Setsuna issue 03 Mindfulness

Issue 03 Mindfulness

This issue is talking about ordinary days.

To be purposeful and conscious is to pay attention and be aware of everything in the present moment, without making any judgments, analysis, or reactions, just simply being aware and attentive to it. This is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the feelings and sensations in the present moment, and periodically recording one’s experiences in life. It allows people to experience more of the beauty in life that can easily be noticed but often goes unnoticed due to the fast-paced nature of our lives.

Hello, Ordinary Days.

edited by Sirong Liu

Hello,

Ordinar Days.

Yao Zhang’s Day

Linguistics

01 On the windowsill, there is a potted plant with the “phrase bumper harvest” written on it. 02 A street sign reads “I love Nanjing.” 03 Pizza that had to be waited in line until 12 o’clock to be eaten. 04 KTV and other popular check-in locations. 05 A famous spot for taking photos. 06 Is that... a blanket? 07 There is a pink building in Xinjiekou! 08 Starting to burn paper money for ancestral worship. 09 A cat on the roof of a noodle restaurant, only its butt was captured in the photo. 10 In the shop window, there is a very handsome Maine Coon cat. 11 A locked window with a key inserted. 12 There are no withered flowers.

photograph Sirong Liu

Q1: Looking back at the photos you took, do you have a different feeling or discover new details compared to when you were taking them?

A: It’s pretty similar to the feeling when taking the photos, and I deliberately try to feel the emotions at that time.

Q2: By intentionally recording your daily life in Table 2, will it increase the chances of discovering moments in your life?

A: Yes. Because I know I need to record, I pay more attention to the details of daily life, and therefore discover some moments that I didn’t notice before.

Q3: What significance do these records have for you after this process?

A: When I look back in the future, they can give me some beautiful memories.

Q4: How do you try to record your life in this process? What is your starting point?

A: I first observe, then use the camera to capture interesting things. My starting point is something that makes me feel happy, warm, or beautiful.

Q5: What kind of details in life would make you want to record them more?

A: Details that make me feel warm and beautiful. It’s mainly subjective feelings and cognition.

Q6: As you answer these questions, what different perceptions do you have about your surroundings?

A: I feel very calm and gentle inside.

Tianyu Ren’s Day

Illustrator

01 This was taken in Kew Garden. I thought the branches of this tree looked like they had been carefully styled and were ready to go to a party. The whole tree had a fashionable feel to it. 02 This photo doesn’t have any special story behind it. I just felt that this tree was very unique and interesting, so I took a picture of it. It had a sort of fluffy, artificial feel to it, like it had been intentionally trimmed. 03 This photo was also taken in Kew.It’s a strange-looking tree that seems to have dressed up very nicely, but it’s also crooked and hasn’t been protected or corrected in any way. It has a natural beauty that feels a bit artificial. 04 This is the most handsome pigeon we saw in Barbican when we were observing many pigeons courting each other. It was wearing a very elegant black and white dress. Unfortunately, it did not succeed in courting until we left. 05 This was taken in France. I was resting by the pond and saw these two ducks standing in a funny position. It was even more fitting when I saw their position in relation to the sculpture. 06 When I first came to London, I noticed that there were spikes on top of every camera, and I thought it was quite strange. I started to speculate on the reason for this. Finally, after discussing with my roommate, we figured that it might be to prevent horses and pigeons from perching and pooping on top of them. 07-12 This was seen during a night walk event in East London, and it felt very interesting. This plain and ordinary lamp suddenly became very vibrant and full of life.

Q1: After reading your sharing, do you feel more attracted to natural things that showcase vitality? What is your point of entry?

A: I do feel more relaxed and amused by coincidences.

Q2: After reviewing the photos you shared, did you discover anything different from when you took them?

A: Actually, I did not discover anything different, but it did bring back memories of the scene and my thoughts when I took them.

Q3: Do you think that some of the records are related to your own experiences, and things you have never seen before will be more attractive to your attention? For example, seagulls on sculptures, which I have seen many times in Scotland but cannot see in China.

A: Perhaps a little, but I think the interesting thing about it is that its position is very subtle. Like the one I wrote about in my previous document, its position and the dynamics of the sculpture combine to make it very interesting.

