg and the Cheddar Cheese. )

So, I did some cooking and brought those to their flat in a big logistic operation and 

I made famous Miso soup as well.  😉

To cook Sushi-rice to ideal condition is the most tricky part of Sushi making = Rice had to be

washed and soaked in the water over-night though, bring a big pan with soaked rice in water is

too awkward = so, next day, I drained the water and measured its amount ( for five or six people

I put 3 cups ( 1 cup = 250 ml ) of rice into a pan, and after washed, the water was completely

drained, then I put 4 cups of water for over-night soaking.    Next day the water I drained was 

3.5  cup = so, I added back the same amount of water in their kitchen,  then put it on fire.

= When the rice started to boil vigorously,  put the fire down to very small, and made it to

shimmer another 10 minutes. 

Then change the cooked rice to a big bowl and let it cool down, and to add the Vinegar and

Sugar though this time I mixed the rice with Sushi Powder.  (Sushi powder was made with

dried vinegar hence it prevent the rice become soggy —– but I found, it was a bit too sweet) 

Photo middle was prepared Prawn for Nigiri Sushi (My friend Alberto was very keen to it  🙂 )

[]

Temaki Sushi is, to take some amount of rice on a piece of  Nori (1/4 cut of the Nori sheet) then

put any ingredient(S) which was dripped in the Soy-sorce with Wasabi — then role it and eat  🙂

—–Every body try to use chop-stick  (it was not obligatory though  😀 ) some were well

managed but some were not.  As sushi has been well adapted in the west, the matter to cook it

by ourself is, where to get material or how improvised. = Instead to stick with traditional

ingredients, such as use of Avocado was  invented in California — may be use Herring Rollmop

was my invention still they quite liked it   🙂 

The party was a good success as everybody eat to the full or even over   😀

(Second round was requested )

[]

PARADOX in seeking the ZEN

 

I wrote in previous post, to reach Zen, how it is crucial to block the Emotion.

[]

Though, Zen or Buddhism in general, it is a strange maze of the Paradox =

the more you try to see it, you can’t see.   The harder you put the effort,

you can’t achieve. (—– I think, I wrote the same subject before, while using a metaphor

“You can’t run, as long as you got legs” 😀 )

This trouble is, all comes down to the existence of the Emotion or Emotional thinking.

Because of the strong intention or will is always accompanied by the strong

Emotion. The more you are serious, the more your mind is stack to the subject

though, ironically, the art of Zen is how to make you detached from the subject.

—– You can’t detach yourself from the subject when you are studying it —–

you may say.

(If you ever read the book of Zen Mondo / Koan, then if you read it again while this paradox

in mind, you will see the point, or it will make sense in each answer.

= They are in the matter of this paradox.)

[]

So that, there is a trouble to understand such as “what the Mindfulness is” =

the harder you try to be Mindful = you are falling into a Clu-de-sak or strays away to nowhere

because of your mind = Emotion is just stack to the subject. Emotion blinding You !

—– There is nothing else but the subject, and you can see it clear detached eyes.

= This IS Mindfulness. = because of your eyes are detached from your Emotion, there

couldn’t be any wishful thinking or a greed to succeed etc kind of destructive rubbish = you can

see the true nature of the subject. = therefore you can do the perfect job, hence you will succeed.

This state of mind, detached from the subject, = as there is no Emotional

attachment, hence the mind is blank but only eyes are gazing at =

This is Mushin and in Selflessness = This IS Mindfulness.

Why Selfless here ?  Because, only eyes and the subject are here.  Not your Mind.

[]

Sound easy ? —– or you may utterly bemused, how to do ? How far to be detached 😀

Because of this confusion, ancient Buddhists invented [Middle Way] 2,000 years ago.

While saying “Not too close, still not too far” — Because, they themselves haven’t experienced

real Mushin 😀

= It seems, the vast number of Mantra Authors are not necessary understood the Buddhism.

= That was why so many fancy stories of it was added to the original teachings to cover-up  😀

(Good in writing is not necessary knowing the subject 😀 = The Monks are familiar with sitting

in the temple, but they may not be any expert of DOING something — this is a reason why the

Zen was invented = Zen put an emphasis to DO something and prohibit Thinking)

[]

When you DO something, subject is very front of your eyes.

