Dialogue With A Stone

Talk To A Stone by Tetsuzan Shinagawa

Even an immobile stone will respond to you if you approach with love, call out, and talk to it." Shinagawa Tetsuzan

Last night I was feeling rather unsettled. Nothing particularly bad happened. Nor was I anticipating any dreadfty decides to take a break in its casual drifting and stop in for a cup of coffee. Gracious occurrence. It was just one of those experiences we all have, when free floating anxie hostess that I am, I allowed it to stay a while. But, enough was enough. After several hours of banal conversation, it had overstayed its welcome. I had to find a way to drive it off. Ignoring it was not working. I needed to bring in some reinforcements. I strode to the bookshelf, picked up Talk to a Stone, made my way to bed, arranged the pillows just so and began to emancipate myself from this unwanted guest.

Holding this volume in my hands, I felt my emotional discomfort begin to dissipate. Would it do the same for you? Please close your eyes for a moment and visualize the following. oh, wait that won't work. If you close your eyes, you won't be able to follow the imagery. Ok, follow along for a few more lines, then close your eyes. I'll be waiting right here when you're done with this exercise:

It is a beautiful spring day. You are walking through the woods and come across a gentle mountain stream. Listen to the sound of the water as it dances over the rocky soil. Take a deep breath and taste all the scents that surround you. (Yes, I said taste --- try it.) Approach the stream. You see that large rock over there, the one that the water surrounds without covering it. Step onto that rock and sit down. Feel the power all around you. The earth reaching out to you through that rock. The sun embracing you from above. The trees protecting you from behind. The water winding past you, inviting you to join its dance. Take a few moments to savor this experience then please return here.

What did you feel? If you said to yourself, "okay, this woman is insane, she's got me sitting on a rock doing the tango with a body of water," I apologize. This is not your kind of book. Excuse me for wasting your time. If instead, you came away from the exercise feeling a bit more at peace, please allow me to describe this book to you.

To call this work a book does it a great disservice. A collection of calligraphy, poetry and Eastern wisdom, it not only contains art, it is art itself. Printed on a translucent, parchment-like sheet in subtle shades of gray and black ink, the text (via masterful graphic design) seduces the reader through each turn of the page.

The book, 175 pages in all, is traditionally hand bound in a manner resembling a scrapbook. Beautifully presented, the volume is cradled in its own portfolio slipcase, which fastens closed with two beribboned clasps.

An aesthetic masterpiece, Talk to a Stone is a treat not only for the eyes, but also for the spirit. Contemporary Japanese poetry, by author and calligrapher Tetsuzan Shinagawa, is juxtaposed with verse, representing centuries of Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto wisdom, printed in both Japanese and its English translation.

I neither speak nor read Japanese, but I can feel the beauty inherent in the brush strokes of the book's calligraphy. Even in translation, the poetry speaks to the soul offering the gift of serenity to the person fortunate to read it.

I first discovered this book while browsing in a store (205 miles from home), as I killed time, waiting to meet up with friends. I must have picked it up off the shelf a half dozen times; exploring it more with each inspection and regretfully returning it to the spot it had occupied. It spoke to me in a voice that was difficult to ignore. Unfortunately, the $45 price tag shouted louder than any dialogue between myself, the book and any stone, present or future. Of course, an art book of this quality was well worth the price. Alas, I was in no position to justify the expense. With great remorse I left the store and the object of my desire behind.

The next day, back at home, and back to my routine, the memory of Talk to a Stone haunted me. Odd that a book that invokes such peace could elicit such discomfort. I longed to own this book, but a 410-mile round trip on I95 (with more than $30 in tolls) was a bit out of the question. Imagine my delight when I located the book online for $27.95 (at bn.com).

Was it worth the investment? Absolutely. Sometimes just holding the book unopened in my hand transports me to a calmer place. If you ever have opportunity to browse through a copy of Talk to a Stone, see if it speaks to you too.

And, next time you walk along a path and happen upon a stone, do stop and send it my regards. You may be surprised at how good it will make you feel.