12
LEVELS
HAIKU ZENGA PHOTO
LEVELS
HAIKU ZENGA PHOTO
Twelve pictures and a commentary on the stepladder of John
of the Cross and the Ox story as a path to enlightenment.
The vespers by Andreas Fischer on Sunday 22 September 2019 in the Kaiseraugst parish hall inspired Fru to read the “Dark Nightˮ by John of the Cross. Based on the “Dark Nightˮ and the headings for the 10 stages of the “secret staircaseˮ, the 12 pictures were first created as body painting photographs, combining classical Zen painting (Zenga) with the modern techniques of body painting and photography. Then the texts for the pictures were written. If the headings represent universally valid patterns of human behaviour, then the pictures are a personal interpretation and the texts a modern critical commentary on these human behaviours.
II DESEASE
Foreword
MIDDLE OF LIFE
Very early in life we learn that we have to have a goal, that we should be allowed to find a purpose in life, that we should be successful and that we are a unique person. From infancy on we are bearers of a name, are covered with characteristics under this name, are increasingly given an identity and everything revolves more and more around this I with a name that is responsible for successfully shaping its life and that of the world. The more successful we are, “If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is goodˮ (1 Peter 2:3), the more we are convinced that the success, the achievement of our goal, is our merit. We assume that we humans, as the crown of creation, are endowed by the universe with special rights and receive special treatment.
This arrogant hubris has a rude awakening at some point. Some people rethink this approach in mid-life and fall into a crisis: Dante describes this crisis right at the beginning of his “Divine Comedyˮ as an aberration in a dark forest.
Again and again people have tried to show the way out of this dark forest in metaphors at different levels or stations: In Zen, it’s the story of the ox and the shepherd. St. John of the Cross takes over the ladder in number, order and description probably from the Dominican monk Helvicus Teutonicus, who might have been a student of Meister Eckhart.
The eastern and western stepladder are very similar, but with a completely different outcome.
MIDDLE OF LIFE
Very early in life we learn that we have to have a goal, that we should be allowed to find a purpose in life, that we should be successful and that we are a unique person. From infancy on we are bearers of a name, are covered with characteristics under this name, are increasingly given an identity and everything revolves more and more around this I with a name that is responsible for successfully shaping its life and that of the world. The more successful we are, “If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is goodˮ (1 Peter 2:3), the more we are convinced that the success, the achievement of our goal, is our merit. We assume that we humans, as the crown of creation, are endowed by the universe with special rights and receive special treatment.
This arrogant hubris has a rude awakening at some point. Some people rethink this approach in mid-life and fall into a crisis: Dante describes this crisis right at the beginning of his “Divine Comedyˮ as an aberration in a dark forest.
Again and again people have tried to show the way out of this dark forest in metaphors at different levels or stations: In Zen, it’s the story of the ox and the shepherd. St. John of the Cross takes over the ladder in number, order and description probably from the Dominican monk Helvicus Teutonicus, who might have been a student of Meister Eckhart.
The eastern and western stepladder are very similar, but with a completely different outcome.
III SEARCH
IV DO SOMETHING
VI LONGING
IX ACQUIRE
XI MERGING
XII ON THE MARKET
Thanks for watching
