Happy New Year

Keukenhof Gardens

“For those who have come to grow,
the whole world is a garden.”

Street performer, New Orleans

“For those who wish to remain in the dream,
the whole world is a stage.”

Suzzallo Library, University of Washington

“For those who have come to learn,
the whole world is a university.”

Labyrinth embroidery

“For those who have come to know God,
the whole world is a prayer mat.”
— from the teachings of Bawa Muhiayaddeen, from The Illuminated Prayer by Coleman Barks

I suppose we have all assumed more than one of these roles over the course of our lives, but I think I most often see the world as my university.  In which world do you find yourself?

 

 

Wordless Wednesdays: 12 Views of Stairs

(Click here for bonus.  You won’t regret it.)

 

The Path Between Reality and the Soul

National Poetry Month. 21

Staircase, Suzzallo Library, U of W

“Folks expect of the poet to indicate more than the beauty and dignity which always attach to dumb real objects. . . they expect him to indicate the path between reality and their souls.”
— Walt Whitman, from the 1885 preface to Leaves of Grass

“Against daily insignificance art recalls to us possible sublimity.  It cannot do this if it is merely a reflection of actual life.  Our real lives are elsewhere.  Art finds them.”
— Jeannette Winterson, “Testimony Against Gertrude Stein,” from Art [Objects]:  Essays on Ecstasy and Effrontery

 

 

 

Celebrating National Library Week, April 10 – 16, 2011

Reading Room at Suzzallo Library, University of Washington

This week is National Library Week, and I celebrated by visiting a few of the libraries on the University of Washington campus.  The UW Visitor’s Center has a map of the various libraries on campus, some of which are housed in their departments.  I didn’t have time to stop in at all of them.

Grand Staircase, Suzzallo Library

Hanging globe, Suzzallo Library Reading Room

Atrium, Allen Library, University of Washington

Hanging raven sculptures, Allen Library

Rack of foreign language newspapers, East Asia Library, Gowen Hall, UW

The Music Library has a magnificent view of the cherry trees on the quad, University of Washington

Cherry blossoms, UW

Cherry blossoms on the quad at the University of Washington

Cherry blossoms in the morning light, UW

Catalogues for Contemplation

The Reading Room at Suzzallo Library on the University of Washington campus

“The library is often the place where you can find the spirit of the monk:  in silence, the lustre of old woodwork, the smell of ageing paper, reading, retreat from the world, rules and authorities, tradition, volumes of wisdom, catalogues for contemplation.”
     — Thomas Moore, Meditations

While I was on the University of Washington campus viewing the cherry blossoms, I stopped by Suzzallo Library just to experience the hallowed atmosphere of one of my favorite libraries.  I suppose that it brings a taste of Hogwarts to the current generation of undergraduate students, who grew up with the Harry Potter novels!

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Stairway to the second floor Reading Room, Suzzallo Library

Softly lit staircase, Suzzallo Library

Church-like ambience of the Suzzallo Reading Room

Grillwork, Suzzallo Library