If it was cutting a lemon, lemon and a knife are there. —– So, just cut it. You don’t need to think

anything else.  After cutting 10 lemons, 100 lemons, (what to do those mountain of lemon slices =

may be better make Marmalade and use one or two for a cup of tea 😀   Or if you are short of

money, cut potatoes instead and make crisps ? —– though, I don’t like to use oil )  you will

run-out anything to think about (NO Thinking) = you will cut it almost like an

automatic machine (NO Emotion),  hence your eyes sees nothing else of Lemon

and the Knife = this is the Mindfulness.   And the brain is in the state of Mushin.

Then, applying this eyes and the Mind-set to see other things in the Life.

By actually DO something, there is NO PARADOX (Paradox is created in the

Emotional Thinking = such as Intention, Will, Gain / Loss Calculation, etc etc =

not exists in Doing )  —– This is the ZEN.

( So, it is a great mystery, what the people is doing while sitting and doing

so-called meditation ?  😀  😀 ) 

___/\___

[]

Cooking Daikon ( Japanese / Chinese White Radish )

Daikon (大根 in Japanese) is a sister of Radish (yes, that red small one) or Swede and  hey are all in the same  Brassicaceae  family, hence having the same four-petals flower like Rape flower (but Daikon’s flower is in pale violet to white = in fact pretty pretty, innocent looked flower  🙂 )

Despite it is one of the most common root vegetable in Japan (also in China = Japan is exporting its shredded and dried products to China hundreds of thousands of tons every year) when I came to England, it was not in greengrocer’s  (yet, French calls it as Molly and eat a lots though, theirs having black skin and as big as Japanese one  (up to 4″ or 10 cm diameter = hence, it resembles girl’s leg with black tights = so, to see it in the piled-up mountain in St’ Michelle market in Paris, it looked very sexy  😀 )

(In Japan, call a girl “Daikon ashi” (Daikon leg) is a worst insult 😉 )

Even though Daikon is so popular and ubiquitous though, you may not see them in a restaurant menu —– situation looked the same in French or Chinese, I don’t remember I ever seen this vegetable in their menu, except a very rustic or family kitchen style restaurant, otherwise as a small side-dish to drink Sake = such as I describe hereafter.  🙂

( If you ever seen disc-shaped yellow pickles = Takuan = it is one of the pickled style Daikon though, it may not in an expensive Japanese restaurant  🙂 )

—– So, how Japanese is cooking this vegetable in their kitchen ? 

Daikon is very easy to cook vegetable as its own or with another materials —– It can be eaten  even  raw = grated ( the source to dip Tempra) or finely cut into thread (comes with Sashimi) and often boiled with Octopus or Squid because the Daikon is having a Digestive Enzyme which soften Octopus, on top of many nutrition and vitamins   🙂 

The photo above is  Furo-fuki Daikon ( 風呂吹大根 ) = Daikon was boiled with dashi, that’s all !

 * Boil the Dashi = as the powder, or in a small packet,  or use Dashi Kombu (Kelp sea weed) and a bit of Salt.

* Then put cut Daikon and boil — may be 60 min or so, until it was cooked soft (— it would be disintegrated if it was boiled too long —– still, it will make a nice soup.   🙂  )

Even simpler is Dengaku ( 田楽) = just boil Daikon in a plain water until it was cooked soft.  

* And eat it with a Miso based source  = Miso with small amount of Vinegar and a bit of Sugar, + small amount of Mirin (Japanese Cooking Sake or a bit of wine, White Rum can be used instead )

* For additional flavor — I add few drop of West-Indian Hot-chilly Source, or Wasabi,  Mustard. — When I mixed with Thai Tom-yam-Ku paste = it wasn’t too bad —– any variation you can try and enjoy the taste.  ( If it became too runny with vinegar etc, just add more Miso.   🙂  )

(For Dengaku, you can put many different materials too, such as Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery even Potato. — Japanese use Konnyaku (it’s a funny staff /  Mannan product)  as well. ) —– from here, another popular Japanese cooking called “Oden” is only a step away.  Basically Oden is a cooking of the chopped Daikon and various fish cakes boiled together and pick up of those you like from the pan to your own small dish and eat. (normally with mustard = why mustard is, = since Daikon and Mustard belongs to the same botanical family, their taste mix well, = same as that, Tomato based cooking will mix well with chilli pepper, since they are in the same family) 

—– Now you have seen the key of the Daikon cooking = main seasoning in Furofuki Daikon was in its Dashi, but the Dengaku, it was in the Source.   Still in both cooking, the dominant taste is Daikon itself.

