a blog by Knut Skjærven

The Departure

The Departure.© Knut Skjærven

This entry was posted on December 6, 2010 by . It was filed under barebones communication and was tagged with , , , , , , , , , , .

34 responses

  1. ram0ram

    divine…. fine..to …finest…
    love all…

    December 7, 2010 at 3:20 am

    Reply
  2. Knut Skjaerven

    Thank you, Ram, once again.

    I need to ask you a question about your presumed religion. Where can I find suggestions about the necessity of “standing back”, “make yourself invisible” and “let the things speak for themselves” when you deal with them as an observer, a photographer, or an artist?

    My guess it that you will know where I can look for this principle so important for photography. I need a clue :-).

    Best
    Knut

    December 7, 2010 at 1:40 pm

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  3. ram0ram

    divine knut… thank you….please answer few questions…. one…do you watch any sport …like football or tennis or play…

    I want you to explore this answer in our small conversations …..because you know the answer but it is in between the pages of informations..

    you will like this informal way..

    love all…

    ram

    December 7, 2010 at 6:07 pm

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  4. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, hehe, I should have guessed that you would say something like this. Maybe I did.

    Rest assured that I would have wanted it no other way.

    I have to tell you that I am no enthusiast for football or tennis or sports in general. I watch only the last games when there are large championships going on. Could be football. So the answer will be: No, I don’t watch sports or games.

    Best
    Knut

    December 7, 2010 at 10:59 pm

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  5. ram0ram

    divine Knut… it is nice to watch the championship matches…. may be foot ball….tell me who enjoy the game most….

    also tell me when you watch match between two teams…. do one of the team becomes your favorite…

    thanks for carrying the quality conversations…

    love all..

    ram

    December 8, 2010 at 11:56 am

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  6. ram0ram

    divine… why I like to put on your blog is that others can also be know….

    love all…

    December 8, 2010 at 11:59 am

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  7. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, thanks. Yes, just keep the conversation on the blog. That is a very good idea.

    As for football I tend to watch (a few of) those games that are crucial for winning a high level tournament e.g. I saw a couple of the matches from South Africa when the world championship went on there. Was that last year?

    Those who play elegant, entertaining, inventive, creative, artistic, clean football would normally be my favorites. But as I told you football is not high on my list at all.

    Best
    Knut

    December 8, 2010 at 12:52 pm

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  8. ram0ram

    divine knut… it is o.k that football is not the game you will like to spend time regularly ..but you know there are two teams with eleven players ….spectators in large numbers….and a a referee….

    now whenever we watch any match between two teams or between two playehis rs …. our mind get inclined towards one particular team or player…like if Germany and France are playing …a German supporter will cheer German team and a French ….the France…this can happen even both the teams are not from your Country…this happened in Year 1990 around in London …watching match between Stephan Edberg and Evan Lendel…two great tennis players ….my mind silently started liking stephen edberg to win… so I started thinking ….why I want Stephen to win…..

    does this kind of mind makeup happens with you also…. please tell…

    love all..

    ram

    December 8, 2010 at 2:27 pm

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  9. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, sorry for the delay. Yes, what you describe might very well happen :-).

    Please proceed.

    Best
    Knut

    December 9, 2010 at 9:25 pm

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  10. ram0ram

    divine Knut….. now tell me

    who enjoys the match most ?

    one may say spectators who come in large numbers
    others may say players…some one may say …referee ….

    what is your opinion… and why….

    love all…

    ram

    December 10, 2010 at 1:55 pm

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  11. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, those who enjoy the game most is the winning team and their supporters.

    The reason it that games are mostly there for winning 🙂 – and so a wish comes true.

    Might be money involved as well, but that is another matter.

    Best
    Knut

    December 10, 2010 at 2:15 pm

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  12. ram0ram

    divine Knut …. Imagine a football match is being played in Germany Between Germany and France…. when German team makes a good goal … the home crowd supports the team with lot of cheers…. but in contrast if France score a goal …. there will be no cheers… only silence…. so supporters travels between joy and sadness depending upon Germany winning or losing….

    is’not so.. please tell..

    love all…

    December 10, 2010 at 3:34 pm

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  13. Knut Skjaerven

    Yes, Ram, it is likely that that will happen. However, a good goal would probably be cheered by everybody.

