That Zen saying greeted me as I turned on iZen Garden 2, the latest version of this glorious garden, from Random Ideas ($2.99) – the company that brought you Joy of Being (also reviewed on this site).  I paused for a few moments to think about the saying and came up with some ideas about what it could mean.

I won’t share them here.

Anyway, after I downloaded the program to my iPhone 3Gs, I settled in on a dark, rainy day to test it.  I was looking forward to the experience, as I love products intended to help the user relax, or at least feel a little better!

I went into the program, tapped the introductory screen, and brought up my menu choices.  I clicked the hand holding the stone and started to explore.  I felt like I was in a gardening store buffet, with tons of choices!

I selected the “Elements” tab and was greeted with many options of items to place in my garden.  There are rocks, fossils, leaves, flowers, shells, and more.  The graphic are exceptional, and I had a hard time choosing.  I selected “Yellow Lily 3” and was taken back to my blank sand patch, quietly awaiting the flower to be placed upon it.  Pinching the flower shrunk the size, and expanding the fingers enlarged it.  It was a little awkward at times, as I really had to get used to squeezing my fingers in an organized fashion, but that is a natural issues with the i-screen size.  A simple touch and drag moved the flower to my desired location.  I filled out the scene with a “Sliced Nautilus,” “Pearly Shell,” and a “Buddha,” creating a nice little scene.  Under “Environment,” I was able to choose from four different sand colors (I chose a golden yellow), and could customize a rake of various depths and widths.  One can even choose to have the rake make a noise as it drags through the sand.  Under “Sounds” I chose a light rain shower to round out the scene.

Why would I choose this sound on a rainy day?  I was in the mood for irony.  Let it go, as the Zen master might say…

I went back to my little garden and drew my index finger around the elements, making swirls and whorls while taking in the sound.  A simple shake of the phone allowed me to clear the sand marks and start over.

At this point my front door rang and I became engaged in a conversation with angry (but nice) neighbors regarding a proposed cell tower in the community.  When I unlocked my phone after going back into my room, the garden was waiting for me, just as I’d left it – relaxing and happy.

iZen Garden 2 comes with sharing features that allow you to access Facebook, Twitter, and email functions to share your garden with others.  I tested the email capability and sent myself a pic of the garden.  It worked well, and looked good.  I was also able to save a copy of the garden to my iPhone’s film roll with a simple touch.

There is a very comprehensive help function that clearly explains the options and functionality.  There are also helpful notes regarding iZen Garden’s effects on your device’s memory.  This was a nice reminder that although you may want to go nuts with all the great graphics, you’d best follow the Buddha’s middle way of moderation, lest you “strain your device.”  I’m not sure Buddha ever considered his words would apply to a mobile device, but hey, that’s the hallmark of lasting philosophy – general applicability.

Overall, iZen Garden 2 is a great program.  One issue that isn’t a design flaw so much as a conscious choice on the part of the programmer (you can read about this in the ‘Help’ menu) is that when I played the rain sound (which overrode my phone’s mute function), I had to navigate through the program menus to turn it off.  It is not a big deal, but if you are playing with the program and someone comes up to talk to you, you have to do a little work to get the sounds to stop (locking the phone did not stop the sound), unless you simply end the program, which is always an easy solution.  So, problem solved!

Aside from some difficulties trying to figure out the “wallpaper” shortcut functionality, it was really a lot of fun.

I’m still not sure how I feel about my seed not seeing my flower, but I must say, iZen Garden 2 made my rainy day a little brighter.

-josh

I know it has been a long time since I posted, but I was away.  I was in Canada.  I was in New Mexico.  I was at a medical outpatient facility (but I’m ok!)

I was in other places in my mind.  I was in the world this whole time.  I’m in the world, but have been strangely detached from it.  I can’t really explain that much more.  It has been a weird time.  But Orumai was always in my mind.

I’ve been thinking about what I will write about all these experiences.  I want to share them.  And I will.  There are plans in the works to expand Orumai in various ways.  It’s all in process right now, but they are big ideas.  They are all in the mind, but not all in the world yet.

However, one has already come to pass.  iAffirm.

Orumai, in conjunction with Sunscape Photography and Cynical Peak Software, has co-created an iPhone/iPod Touch application that presents you positive daily affirmations along with beautiful photography, right on your iPhone or iPod Touch!  It’s really great.  For just $.99, and a mere shake or a swipe, you can have a nice message and a nice pic.  And maybe a good feeling.

Orumai is hoping it is just the first step.  The future looks bright.  Keep coming.  Keep reading.

And I’ll keep posting.

I’m here.  I’m in the world.