[]

When an Italian guy who seemed to have very good taste bud, first ever eat Daikon and he was very impressed and asked me how to make it.  —– And he was even surprised, why Italian doesn’t have such cooking, despite it is very popular in France. 

( Only a small trouble with eating Daikon is,  it could make you to produce strongest mankind ever know kind of fart, yet still, it was known to be not poisonous = hence, it makes short of health warning.   😀  )

—– Not because of its humble, Minimalistic Zen approach, but simply, it’s so tasty  = So, this is my Festive time eating.  (on top of Temaki-Sushi.   😀  )  

If you haven’t tasted it yet,  I strongly recommend you to try.

___/\___

[]

PS :  I received an Email from my Chinese friend  Sing Lee, the way how to cook it in Chinese style !

<<< (There was the Photos from him though, they have been disappeared — copyright issues ?  —– I don’t know.  What a shame.)

It’s been a quite long time I haven’t visited WordPress, I got some very beautiful photos of azalea flowers in my hometown in May last year, but haven’t got a chance to post them at my blog yet.

 

We cook White Radish(Bai Luo Bo- 白萝卜) at three methods:

 

1) Sliced it in little strips or little bits,  and then stir and cook with pork.

2) Sliced it in large unit, cook and boil with pig’s bone, pettitoes, chicken or duck meat

(boil it about half or one hour).

3) Sliced it in large strips, boil with pig lung (boil it about 1 hour).

Especially during the winter, cook the white radish with pig lung and eat them, it can help people to keep their lungs in a good condition.

[]

>>>  Thank you very much Sing Lee for your great contribution.

[]

SKI

Ski — a news from my friends in Japan =  I received an Email from a friend in Japan who had

first mountain ski (off-piste) in this season.  My friend,  Makoto is one of the younger member

of the Alpine Club of our Uni’ = some years younger than me though,   he is now over 60.

Still,  he has been skiing almost every week on the last winter.

When I was in my Uni’  I was thinking to become a Ski Photographer = I wasn’t too bad in Skiing

as I could ski while holding camera and shooting though, one day, on a very steep slope with ice

where I needed side-slip, then, another photographer was skiing down straight while holding

16 mm cine camera between his knee !    A practicing race skier there said  “He is our club’s

old boy” —–I instantly realized that there is no competition = I gave-up my idea.   

(Later I learned,  Ski photographer doesn’t need to ski like a slalom racer = Go to the best spot on

the course on FOOT and capture the action of each Skier.  Otherwise visiting good ski resort and

making vivid report.   The matter is not a ski skill or top-notch photography but a good relation

with the editor.  In case of advertising photo = it’s all set-up.   😀   😀 )

[]

What I found interesting in Makoto’s latest equipment was,  the advancement of the technology

and the material.  (40 years ago, most of the ski was made by  wood and ski-boots was leather  🙂 )

When I try to re-use broken metal ski, I was pretty impressed by its construction = how 

different materials were stuck together = the technology in Glue = such as non-sticking Teflon

was stacked to the bottom of ski and the artificial rubber (Neoprene) was sandwiched between

High-tensile aluminum — yet, under extreme cold and extreme rough handling (footing ?) and

constant vibration and the bending strain = still, ski doesn’t disintegrate even without having 

rivets, screws or welding to bind them together  !

[]

And the plastic boots (Makoto is using the boots which was designed for walking as well ) is not

a simple PVC = very complexed compounds of plastic = solid enough to firmly attach to the

bindings and soft enough for walking =  above all,  consistent in very wide range of temperature !

(most of plastic become brittle and crack under cold temperature)  

And his boots has Accordion structure !  (See the photo) —– How fascinating  🙂

[]

This year, japan is having quite heavy snow ( Do you know,  their snow is as heavy as 7 m deep,

not just in the mountain area but many Cities and Towns in north-western side of Japan). 

The mountain where Makoto went was only  2 hours drive north of Tokyo. 

Then,  after climbing and  ski down from 2,000 m high top,  having had relaxing hot spring bath,

before drive back to Tokyo —— all done in a day, 14 hours exact  with little expense (They brought

their lunch-box made by their wives )  !  = What an active, healthy life.

—–  As a man,  stack in London,  I really envy them  😀

[]

Is Yoga Religion ?

Is Yoga Religion ?

Is Acupuncture Religion ?

Is Shaolin Kung-fu or Tai-chi Religion ?

– – – how about the Exercise for Rehabilitation to whom got Brain damaged ?

And is Zen Religion ?

