Acquiescent Motion No.2 - Form and Poem

 

Stepping across the field,

Time adjusting to thought,

Partial recordings reintegrate

Forming new experience—

 

Opening to All,

The timeless presence

Pervades, consumes,

Persists.

We follow.

Flow.

 

 

The One and Only All

 

 

 

Opening up to the ground of spacelessness—

Peering into oneself—

The looker is the seen—

Separation dissolves

Leaving only the vast waters,

The one and only All

 

MS

 

Permeable Existence No.5 - 2023

 

Dropping Delicately - A Short Poem

Dropping

Delicately

Into the Sea

 

Opening

Boundlessly

The field of Love

 

MS 2023

Very Very Brief Explanation of Timelessness and Spacelessness

 (Taken from the email newsletter September 2023)

TIME AND SPACE

I like to incorporate a short (as possible) article, for those that are interested, on metaphysics (philosophical, not new age) to the newsletter as the field of study (and praxis (greek term) for ascension!) inspires the ideas and forms for my artwork. The Behind the Wood Forms blog, which includes more of this type of writing and poetry can be reached through my website at mikesasaki.com.

It is ironically perhaps both one of the most revolutionary ideas as well as one of the most traditional, ancient and natural ideas: that is, the idea of timelessness and the lesser known spacelessness. The irony lies in the fact that much of the truth regarding these ideas has been covered by theories, rhetoric, confusion, inadequate descriptions, and conceptual conclusions. Modern values tend towards technological progress, which includes speed, wealth accumulation, and domination. These values presuppose time as a linear abstraction (moving forward!). The idea of timelessness stops this concept of time in its tracks. Timelessness is exactly that: time-less-ness. It is a world without time. We will allow motion to remain for the time being but only as change of state, position, etc., not in or of time. The challenging aspect of the understanding of timelessness is that our very thinking is the cause of this psychological framework. But at the same time, this is the most interesting aspect and the aspect which must be examined. Thought includes memory, and this process of thinking based on comparison with some memory, thus constructing new memories and modifying the existing memories, continues endlessly. Our time-based reality is the effect of this process. Hearing someone (in my case, it was J. Krishnamurti) question this very process which we take as the norm, can seem overwhelming at first, but I can assure you that this is the doorway to psychological liberation. In time, there is psychological fear. Psychological (or irrational) fear (as opposed to physical fear, which is a necessary and healthy function) is a necessary byproduct of time. In timelessness, fear has no place. Why? Because fear is intrinsic to the time-based structure. When the structure is not activated, fear does not exist. Fear arises when the future state of affairs is imagined to be less than desirable. This mixture of thinking, desire and comparison comprises psychological time. Again, let us allow the clocks, the orbits around the sun, etc. to remain as motion, but not time. In timelessness, there is endless motion in the present! As for space, all is one, and space is a concept based on the measurement of at least two points. The fact that you need these two points proves measurement to be relative and therefore not absolute. The only absolute is oneness and how can space exist when there is no division of the whole. I will end the article here as a brief (perhaps too brief) illustration or introduction to my understanding of the topic, although it requires much more elaboration.

Just Stands

 

The mist, thick and white,

Pressed down upon

Our lives below

In this morning scene

Of proud oppression—

It was quiet.

Many had yet

To make the crossing

From within to without;

To bring forth

That new energy,

To start the day

Afresh and alive—

How quickly the violent

Winds of the night

Are forgotten

As the dew-filled air

Sits heavy and present

All around us,

Impeding our innocent

Existence—

Gazing at the scene

In a sleepy trance,

The motionless pine

Is there—

Standing tall,

Firmly anchored

In the motherly soil,

Its nonchalance,

knightly, nay stoic

In its unmoving response

To the fiercely quiet attack—

In its noble stance,

The expressionless tree

Reminds of strength,

Of an enduring wisdom,

And confident knowing.

Untouched by anger,

Dread or time,

The great plant stands,

Neither inside nor out,

But just stands

In silent order,

Nurtured by the watery air,

Living this day

Equally to the last

With its roaring winds

Of empty threats,

Tormented thoughts,

And exhaustive power—

It stands,

Alive and fresh,

Always new

And full of vigour,

Swaying or still,

Wet or dry,

Purifying the air

And supplying life

For us to breath,

So we can move

With strength in our hearts

From all the trees

Surrounding our day

From morning to night,

And night to morn,

Overseeing our thoughts

And inspiring our acts—

Leaving the home,

We step into eternity,

The endless dome

Beyond the mist,

Engaged with the trees

In timeless union,

In renewed recollection

Of the harmonious whole,

And the permeating Soul,

So great in wonder,

And unmoving in motion.

MS23

 

Mother Earth

 

The Dawning of Light

 

Neither hot nor cold

The summer morning

Was one of anticipation—

The yet to rise sun

Stopped just under the mountain range

Painting the horizon graduated hues

Of pinks, oranges and purples—

The scene was unchanging

For a perdurable eternity

As I simply waited

Without thought

Without feeling

Silently gazing at the predawn sky.

