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Unguided Moments

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Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the gardens.

Note: these videos are not affiliated with a mindfulness school or training program

In the Desert Garden

Experience a mindful moment under a towering cactus (Cereus comarapanus) at sunset. Share this time with the animals in the garden.   

In the Celebration Garden

Experience a mindful moment beside the water feature in the Celebration Garden. Share this time with bathing birds. 

Behind Seifu-an Teahouse

Experience a mindful moment behind Seifu-an teahouse. Imagine drinking tea as you experience this moment of quiet and calm.  

Note: Japanese tea ceremonies, especially as they are practiced now, have been made to be incredibly “mindful.” However, historically these tea ceremonies have many other functions as well. The tea ceremony was used to broker political deals in the past. Warriors drank tea together and competed over who had better taste. Merchants used tea to assert their cultural superiority over politicians. Beneath its calm veneer, a tea ceremony can be an incredibly competitive, contentious affair.  

In the Pavilion for Washing Away Thoughts

Experience a mindful moment in the Pavilion for Washing Away Thoughts (Di Lü Ting 滌慮亭).  The pavilion is adorned with a simple poetic couplet engraved into bamboo boards. Read from top to bottom, right to left, it can be directly translated to read:  

Flowing water can purify the mind;   
fragrant mountains suit quiet contemplation.  

流水可清心，芳山宜靜觀。