    Best
    Knut

    December 12, 2010 at 11:55 am

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  14. ram0ram

    divine knut… very true…. a good spectator will cheer for both teams…. but a slight to large inclination happens in every body’s mind… but when you are inclined to one team …one never notices much the other team’s positive game…. hence you swing between Joy and no joy… so is players…. when they win…they are joyful and when they lose …no joy… so the game is completely enjoyed by a neutral referee …enjoys both teams ….so being neutral inside and natural outside you are in silence inside…. so one can observe the beauty reflections inside clearly… now I request you to read the following article…after that we will discuss how brain works and how to make this our friend…
    http://ram0singhal.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/football-dance-eternal/
    love all..
    ram

    December 12, 2010 at 2:04 pm

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  15. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, you make good points here. I have read both the comment and the article on you blog. Please continue.

    And now you will tell me about the left and the right brain, right? I am of the good fortune of having none :-).

    Best

    K

    December 14, 2010 at 11:14 am

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  16. ram0ram

    divine Knut… when one has headache only one realise one is having a head…. so if you are ignorant about your brains…. it means every thing is absolute fine…. and that is the main reason of beauty and silence in your photos….

    please visualise in the body from where the breath originates…. and put your answer…

    your photo suggest that you like your cameras by heart… some time feel them … the atom vibrates in them… have a relationship with your camera…. be one with the camera… try…with feeling… make a humble request to your camera to help you… then click… start a 5 minute meditation with the camera… the Zen master used to communicate with trees if they will like to become their bowls…

    will talk from tomorrow about our mind and brain…

    what kind of music you like and listen… I listen lot of music mostly classical Indian…

    love all..
    ram

    December 14, 2010 at 12:35 pm

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  17. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, many thanks once again.

    Actually, my remark about the brains was a joke. I am perfectly aware of the theory about the two brains halves: right and left.

    I am sorry to say that I have one of each. The right one larger than the left one, but the left one not that tiny either. They both go into photography. The left handle the bolts and wires on the cameras, and the right one picks up scenes to shoot. Sometimes I let both work overtime :-).

    Where my breath originates? Visually? In my chest of course doing everything the wrong way. This is the way most people do it over here. I am, however, aware of the situation and will do something about it. Please tell me how to do that best.

    About communication with your cameras: Not a bad idea. Normally I don’t do that, but I will try it. The reason why this, so far, has not been high on my list is that the cameras and I have already a fine working relationship. A soon as I bring them, they take over. I just need to be there to do the carrying. Like a mule. Sometimes I do a bit of visual coaching. And the clicking.

    Seriously, it works that way very often. They simply bring me luck. Scenes sometimes jumps into the camera :-). Fully finished. Almost.

    Best
    Knut

    December 14, 2010 at 7:44 pm

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  18. ram0ram

    divine knut… the scenes jumps into the cameras…that is the magic of oneness with nature …that is body mind and soul and spirit.. be that way…

    what I write also appear on its own… flow with the time… and when it happens the first thing bow to the grace of God…

    love all..
    ram

    December 15, 2010 at 4:09 am

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  19. ram0ram

    divine knut… does it happens a thought you do not want comes back in the head… or a song repeats on its own… if so any idea why?

    will carry forward our conversation in a informal way…

    love all..
    ram

    December 15, 2010 at 3:36 pm

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  20. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, many thanks. I will be back soon.

    I thought maybe you wanted to read this. http://www.studia.ubbcluj.ro/download/pdf/557.pdf

    Look for my book review. It was published earlier today.

    Best
    Knut

    December 15, 2010 at 8:56 pm

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  21. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, could you describe your notion of God?

    December 16, 2010 at 12:00 am

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    • ram0ram

      divine knut… as you can feel present or now but cannot describe so is God… but modern science has made is easier for me to describe God so all can understand… will answer these from tomorrow as long weekend… so more time for this timeless answer… thanks for asking questions as I may not know the answers but I have no questions… so once question comes …the answer appears… good for me…

      for that thank you..
      love all..
      ram

      December 16, 2010 at 8:34 am

      Reply
  22. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, many thanks.

    The reason I ask these questions is, first of all, because you bring up the issues in your comments.

    But there are more reasons why this is of particular interest to me.

    I have known, for many years, that there is a similarity between a phenomenological approach to the lifeworld, and a Zen approach to the lifework. I never investigated this though.

    Another reason is, and that was the fact that started this thread, that French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson was a confessed Buddhist and you are bound to see this reflected in his way of photography. He also comments on this at several occasions.

    So, Ram, using you as an expert coach here, I will most certainly come out as a much wised man in these matters. Thanks.

