How did you enjoy the Zen Garden experience?

We hope that you were able to refresh your mind and put aside your busy life even for a moment.
Despite their simple aesthetic, Zen gardens are quite complex and many hidden meanings lie within their structure and elements.

Did you feel or discern any deeper meaning during your experience?

Here are three insights about zen gardens that we would like to share with you, that we thought you might find interesting.

The first insight is about the shapes drawn on the sand.

Were you surprised by how difficult it is to draw on the sand?
This process is used as part of training (Japanese: shugyō) for monks at Zen temples. The monk is instructed to smooth the sand and draw around the rocks. This process is much more difficult than it seems and requires the monk to clear his mind and focus on the given task. When the individual is stressed or not focused on the task at hand, the lines can become distorted and irregular - a visual representation of their inner feelings.
In time, monks learn to focus their thoughts when required to do so. One does not need to be switched on and in the moment at all times - this training simply means that one is able to turn on that degree of focus when it is needed.

The second insight is about the number of rocks that you have placed on the sand.

Have you counted the number of rocks that were included in the kit?
There are 15 in total, and there is a reason behind this number.

At Ryōanji Temple, a 15th century Zen temple in Kyōto, a total of 15 rocks have been placed in the Zen garden. As per Chinese tradition, odd numbers are considered to be auspicious. The rocks that are displayed in the garden are placed into groups of 7, 5, and 3, and because 15 is the sum of those three groups of auspicious odd numbers, 15 is considered to be an especially fortunate number.

That said, key to its design is the fact that there is always one rock that cannot be seen from wherever you view the garden. As there is always one rock missing and we are unable to see the auspicious 15 rocks - what one might call perfection - this is a visual demonstration of imperfection, which is a core concept in Buddhism.

Different styles and shapes of rocks also illustrate the beauty that exists in diversity.

The third insight is that Zen gardens may be a pathway to another plane of existence.

The karesansui - dry landscape gardens - were developed in Zen temples to serve as a portal that connects this world with whatever lies beyond this plane of existence. The idea was to create a vision of the afterlife, and by meditating on what lies beyond, one would eventually be able to come to terms with it.

Karesansui, which uses rocks and sand to represent mountains and nature, is an abstract expression of one universe.

Zen gardens hold much meaning, from an appreciation of imperfection, diversity and a broader connection to the universe.

We hope that your Zen Garden Kit opens some doors to learning more about Zen gardens and their deeper significance.