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Day 23 - Natural Wonder

Day 23

Go outside and make a shrine to nature - leave it for someone to find.


Bugaku Bodhisattva Shrine

Umm, yes, this is the bodhisattva dedicated to imperial court dance of the insect world; the shrine being located on a spanish moss-laden oak tree (bugaku are traditional imperial court dances in Japan, I couldn't resist the bug pun). It kind of looks like a scarab beetle, so let's go with that. Hurrah Nature!


One tarsus holds a "sacred branch" (dead fern leaflet), one holds a "sacred fan" (piece of lichen), the middle pair of tarsi are clasped in an inscrutable mudra. The legs are crossed in front. What better animal representative for a bodhisattva than an insect? (Ok, perhaps a spider...octopus...centipede...nevermind).

This was created in the Econ River Wilderness Area since I had plans to visit it today anyhow. It did not get left behind for anyone, however, because of the recent upsets caused by the overuse of cairns (as trail markers and as "art" left behind). Besides making trail markings confusing, the argument is that places like the Econ Wilderness are there for people to get away from people, and this includes acts of human "whimsy". I respect this opinion and returned my shrine materials to the forest floor from whence they came.

Materials: pine cone, sticks, moss, lichens, acorn top (it's wearing a hat which is difficult to see in the photos), tillandsia (spanish moss), palmetto leaf, fern leaflet, natural twine.

Everything was already on the ground. I brought the twine and it returned with me.

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