 

MS23

 

The Dawning of Light No.1 - 2020

 

Two Titles of Sculptures with Significant Relationship Towards One Another

  

Two pieces from 2017 and 2018 with an explanation of the significance of the titles and the evolution thereof:

Reach No.1 - yellow cedar - 2017

Unsought Terminus No.1 - western red cedar - 2018

 

Reach No.1

 

 

 

Unsought Terminus No.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reach No.1 illustrates the desire for liberation but the feeling of a membrane prevents the exit. In retrospect, this membrane is indeed illusory—and that is good news in general : )

This anecdotal idea comes to a resolution with Unsought Terminus No.1 which can be interpreted as an ending or exit (which is necessary for a "new birth" or revelation to occur) which ironically comes about after the positive effort is put aside. This effort follows an idea constructed by memory and thought which is not the actual and is therefore a futile activity.

Now in retrospect of the titling of this piece, the detailed explanation of how this comes about was still unclear to me at the time and the title thus refers to a description of the phenomenon but goes no further. The active cause of the termination of a false entrapment is a negative process, or an inquiry into what is (with the inherent/simultaneous result of its termination). Through insight (which we define as a total understanding as opposed to fragmented or analytical understanding) into what is, the falseness is seen and the fictional belief looses its existential power (it ends). To be clear, what is, is the positive effort based on the desire as we mentioned before. So, in effect, seeing the futility of this general process of thought (as an attempt to find liberation), leads to the very liberation which was sought after in the first place.

View the wood forms at mikesasakiwoodforms.etsy.com

Though-Based Reality No.2 - 2019 - With Inspirational Sources

 

 

Thought-Based Reality No.2 in an outdoor setting + rant with inspirational sources (at the end) : ) Enjoy.

-Knife-finished exterior, gouge-finished interior

-Carbon-black painted interior representing vast depth

-Leather strip inlay (bordering white tip)

-Intuitive expression of illusory reality/maya/dualistic reality

-There is liberation from this utter falseness. This requires firstly vigour, passion, awareness, strength and intellect; then trust, love, death (of falseness), clarity (of perception); after which comes bliss, Love, wholeness, unity, compassion and the revelation of true immortality/divinity.

-Despite what the dualistic mind may think, liberation is not the direct result of: conclusions, theory, protest, reaction, aggressiveness, temporary heightened states (like drug induced ones), forming of groups or other isolative activity, escapism, inactivity, etc. These are all still thought-based actions (with the exception of temporary states, which is a different matter for discussion). Many claim to be on the side of liberation but have no idea what true liberation means and therefore give liberation a bad name. This is why you see so many rational people reject the idea all together. This is a mess. There is true teaching available and some that I back are:

-J. Krishnamurti (but disregard the discussions that try to probe into the literature because he has not read the scriptures, metaphysical literature, etc.): The value of Krishnamurti's teachings are in his raw message from his direct perception. Period. The worth of listening is in so far as the listener goes through a process of radical insights and "core restructuring" (in my term). He will remind us over and over again, that "This is not a lecture. This is not a form of entertainment." And he urges us to listen completely, giving our total attention to what is.

-Ken Wheeler (aka Theoria Apophasis): Ken is the most refreshing mind I have come across on the connections between metaphysics and physics (specifically magnetism). His recommended readings will unlock the dormant intellect. I have been reading from this list for the past 3 years and I can say how appreciative I am that I didn't waste any more of my life reading garbage (which is 90% of the material out there). I could write volumes about Ken Wheeler but better to check him out yourself on youtube under his pseudonym mentioned above. He has videos split into 4 main categories: metaphysics, magnetism, current affairs and photography. I am referring to the first two subjects of course.

-Upanishads translated by Nikhilananda: The Upanishads comprise the metaphysical part of the Vedas. Their purpose is to reveal to us through our inquiry and contemplation, the actuality or Truth of Brahman (the absolute).

 

View more sculptures at mikesasakiwoodforms.etsy.com

Morning Poem

 

Morning Poem

 

As the warm glow gradually

Intensifies above the rocky hills

The soft light of a new day is upon us—

 

Yet, the hypnosis persists,

The incessant mistakes—

Digging own graves

Of unrooted misery

By turning away

From thirst quenching Truth—

 

A moment's rest

And infinity floods in—

The divine purity

Is always.

 

MS23

 

Opportunity No.2

 

Arch No.40 with description

 

Arch No.40

W 6.5"

Western Red Cedar, Stucco, Acrylic, Wax

2023

Although I am certainly inspired by geological and life forms, I do not usually sculpt specific ones. The subject matter for the pieces is found directly from the realm of geometry (often curvilinear). The themes are inspired by metaphysical inquiry where I find the most beautiful truth and ideas. Arch No.40 takes on the bifurcated form again, this time with a ceramic stucco exterior contrasted with a smooth waxed interior. The two "plates" approach one another forming a narrow canal between them. The theme of unity is again at work behind, surrounding at throughout the dyadic interplay of form.