Can it happen here?: Saturday scenery: Buddhas of the Haight

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Saturday scenery: Buddhas of the Haight

San Francisco is a city of many statues of the Buddha. Often they hide quietly, emanating peace in the corners of gardens.

But not so much on the Haight-Ashbury tourist trail, where, though the Summer of Love was over 50 years ago, the trappings of Orient exoticism dominate.

I'm not sure what that middle face is. Perhaps Polynesian.

Even here, there are a few more modest masks.

All encountered while Walking San Francisco.

3 comments:

Rain Trueax said...: I have two Buddhas-- one in the garden made of concrete and a very typical one. The second is inside, not exactly set up as it should be as I don't have such a place for it. It's another stage of his life where he is standing, more slender and has one hand extended. Supposedly it brings peace to the home :).; Saturday, July 21, 2018 8:30:00 AM
janinsanfran said...: The Buddhas I see in niches all over this city are indeed mostly very peaceful.

San Francisco yard and porches display some St. Francis statues, but far more Buddhas.; Saturday, July 21, 2018 8:36:00 PM
Rain Trueax said...: I also have a Kwan Yin in the 'cat' yard. I wanted an Isis but have had no luck in finding one. There is a Venus Rising although some think it's Aphrodite in a side yard, which qualify i guess as a goddess figure; Sunday, July 22, 2018 8:12:00 AM

WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

Living amidst violence rapidly constricting hope for a safer, sustainable, more equitable, and happier community and nation, what is to be done?

There's more to be done than I can envision or perhaps even imagine. People who suffer -- whether for being different, for trying to control their bodies, from randomly encountering some gun fetishist, from climate disruption, or simply for lacking cash -- need to be cared for. In some places and moments, some people have to raise a ruckus in the streets.

Let us explore together.