wrk

wandering rhino kreations

Wandering rhino kreations is an effort to synergize my inner and outer worlds. It’s an application of the Dhamma in my worldly life. It is a reminder for me to keep my eye on the prize: liberation. If the creations that come forth from me are successful, it doesn’t matter – if they are unsuccessful, it doesn’t matter. Success to me is inspiring and serving others to live a more wholesome life, in line with the Dhamma – the law of nature. What matters is that I keep walking forward on the path. Keep wandering like the rhino toward the final goal.

logo

logo (n.) simple symbol or graphic used to represent something. There’s a lot of ‘somethings’ this logo is representing. I’ll give you a brief tour of my thinking process, explaining why used these symbols and graphics and what they represent.

whi the rhi?

I chose the rhinocerus because I am deeply inspired by the khaggavisana sutta, also known as the rhino sutta. The sutta is a strong exhortation to live the holy life, abandoning worldly attachments and seeking noble friendship. In the sutta the Buddha sets the altitudinous bar nearly out of sight for the householder, and at the same time offers sound practical advice for what to do in order to reach the lofty bar, regardless of where one is on the Path. The bar he sets is the only bar that can be gripped, everything else is subject to vanishing and ultimately essenceless.

The ending to each stanza is wander alone, like the rhinocerus. At times, it’s essential for me to follow this advice in its most gross form; to be physically alone. There is a subtler meaning though. You see, all of us are profoundly alone in our experience, regardless of the multitudes around us. Nobody else is experiencing reality quite like me or you. From time to time, I’ve forgotten this truism, and wandered along someone else’s path and got myself stuck in the weeds. In a way, to wander alone is to follow one’s unique path toward the final goal; sometimes a straight shot, and other times zigzagging here and there.

The rhino in this logo is firmly planted on the ground and at the same time moving forward. It’s an important lesson to keep remembering..move forward..move forward..move forward. Whether I am in the abyss of my own subconscious mind on retreat or admidst the confusion I experience managing my relationship with the mundane world, the only way out is through. This rhino reminds me to keep boot scootin’ forward.

a perfect circle

A circle is a powerful and ambiguous symbol. It covers a wide range from a safe container to a lethal trap. This circle, with its imperfect brushstrokes and wide opening on the left side, represent samsara: the almost eternal cycle of birth, life, decay, and death. Why almost? Because there’s a way out! The gap in the circle along with the disconnected stripes along the perimeter rep the inherent flaws in the foundation of the world, peepholes through its illusion, and doorways into that which is eternal: the kingdom of heaven – nibbāna.

From a different angle, the circle reps my protection – my island – my dhamma dipa. It is a reminder to keep building my island, one grain of sand at time. There are still weaknesses and vulnerabilities on my island that need to be addressed. There are still unconscious patterns that need to rise to the surface and pass away.

k is for kamma

Some of you may be wondering why I spelled kreations with a k. Alas, an explanation! I used k for two reasons. The first reason is to remind me of the law of kamma – the process of cause and effect. My kamma is my only true partner and it’s relentlessly reliable. Everything I am experiencing now is a harvest from seeds past planted. Good, bad, or indifferent. Wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral. It’s all a product of my past mental, vocal, and physical actions. The k summons the wisdom of continually planting seeds that will bear sweet fruit.

Posting content on the internet is a privilege that I take seriously.
The effects of my intentions behind my content can multiply in a hurry. I want to contribute to the pool of inspiring, truthful, wise, and wholesome content on the internet. i want to leave little doubt about whether I am helping or hurting you on your own personal journey. All of this in one little k.

If I take the analysis a step further, the k is composed of three lines, two of them stemming from the longer vertical line. Just so, all of my vocal and physical actions stem from my mental actions. If my mental actions are wholesome, naturally the words I speak and the movements I make will be wholesome.

The second reason I chose k is because it creates the acronym wrk, which is suspiciously close to work. I value effort and if I’ve had the privilege of meeting you in person, then you know this to be true about me. Work is such a valuable virtue when it is directed in the right direction. Coming out of my suffering has, does, and will require work. Working to cultivate virtue, be aware, be kind, remain equanimous, give generously, accept tolerantly, and sit silently. Work can be effortless at times and a downright slog through the thickest mud at other times. That’s ok. I’ll keep moving forward regardless of the terrain.

indigold

I chose a gradient gold and dark indigo because I like them. They were my high school colors! Go fighting Irish! Only now that I’m writing about them, some light bulbs are flickering on and off. One way of looking at the indigo relates to the ocean of misery that all of us are in – the backdrop of our life – the default. It is deep, beautiful, and at the same time ultimately unfulfilling.

The gradient gold is a color of nobility in its varying shades. Nobility is not to be mistaken for it’s imposter synonym: royalty. Nobility is something each one of us can work toward regardless of the color of our blood, color of our skin, or our status according to cultural norms. The purified heart of gold rises above the ocean of misery, gives way to contrast and an unparalleled clarity.