[]

If you ever practiced Yoga, you might have heard the theory or story behind of Yoga = how

to get harmony with Nature or even with the Universe = Spiritual aspects of  Yoga.

And you might heard the Acupuncture is based on the ancient Taoism = balance of Yin-Yang

and each points are on the line called Meridian etc etc.

Shaolin Kung-fu came from the same temple where the Zen Buddhism started

= Part of the Buddhism teachings.

And the Tai-chi was based on the teachings of the Taoism = Yin-Yang theory etc etc.

In other words, it has theory though, in practice it doesn’t matter.   It’s nice to

have elaborated theoretical decoration though, the matter is in practice.

Because, it got visible effects and clear physical, mental or even medical function whether

you believe its theory or Myth or not. = They don’t need to be believed. = Just do it.

– – – So, why the Zen was regarded to be a Religion ? ? ?

[]

The difference between Science and the Religion is,

Science stands whether you believe it or not.

So, a paper will burn if you put a fire on it = paper rapidly combines with oxygen, which will

happen regardless whether you know the Science behind or not, or you can see oxygen or not.

But in the Religion, if you believe its theory or blah blah, you will see it exists.

– – – – –

But in the case in Zen practice, most of the people couldn’t understand what the point of doing

it, let alone to see or feel its effect or result.

Twist the leg and meditate AND THINK NOTHING = it is the hardest practice for most of the

people to comprehend.   Added trouble here is, most of the people think the meaning of the

word [Meditation] is somewhat think deep 😀 – – – how to teach [Think nothing, while

thinking deep] 😀  Or to think an answer to a strange question “ without THINKING” 😀

– – – – –

Still, most of the people know, [ Do something simple, can be done without having

any thought = Auto-pilot] – – – Zen should be taught in this approach.

[]

The key in the Zen is, [ To do something “the same”, many many times which

lead the Brain to start ignoring the repeated signal, and process “the same”

WITHOUT THINKING] ! = Done by Subconscious = Mushin.

= with an inherent tendency of the brain = [ BRAIN start the process without

linking the signal to the EMOTION]  = Done in Selflessly.

The EMOTION is the source or generator of the [Mind of Self ] = without linking to the

Emotion, the Brain will process the signal / information / stimulant, almost automatically =

without the Self-interest or EGO = objectively and in the most efficient logical way =

and once the person mastered this Mind-set, the person can use same process to other

subject in general = therefore, able to see the reality and to respond the Life

in the best way without distorted Ego, fear or dithering.

This is the ZEN (the mind  without lingering and having no hindrance, hence

in its at most calmness = in another word [dispassionate] ) – – – in fact,

this is the Enlightenment.

This brain activity / Mind-set  is a clear FACT hence, it is a subject of 

neurological science = you believe or not, Brain is doing it in this way.

[]

Still, so called teacher of Zen is teaching it as a Religion, simply because they don’t know

this Fact and the Brain activity, let alone they have ever experienced it by themselves.

Without effectively able to teach the way to develop the Brain, teacher has to rely on the

mythical story of blah blah to pull a wool on your eyes = if you believe its story, this is

another kind of Zen (“expecting to have enlightened several lives after” kind of fantasy,

while living this life in vegetated states ).

– – – – –

Like Yoga or even the Exercise for a Rehabilitation which works as a physiological function,

regardless any elaborated theory or a mythical story, Zen has to be learned as a

training to the Brain and its Neurological function.

After all, even the invisible mystical activities of the mind are the reflection of

the Brain function = not a mythical Religion.

– – – – –

Zen is a type of the process in the Brain, not a religious belief. And this is what

Lord Buddha has discovered.  This was the reason why he was called Buddha =

Enlightened one, not a divine figure nor prophet = NOT as a religious figure but a great

teacher to the mankind who share the same type of the Brain and the same

tendency of the trouble in the Life.

As you are going to have this kind of the Life, you better have this Mind-set = this was what

Lord Buddha has taught. = His teachings was not for believing but an advice

which will actually works. = because, the Brain IS working in this way.

What Buddhists need is not a Bodhisattva or Maitreya but bit more brighter

teacher who can see how the mind and the brain works.  🙂

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Clean the DUST on the Image-Sensor

In the time of Film Photography, a trouble of DUST was mostly on the film when we

need to make a print.   Other than that, the dust on the lens or in the camera body

doesn’t necessary appeared on the photo. (May increase the halation. And in a rare case,

dust on a film might appeared as a dot or two).

But in the Digital Photography, DUST on the image sensor is a very visible

serious trouble —– and quite often happening.