Q4: What significance do these photos being recorded have for you?

A: To preserve memories of the present? I haven't really thought about it having any significance.

Q5: In terms of feeling the present, do you have any unique perceptions of the surroundings you are currently in?

A: Um, I don’t understand. Are you asking me how I feel about London? I think the pace of life in London is quite slow and relaxing (maybe because I'm not working and earning money, haha).

photograph Sirong Liu

Hanwen’s Day

Media worker

01 Walking from the library to the bottom of the Drum Tower, the red wall has been “carved up” by tourists. When waiting for the red light, I raised my lens and took a photo. 02 I went to the Dongcheng District Library and stamped the TombSweeping Day-themed registration stamp. 03 I took part in punching activities and went to Jixiang Grand Theater for the first time. It was originally above the shopping mall where I had been many times. 04 Good weather recorded on the subway. 05 Walking along the city wall, I walked about 1km and finally met some small flowers. 06 I ordered a hot latte and a snack in the cafe. 07 Walking from the subway station to the park, passing through a strange community, the buildings and cherry blossoms are all pink. 08 Boarding the Ming City Wall, a train just left Beijing Station.

Q1: When you look back at the photos you took, do you have a different feeling or discover new details compared to when you took them?

A: I found that the foam on the coffee was no longer as “fresh” as it was when I took the photo. At that time, I must have taken photos for a long time before I drank it, but I didn’t feel it while taking the photo. Time flew by quickly.

Q2: Why do you feel the need to record the moment when a train passes by?

A: I’ve been to the Ming City Wall several times before. This time, I mainly went to take photos of plum blossoms. I was a little disappointed to find that the flowers had withered. At this time, the passing train was a fresh and interesting thing to capture.

Q3: What is the significance of these photos that document your life?

A: I flip through the photo album when I do my bullet journal or when I’m curious about what I did on a certain day in a certain year, but my memory is already fuzzy. Looking at the photos helps me recall those moments.

Q4: How do you try to document your life in this process? What is your point of entry?

Q5: Do you feel upset if you miss a great moment? Or do you feel that seeing it with your own eyes is more important than recording it with a camera?

A: I often do feel upset when I miss a great moment. The experience of seeing a great moment with your own eyes has an “expiration date.”

A: I randomly take photos, just capturing whatever comes to mind. I don’t carefully compose my shots, and some of the photos don’t have anything particularly special about them, like a view outside of a subway window. But when I took the photo, I felt that the weather was nice, which is a small but worthwhile thing to be happy about.

Q6: While answering these questions, try to feel your surroundings. What different perceptions do you have?

A: Unfortunately, my surroundings are filled with sand and dust. The scenery in the distance is no longer visible, so I have to give up my plan to go to Zhongshan Park to see the flowers. At this time and in this place, it’s a bit of a stretch to say that there are any different perceptions. Instead, I regret not taking advantage of the good weather from a few days ago.

photograph Sirong Liu

Yinns’s Day

Linguistics

01 Seeing the Buddha statue at the Hebei Museum, I couldn’t help but exclaim how beautiful it was! 02 It seems to be a small figurine buried with a Wei-Jin-Northern and Southern dynasties’ monarch. 03 I had only been walking around for two hours and I was already tired. This Xiongnu candlestick is also very interesting. 04 I finally saw the Changxin Palace Lantern that I saw in science magazines when I was a child! I was worried that I might not be able to see it because it was out on loan before I went. 05 I took a photo of the silhouette of bamboo taken next to the seat on the first floor of the museum where I rested. 06 I picked a few postcards at the gift shop, and the dots on this postcard looked like code or something. I stood at the escalator and found that the light and shadow on the pillar looked like it too. 07 After going through all the exhibits, I ordered a cup of coffee in the restaurant mainly because the pattern on it was the Changxin Palace Lantern. But it tasted ordinary. 08 When I was waiting for a taxi, I looked up and saw the China Zun Tower, which I had passed by countless times before. It was the first time I realized how close it was to me.

Q1: When you look back at the photos you took, do you have any different feelings or new details you’ve discovered?