    Knut

    December 16, 2010 at 11:00 am

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  23. ram0ram

    divine knut… wise = w is e = work is enlightenment.

    so what ever you do …. do as worship of work and outcome should be happiness…

    one time in a party one distinguished lady asked me about the value of a precious piece of jewelery …. so I replied if you think because of this jewelery you are valuable than you are not valuable and if you think because of you this jewelery is valuable then you are really valuable… enjoy like a child… till you will look for your value in other’s eyes …you will not be valuable… but if become valuable in your own eyes then you are really valuable…

    as happiness becomes currency of life ….the other currencies also give you only Joy…but if wealth becomes currency of life then one will have joy and sadness….as day and night as a law…

    earning happiness in every breath is purpose of life… and that comes with sensitiveness..silence ..and service …and worship of work…

    all great masters suggested their experiences
    and to put into practice different spiritual methods came into existance…in a particular time …but today science can understand them and make is easier for every body to use that wisdom… and save from long spiritual and ritual practices…which once you understand why they work…

    there is so much books on how brain works..but do we have time to read them…and as
    manual of use is so much user’s friendly why not we teach young generations to know that… why even after spending 20-30 years with spiritual masters people ask… how we can go from mind to no mind… so many time I ask them what you mean by no mind… many different answer they give..

    will you also like to give a answer ?

    love all..
    ram

    December 16, 2010 at 12:24 pm

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  24. Knut Skjaerven

    Thanks Ram.

    Yes, I will give an answer, but it have to be a bit later. Now, I need to be a bit practical with some other matters.

    I’ll be back.

    Best

    Knut

    December 16, 2010 at 1:16 pm

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  25. Knut Skjaerven

    Thanks Ram.

    So what you, among other things, are saying is this:

    1. You should strive for happiness. Happiness is the proper currency of life.

    2. Joy and sadness belongs together and should not be strived for. This pair of belonging oppositions should not me made the currency of life. They can never bring happiness.

    3. External objects like jewelry have no value in itself, but carried by you they can get value.

    4. I am not sure about what you mean with “from mind to no mind”. Could you please explain?

    5. One question: If one man’s happiness is another man’s suffering, what then?

    So maybe:

    If I have photos that I am proud of, then they have value (but are they also objectively good)?

    If I have photo that are only left hand work, these have no value (but are they also objectively bad)?

    Are you saying that things have value only in terms of a relationship to the “artist”? Are there no objective criteria at all?

    Ram, don’t forget you promised me a “definition” of what the Zen God is :-).

    Have a very good day.

    Best
    Knut

    December 19, 2010 at 5:40 pm

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  26. ram0ram

    divine Knut…. happy for our quality conversations ….inspire me to write with silence…. will answer all questions… it may take little time…but that is o.k…..

    I learn that you live in Copenhagen,,,,been to this beautiful country many times ..last in 1998….with my both sons and wife before going to Newyork. later my elder son studied in parsons in Newyork…

    one time on Christmas I was in Copenhagen…even traveled to north point… wonderful TIVOLI gardens…lot of cycles… and good people..

    love all..
    ram

    December 19, 2010 at 6:00 pm

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  27. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, thanks.

    Please take all the time that you need :-).

    Do you celebrate Christmas the way we do?

    Yes, I live in Copenhagen, Denmark, but I was born in Norway which still is my home country.

    Most Danes are very flat like their country.

    All the best

    Knut

    December 19, 2010 at 8:08 pm

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  28. Knut Skjaerven

    Dear Ram

    Please take a look at the comments here. http://phenomenologyandphotography.wordpress.com/author/#comment-40

    Follow this link as well: http://denniscordell.zenfolio.com/

    I am sure that you will like it.

    Best

    Knut

    December 27, 2010 at 12:25 pm

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  29. ram0ram

    divine knut… beautiful photographs on monk’s life…. will watch them at ease… so is your other blog…. the Danes….the bride is beautiful….

    please see the following post…

    tennis = love game of God

    seasons greetings and love all…
    ram

    December 27, 2010 at 1:27 pm

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  30. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, I have read it. Your post on your blog.

    It is good. but it will need a lot of time to be digested. I will take that time. Not all this time, but all over time.

    Like in the movies.

    :-).

    December 27, 2010 at 11:05 pm

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  31. Knut Skjaerven

    Ram, here is a link for you: http://www.entropy.in/

    Best regards
    Knut

    December 31, 2010 at 8:20 am

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  32. ram0ram

    dear and divine knut… Einstein spent last thirty years to evolve a theory of everything and commented ……that entire cosmos is governed by a common law….out of chaos comes the creation….

    nice post ….entropy is like a sand clock… where falling sand particles creates a beautiful fall like waterfall…

    thank you for suggesting…
    thank you…
    wish you a fine and happy new year…
    love all..
    ram

    December 31, 2010 at 10:09 am

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  33. bimanualdrawing

    Good work.Photography contains full of phenomenology, esp. in terms of Husserl’s original insights.

    May 18, 2011 at 12:21 am

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