On the moment of changing the Lens, a DSLR body’s sensitive part is completely open

and exposed = hence, a DUST can get into at any moment.

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A user of Compact Digital Camera may think their camera is perfectly sealed and safe

against the dust though, strangely, the dust can find the way into image sensor =

collapsed lens or Zoom lens are acting as an air-pomp to suck-in the air and the dust.

Once it is in, the dust can only be cleaned by the service engineer, with prohibitively

expensive charge. (Those small cameras were not designed to disassemble and to repair

= as they were assembled by snap fit without using screw = once fit together they are

very difficult to separate without cracking the plastic

= better forget the Dust = take a dust-mark as your own water-mark, otherwise

retouch one by one until you buy new camera  😀 ).

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Having exposed internal guts, DSLR (and the Interchangeable-lens Compact Camera)

can easily get dust on the image-sensor though, as it is open, it is also

possible to clean DIY.

—– When my picture started to have a dark spot, which was found to be

persistent, same position, same shape in all the pictures, it only means

a dust is on the image sensor, I asked the Boss of Canon what should I do, he said

“Bring it to us” though, their office is bloody far out of London and I’m not an owner

driver. —– I decided to clean it myself.

(Its the same principle = If Canon can, I can do too 😀 )

——- (The dust on the image showed,  Ultra-sonic Dust-off system is not very effective.  Anyhow,

——- even if the Dust was shaken off from the sensor, it stays there unremoved  😀 )

If it was ordinary air-born dust, it can be just blown away.

But if it was water-born, such as the VERY moment when you had removed a lens

“a rain drop got inside” or “you dropped your sliver” —– you may need to take

a measure with a possibility to write-off the camera in the worst case.

** To blow off the DUST, the best I found is to use

an ordinary rubber blower

and a high-quality nylon oil-painting blush.

(such as, Windsor-Newton or Daler kind and

NOT made in China)

(The quality of a blush, came with rubber blower is

pretty bad and it’s hair will fall off then it became yet

another troublesome dust).

** I don’t like Canned Air —– (1) Often its air

pressure is too high.

(2) And with its design, we tend to use its nozzle too close.

(3) The metal nozzle itself could make a scratch. —– After I have accidentally blown

the shutter blades off the slit with those Canned Air blower, I decided to use only rubber

blower to clean the delicate part of the camera, together with paint blush.

(Those Canned Air can blow off the grease on the gear = and the grease may stack

somewhere, always most unwanted place = it’s a Murphy’s law.   😀 )

Those oil-painting blush was designed to withstand against sticky oil paint and to

repeated cleaning in a solvent = they are the best cleaning blush fit for dust-off business,

—– provided if it was washed clean in a pure solvent time to time.

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** Before clean the image sensor, you have to start clean around the lens mount,

even inside of a lens-cap = it got to be through, otherwise dust will come back.

(ideally use another blush) = then, blush inside of mirror box and blow the air around.

(But better not touch the mirror, unless you have a confidence of cleanness of  blush)

—> then, set the Shutter to [B] and press the release button to rise the mirror and

open the shutter. = you will see somewhat shiny green image sensor !

(but you may not to see the Dust itself ) —> then, blow the air toward the sensor

( DON’T blush it on this moment yet = if you can get rid of the Dust without touching

the sensor, it is far better) —> while holding camera body downward, blow the air

toward the inside (hoping the Dust to fall off ) —> then finger off the button.

** Put a lens and set the camera to an Auto-mode and click the shutter while

aiming it to white wall or paper (manual set the lens to off focus)

—> then check the image (not over-exposed = a bit grayish white)

= if there is no dark spot = the dust has cleared   🙂

** But IF the DUST is still in the same place, repeat the cleaning above

again but this time gently sweep the sensor with blush.

—> Then examine the picture again.

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IF the dark spot is still there = there could be a possibility of it is not caused by

a dust BUT the aria of the sensor might have become defective =

it is the time to send the camera to proper service though, mind you, to change the

sensor may cost half the camera price, it might be better to keep retouching the photos

until you buy new camera.

—– So, if you clean the sensor by yourself, be patient and pay good attention.

There is nothing you can’t do = have a confidence.  (And good luck.  😀 )

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Life-Form ???

Chinese name of this, is Sea-zi or Shi-zi.   And it has glorious Latin name Diospyros.

So, how you guess what are they ? 

(This time, they are not plastic, in fact, they are pretty god to eat as well   😀 )

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