Sometimes.

-josh

He sings, teaches, supports. I am lucky to have him in my community, and have been fortunate to hear many of his teachings. He lives in the world, but shows that there is another way to engage it. That maybe, we can learn to prioritize stress with other important things, such as family, spirituality, friendship, etc.

He sings a song with a particular lyric, “always be in joy!” That is so difficult. Especially as our days become more stressful and demanding. For, how can one be in joy in the midst of a hectic day? If we were yogis in Himalayan caves, maybe we could tip the scales to states of less stress, but not in a cube with a ringing phone and a recession constantly knocking at the door. In those moments, peace seems so far away.

I have a job in the world. It is stressful. It is demanding. I don’t always feel at peace. When it gets to be too much, I often slip into the skeptical part of my brain that asks, “Is it really possible? Is it possible to get help in the midst of my hectic day? Is it really possible to always be in joy?”

Sometimes wish I had a pick-me-up at noon on a Tuesday.

That’s why, when I was asked recently to review an iPhone application called “Joy of Being,” (Version 1.0) I jumped at the chance. I know there are a lot of products out there that claim to help people relax, and it is hard to sort through them. That is why I have decided to start reviewing products here at Orumai to see which ones might really help me (and others) to relax a little.

The app store describes “Joy of Being” as “a set of three guided meditations to help you find inner peace, relax, empower yourself, and open your mind to creativity and freedom.”

Sounds good.

As many of you know, the iPhone is an Apple/Mac product that operates on the AT&T network. There are many people who program for Mac and iPhone, including the co-creator of Orumai. I own an iPhone and was eager to try out this product.

The application, designed by Random Ideas (makers of iZen Garden and Edibles), sells for $1.99. I downloaded it from the application store and into my phone and started the program.

It contains three meditations: Beach, Forest, and River, each accompanied by meditation-specific pictures and sounds. For example, the “Forest” meditation comes with pictures of trees, flowers, sunlight, and rocks. The guiding voice, a woman who speaks in a delicious, soothing alto, will guide you though descriptions that take you on journeys within. These are familiar meditations with motifs I’ve heard before, but they are presented with nice visuals and music.

“Beach” begins with an invitation from the silky voice to leave the everyday, as this is my “special time to find peace and comfort” in my day. I find out the sun is around me and I am relaxed. As I take off my shoes, I am walking on a beach with the sounds of the ocean in my ears. It is quite nice, actually. I imagined myself with my girlfriend when we were in Kauai. There are birds, waves, sounds…I am asked to imagine a wondrous light as it enters my body and relaxes my body. It was all very relaxing, I must say.

In the “Forest,” the woman asks me to “marvel at the creation of life,” and beckons me into the woods, safe and protective. I am asked to be a tree with deep roots. I am encouraged to breathe deeply from the surrounding air, allowing clear light and life to enter me. I am rooted and strong.

At the “River,” I hear echoes of the Tao. I am encouraged to be “fluid and open” and to meander around, and smooth out, the obstacle in my path, much like rushing water can do to stones in a riverbed. I imagine myself at my favorite spot in Oak Creek Canyon in the Southwest. I gaze at pictures of swans and water, and I realize that I am free flowing, allowing the water to dissolve any blockages within me. As the voice describes the water, I am asked to smooth out obstacles. It is an ancient, and lovely image.

I must say I did feel relaxed after the program ended. The iPhone format works well, especially if you want a quick listen during the day.

The only issues I had with the program were in its basic functionality. I found that if I received a call (ironically, my girlfriend called as I was listening to the “Beach” meditation), it would stop the program, and it had to be restarted from the beginning. Call interruptions are one of the pitfalls of a meditation application on a phone device, I guess. Also, there is no way to ‘pause’ the meditation. In other words, if I stopped it and wanted to start it again, I had to go back to the beginning of the particular program. It was a little frustrating. I understand that if I’m meditating and am interrupted, then something is lost in the relaxation flow, but it would be nice to start up again where I was, especially if I am on a quick break at work or in between appointments and could quickly get back to it. However, I do understand this is the 1.0 version, and I am sure future incarnations of the product will improve these issues.

But overall, it was lovely. The music and pictures were very nice and the images in the meditations are calming. This was a nice few minutes.

I know it is hard to always find joy. I guess maybe one of the ways to start the search is to find relaxation first. From there, the mind is clearer and can better follow the clues to happiness. Products like “Joy of Being” help us to find ways during the day to breathe and relax. After all, these are the great building blocks of inner peace and joy.

What would my teacher say about all this?

I’ll call him on my iPhone and find out. Or, maybe I’ll just ask in person.

-josh