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Three Snowmen

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“Three Snowmen” | Anthony Satori

How often do we take the time to really look at things, even something as simple as a holiday card? If we were to slow down, we might see and appreciate some pretty remarkable details. Such as the fact that the placement of each and every one of the gold-colored “snowflakes” on this card’s image was arranged by someone’s hand. Or the fact that the design of the center snowman’s scarf is a combination of red- and blue-checkered patterns with small gold diamonds placed carefully among them. Or we may notice that among the background of blue-lit snow, almost invisible upon first viewing, you can see the silhouettes of fir trees painted softly in the shadows. Every detail of this picture was carefully chosen, painted, drawn, and glued, and the feeling it elicits is one of happiness, peace, and warmth. How easy would it be to receive this card, to look at it once, and then to merely discard it, without ever taking the time to ruminate on its composition, let alone the journey it has taken?

This picture has followed such an amazing path – from an inspiration in someone’s mind, to a creative thought carefully formulated into an image, to an expression finally manifested in colors and shapes carefully laid out on the page. Even after its creation, it continued its adventure through multiple organizations of various sizes and forms – perhaps a card company, a print shop, a distributor, a warehouse, a supermarket – moving every step along the way through the hands of, and in the care of, another person or set of people. And then, at long last, it was chosen by a person, just for you, and it was sent on its final race through the postal service, tousled among all of the bills and envelopes and catalogues and coupons, to finally land in your hands, right now, in this moment. These three happy little snowmen have had quite a journey!

Let us resolve, then, to slow down and to take the time to soak in the beauties and subtleties hiding in plain view all around us. Let us make a deliberate choice to appreciate the meaning and wonder bursting forth in the details of even the smallest, seemingly insignificant objects and experiences that come our way. Let us make a point to inhale deeply of the life-energy in everything around us – nature, art, music, food – and, most importantly of all, let us strive to appreciate the beauty and life-force pulsing from within ourselves and from within everyone around us.

Your One Wild and Precious Life

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“Sacred Awe” | Anthony Satori

“I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

– Mary Oliver

Happy New Year, everyone! May you have health, happiness, peace, and prosperity – and, above all, love – in this, your one wild and precious life.

Joy, Wonder, and Amazement

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“Gingerbread Man” | Anthony Satori

“Love is the joy of the good, the wonder of the wise, the amazement of the Gods.”

– Plato

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! I wish you all an abundance of joy, wonder, and amazement in your lives.

The Flowering of Our Humanity

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“Pink Rose” | Anthony Satori

“One way or another, we all have to find what best fosters the flowering of our humanity in this contemporary life, and dedicate ourselves to that.”

– Joseph Campbell

Stone Tower

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“Stone Tower” –|– Anthony Satori

“In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you love. In family life, be completely present.”

– Lao Tzu

The Transient Beauty of Flowers

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“California Poppies in Bloom” –|– Anthony Satori

Hanami is the traditional Japanese custom of appreciating the transient beauty of flowers. Most commonly associated with cherry blossoms, or sakura – which bloom all across Japan for about two weeks during spring – the tradition of hanami dates back over a thousand years, and it was originally celebrated around plum blossoms, or ume. The spirit of hanami can, of course, be celebrated in appreciation of any flower, such as the California poppy, which similarly arrives in full bloom for just a few short weeks during the California springtime.

Every spring, all across Japan, the coming of the cherry blossoms is anticipated with great excitement. The bloom can occur as early as March and as late as May, and it only lasts about two weeks, so the TV news channels and meteorologists keep a close eye on seasonal variables so that they can keep everyone posted as to when the event will most likely occur. And then, when the flowers bloom, they seem to explode off the trees in an overwhelming experience of color and beauty. It is nothing less than transformative to the appearance and feeling of the world around you. And, for just a few short days, the entire culture slows down. People throw festive outdoor parties. They stroll along the streets and avenues soaking in the vibrant pink and white colors of the flowers. And when the night falls, they light and release magically glowing paper lanterns into the darkened sky. Some people write their hopes and dreams on these lanterns. Others write things that they wish to be free of, things that they desire to release from their lives. Some people just hold their wishes secretly in their hearts as they light the flame, and then they watch the lanterns fly silently away into the night sky, carrying their hopes and prayers off into the universe. Hanami is a festival of flowers, but it is really a celebration of the transient beauty of life. It is a chance to slow down and to appreciate what is beautiful, right here, right now, in this moment. It is an opportunity to become aware of what you are feeling in your heart, and to connect with what others are feeling in theirs. It is a chance to pause, to take a deep breath, and to inhale the wonder of being alive.

Perhaps it would be good for all of our souls if we were each to engage in our own personal hanami, in some form or another, every day. Just to pause, now and then, throughout the day, to celebrate – by ourselves, or with loved ones – whatever goodness and beauty there is around us, in that moment. Life is short. But while we are here, if we choose to remain awake and aware, we have this moment. This moment is ours. And it offers us a window into eternity, available to us whenever we wish to access it. In this moment we can choose to experience beauty, to share time, to express love, to find joy. And if we consciously choose to lay claim to our own personal hanami in this manner, every single day, we will have truly won eternity.

Sand Turtles

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“Sand Turtles” –|– Anthony Satori

I was at the beach a few days ago, and I walked to the top of a sand dune so that I could get a more expansive view of the ocean. It was beautiful to watch, from atop this small hill, the blue waves crashing on the shore, and I breathed the salty air deeply into my lungs. After a few moments on the dune, I looked down and noticed the footprints of all the people who had been there before me. It became clear that numerous others had quite recently made this journey, possibly with a similar intention and desire, and as I stood there looking at and enjoying the beauty of the ocean, I felt a connection with all of them.

Among the footprints, a certain set stood out to my eyes. They looked like sand drawings of sea turtles. It was fun to imagine these turtles walking about, milling around my feet, enjoying the sun and the sand. And, much like when you are having a picnic and you see an ant (just one ant) and suddenly you see a hundred ants, a thousand ants, all of whom were invisible to your eyes before you saw and identified the first ant, I suddenly realized that I was essentially surrounded by literally dozens of these sand-formed sea turtles, and I was delighted. They were everywhere! A sea turtle party was happening all around me, and I had only just now noticed it.

And it was then that I realized the most surprising part of all. They were my own footprints. That’s right. My own shoes had been forming these sea turtle sculptures all around the top of the dune, dozens of them, and I had presumably been leaving them everywhere else I had been on the beach that day, as well, without even knowing it.

Where you are headed in life matters. Goals matter; destinations matter. However, as we often hear (and yet so easily lose sight of), the true quality of life really does arise from the journey. It is about being present and awake, in this moment. It is about feeling gratitude and appreciation for every good thing that exists around us, right now. And I think my experience that day at the beach helped to illustrate another way that we can make the most of our journey: that is, to be aware that we are leaving an imprint on the universe with every move that we make along the way, with every word that we speak, with every step that we take. If we walk mindfully, and choose to infuse goodness, virtue, and beauty into every day, into every interaction that we encounter, into every moment that we engage with the world around us (no matter how insignificant that engagement may seem), you may suddenly find yourself delightfully surrounded by a crowd of beautiful sea turtles of your own creation, without even realizing that you had been leaving them in your tracks all long. And you will be enheartened with the knowledge that, in some manner or another, you’ve made every place you’ve been a little bit more beautiful and meaningful, just by having been there.