Mulberry

Every year, in the middle of August, there will be my annual event to go to see the Mulberry tree

and eat its berry, as one of my special ritual. ( After this, it will be the Blackberry’s season  🙂  )

—

There is a Japanese song called ” Aka-Tonbo ” ( Red Dragonfly, and its appearance heralding the coming

Autumn  /  end of the summer) —— it was dubbed as the second Japanese National Anthem.

Some Japanese expatriate would tear when they sung this, even though they may not necessary ever

eaten this berry in their life.

Song is about a childhood memory,  when he (she) was piggy-backed and  saw  the red evening sky,

the flying  Aka-Tonbo,  and the memory of picking the Mulberry. ——– (sob  sob)

My childhood memory itself was nothing like in the song,  still when ever I saw this Mulberry tree

my thought just goes to this song.   ” This is the Mulberry of  Aka-Tonbo song ” ——– still,  it is

almost a mystery, why this Mulberry having such significance and  Aka-Tonbo song  makes the

Japanese cry ——- though, it is a touchy subject I never dare to ask others ” Why you cry ? ”

—-

I can describe,  the size and how its berry looks like (it looks similar to Blackberry —– if  you click

the photo and enlarge it twice, it will be about 80% of the life-size) though I can’t tell what is the taste

and how it is distinctive.  Unlike the light or sound, there is no chart to plot or even measure its

distinctiveness.  (We only able to measure the strength of each taste,  very strong to very weak.

But we even don’t know what sort of difference or similarity  between the taste of apple and the grape)

So that, we can not objectively describe or think about the taste— Only able to detect, it’s there or not.

—-

Among the sensory stimuli, the visual signal is the most indirect stimulus.  It detects the light

reflected on the surface of the object and the signal has to be reconfigured as a pattern in the brain

—– otherwise its  signal / stimulus wouldn’t have any effect as a stimulus,  as if it is not existing.

In comparison, sound signal stimulates  the hearing nerve direct.  As long as it’s there you can not escape.

But the sound is a by-product of something vibrating, and transmitted through the air, if we block

the air path we can annihilate its existence.

Though, taste and the smell is the direct chemical effects created by the particular monocle of

the material or ingredient, so the monocle itself needs to touches the nerve.

Second direct sensory are the touch feeling.   It will be detected by the direct touch but needs to feel

and assess.  So that the same stimuli of such as touching a wire-brush —— very slight ticklish feeling

to itchy feeling and if it was pressed too hard it is painful —— its dependent to the interpretation.

Some people feel even pleasure by piecing the skin by needle. (I wonder what sort of process there ?)

—

The more direct the stimulus,  its effect goes deep straight, even hit one’s physiology straight, since it

by-passing the process of the brain,  and evoke the subconscious reaction, revive the latent

memory and hit the emotion direct, we can not control —— sob !

When a monocular of chemical which is unique to the Mulberry, touches our taste-bud, specific

signal was transmitted from there (scientists still don’t know the mechanism, is it the pattern of pulses ?

if it was the case, can computer mimic the pattern and recreate the same sensation of taste ?

or even create the similar but slightly different pattern hence new taste ? ? ? ) we perceive specific

sensation and  as its sensation is unique, it will be strongly associated with its particular

situation —— hence, its revive the strong memory and the associated emotion.

—

Yet, me to go and pick Mulberry is not only for indulging child memory,  but I rather feel a kind of duty

to remember  our humble origin.  We human being came from the savannah  as the hunter gatherer.

We survived while picking fruits, plant roots, sea-shell etc etc —– thanks to the nature and

ultimately the energy-source, the Sun. ——- (Fruits comes from the tree, not from  Tesco 😀  )

We never created foods.  We are just a sucker of the nature and a part of the food chain.

Especially to be a Buddhist, we shouldn’t forget that fundamentally  we are the  bikku (beggar ).

So, thanks to a tree in a park, I can pick this Mulberry, free of charge.

( Though, I’m not alone.  It seems I’m competing with another picker and the Birds —— early Birds got

better chance and upper hand / upper wing  to reach top of branch.  I got only few left over.  Sob  😀  )

——

SELF and PHOTO II

There was rather interesting story behind of previous post “Find the SELF by your Camera”.

Many years ago,  I gave the photographic training to a young photographer to become professional.

After staying this country while taking my tuition he went back Japan  and  came back with 6 months worth

of photos which he piled up for various subjects.

While reviewing those photos,  I made them into 4 groups according to his mental state then, to show

without conscious how our eyes and the way to photograph change. He was horrified with its accuracy.

How do I know and how the photo shows such differences.

———————

As we have a sense to sniff out the atmosphere, we can see it even in a photograph in one grance.

It is the matter of how we can open the mind and able to expose the sensory of subconscious,

which is  what people calls sixth sense.

Atmosphere of the place change moment to moment, and at what moment the photographer click,

makes the difference. The professionals can, not only able to capture its moment, but also know the

way to enhance or exaggerate it.  This is how they can stay in  business while derivering a requirement.

Yet still the result may be influenced by the mental state of him as well.

When photographer hunting around something interesting image,  his interest, knowledge or taste would

be exactly appeared in the photos. ———– One occasion, I and a female editor of a Japanese magazine

went to a famous antique market  (after the assignment had completed).

While seeing and photographing mountain of curious objects and people I noticed, this middle-aged

editor got strange taste, not only photographing old or looks somewhat miserable person, but always

stop the eyes onto peculiar metal object such as tools or surgical instruments or funny shaped Victorian

ceramic toilet utensils.—— ? ? ? —– I asked her   “You got quite peculiar taste,  is it related to SM (Sado-

Masochistic) practice or fantasy ?”  She blushed red and said “How did you know”  “Its bloody obvious”.

———- When aforesaid young photographer faced this analysis he said  “Oh, no, I became too

conscious, I can’t take picture any more”  ” What ?  Waite a moment,  Photography was your

self-expression, wasn’t  it ?   So, whats wrong to show your  SELF ?”

To express a part of  SELF which he want to show off is OK, but without his conscious, something

leaking out is not well come ———– Human being is a very  self-conscious egoistic animal. 😀

Even if the person is well aware, ” I’m doing shady” yet still captured by CCTV and face the evidential

photo ” This is you in a shade”  is hard to swallow.

So, to be a good Buddhist, first of all, either clean the act or accept “I’m not clean person” and make up

the mind to accept the consequence.

———– Though, live in the dirt is not necessary too bad,  you know.  😀