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Ma-ai
A
Sense of Space
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In many Japanese arts, “ma” is an important concept that means
“timing,” “space,” or “rhythm,” depending upon the
reference. In painting,
large sections of a picture may be left blank or vaguely brushed.
This ma or empty space is essential in the painting to
achieve a sense of balance. In
a Zen rock garden, the placement of rocks displays a wonderful example
of ma spacing. Though
the large rocks are solid, there’s a feeling they are not static
entities, but create a vital flow of energy.
In martial arts, “ma-ai” is the correct distancing between
opponents. If one is too far
away from the opponent, it’s impossible to strike or counter; too
close and one is hemmed in. Learning
the proper timing and spacing comes with practice as the artist develops
sensitivity to rhythm and motion. On
a higher level, the concept of ma-ai means to appreciate
another’s space, learn how to adjust to various conditions, and
develop an excellent sense of timing in human affairs.
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“What
I dream of is
an
art of balance.”
Henri
Matisse
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Uncle
Sam
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The image of Uncle Sam has always been a part of
America's history symbolizing its freedom and independence.
Who was Uncle Sam and how did he become a national symbol?
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During the war of 1812, a
New York
store owner named Samuel “Uncle Sam”
Wilson
supplied meat to the
United States
troops. The meat was
packaged and stamped "U.S." for "United States
” before being sold to the government.
One day, a clerk in the store joked to a government inspector
that the "U.S." stamped on the meat really stood for
"Uncle Sam," the store owner’s nickname.
The rest was history as "Uncle Sam" became the
inspiration for the cartoon character that is now one of the
United States
most famous symbols.
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At nightfall on July 4, the planets Saturn, Mars, and the bright star,
Regulus, form a short straight line in the western sky, with Saturn
highest and faint Mars in the middle.
The crescent Moon dangles below the trio near the horizon.
Also on the 4th of
July, the earth reaches aphelion, its farthest position from the Sun in
2008. This should not be
confused with the “tilt” of the earth which gives us our seasons,
titling toward the sun in summer and away from the sun in winter. The
fact that the earth is farther away from the sun in July and closest to
the sun in January is a result of the earth’s orbit around the sun.
In the southeastern sky, the planet Jupiter is at its brightest of the
year as it reaches opposition (opposite the sun) on July 9 and its
closest approach to the earth on July 10.
The giant planet Jupiter shines at its biggest and brightest in
the constellation of Sagittarius, near the handle of the “Teapot.” Watch
as the full moon passes below bright Jupiter on July 16 and 17.
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