Smiling at Death

This stone called on me to trek through the woods to photograph him. He lives beside a gently flowing small stream.

It wasn’t until I got home and started processing my photos that I realized the philosophical profundity I had captured.

The stone seems like a serene, peaceful, smiling being simply enjoying his quiet life. But…his left spirit eye, instead of being absent to indicate it is messenger between spirit and matter, is occupied by a grinning monster-like being. This being is either speaking forth, or drawing into his mouth, the life force energy of a leaf. This energy is transforming a stone image of a healthy leaf with prominent veins into a broken apart scattered form.

rock and specter diagram

You can see how this image is a reflection of what is occurring to the leaves at the bottom of the photograph. They are being eaten away, their form broken up by insects.

All the beings here seem quite content and even happy with this natural process of the universe, which is something it is good for us humans to ponder upon.

I’ve graphed the parts to this story, left.