A: I discovered something new when I bought a postcard of one of the cultural relics that I had taken a photo of. I had completely forgotten that I had seen the actual relic and taken a photo of it. I just thought it was cute and bought the postcard.

Q2: Why do you think you didn’t notice the China Zun Tower’s distance from you before?

A: Normally, I don’t pay attention to buildings or other things. I usually look at my phone to find where I need to go, and every time I come to this place, it’s to go back and transfer to the subway. The subway entrance is in the opposite direction of China Zun Tower, so I never realized the distance between me and China Zun Tower every time I got off the subway.

Q3: What do you think the significance of these records is to you after you’ve made them?

A: Taking these photos or recording the time and events in words means that when I look back after a year or two, or even a long time later, I can see how I spent that day and how happy I was at that time.

Q4: What kind of details in life do you think are more worth recording, and what is your entry point?

A: Unexpected things that suddenly appear are what make me want to record them. My entry point is to take photos to remember the present moment and my emotions, so that when I later write, I can recall some of the events and the situation at the time.

Q5: As you answer the questions, try to feel your surroundings. Do you have any different perceptions?

A: This evening when I went out for a walk, I discovered that there are actually cherry blossoms in our community. I had never noticed them before. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t pay too much attention to my phone when I went out today to fill out the form. Instead, I looked around for a long time and noticed some small changes around my home that I had not noticed before.

photograph Sirong Liu

Nx’s Day

Clerical worker

01 It is said to be holographic projection technology, which is quite curious. 02 Went to play with the bride and took a photo from above. It made me feel a little tempted by this all-in-one wedding decoration. 03 Secretly ate a small cake, it was blue but didn’t taste like any fruit, probably just regular food coloring... 04 When I came home, I saw the small flowers that my significant other bought for me on Valentine’s Day and they still haven’t withered after so long. 05 I sneaked out for a walk in the afternoon and found a little black thing that I've never seen before, but as soon as I took out my phone it turned its butt to me :( 06 My poor electric scooter was squeezed between two big guys and shivering... 07 At the office, I was slacking off and noticed that my hair was styled nicely today XD 08 The result of slacking off in the park was that I bought some food back. It’s a new flavor and it’s pretty good, I’ll probably buy it again!

Q1: When you look back at the photos you took, do you have different feelings or discover new details that you didn't notice when taking the photos?

A: Hahaha, when I look back at the pictures from my friend’s wedding now, I don’t feel as moved as I did before. It shows that the atmosphere is really important. Looking back, the new discovery is the head of the uncle wiping his sweat (hahaha). Looking back at the photos, I remember that I had a happy day and did a lot of things.

Q2: What do you think is the significance of these records for you after the fact?

A: It’s really great to have photos to look back on after a period of time. It can help me remember happy times, and I should make it a habit to take more photos. Every day is different, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. I’m a bit regretful that I don’t take enough photos. And then the next time I’m out, I’m too shy to take photos... It’s a cycle.

Q3: What kind of details in life do you think are worth recording, and what is your perspective?

A: Interesting things, unusual things, things that I want to share with friends, or things related to topics I’ve discussed. Also, beautiful and pretty things.

Q4: At this moment when you’re answering the questions, what different perceptions do you have about your surroundings?

A: I feel that there are still a lot of things that I can take photos of, and the most valuable thing is having people to share them with. To quote a line from a song, “Of course, we have to take pictures to record it, because it won’t always be carefree like this.”

Q1: When you look back at the photos you took, do you have different feelings or discover new details?

A: I found that there was a picture that had borne a lot of fruit.

Q2: What do you think these records mean to you after such records?

A: The moment recorded by taking photos is eternal, and the time at that time can also be recalled through photos.

Q3: What details do you think will make you want to record in your life?

A: The first restaurant to try, the plants that open in season, the lovely animals, and the scenic spots to visit.

Q4: When answering questions, feel around you. What's your different perception?

A: Sunny days will make people happier, and when you take pictures on cloudy days, it won't be so good.

Clerical worker

Record your day

consciously record the life process of the day and try to find the highlights of life.

SELF-PORTRAIT

photograph Sirong Liu