Welcome to Balanced Rocks: Pictures and Stories

Beginning March 16,2010, I began a journey of balancing rocks. I hold to the practice of setting to balance at least five sculptures a day, sometimes, many more. Of these I take lots of pictures and videos. While conducting this adventure, I have been introduced to an incredible unfolding story. Additionally, I discovered this phenomenon is manifesting worldwide. As I post pictures and stories, I found many others similarly engaged and sharing their works. Additionally, as folks come upon me performing my work, many want to find out how this is done and try themselves. This blog shares this work in both pictures and stories. Enjoy

Yin/Yang

Yin/Yang
A seeming impossibility becomes possible

Rock Balancing: The Beginning

On a fine summer day, sometime in August, 2009, I was visiting family in Toronto. Like most folks spending summer in a large city, we used up as much time as we could finding outdoor events that would cool us. One afternoon, we headed to the Beaches section of East Toronto. After spending some time playing in a large sandbox in the shade with my grandkids and some of their newfound companions, we headed to the Boardwalk that extends from Balmy Beach to Kew Gardens. Ella accompanied me, Liam took off with his mom, Natalie. They ventured down the boardwalk, Ella and I headed onto the sand toward the water’s edge. Halfway there we encountered what looked like a small size Stonehenge.

About a dozen sculptures were gathered together in a rough circle. Each was a stack of two or three rocks balanced one on another. The tallest one was slightly taller than Ella, who was small average height for a five year older. All were in the neighborhood of three feet and four feet tall. What immediately jumped out was the precarious nature of the balancing. Most points of contact were miraculously slight. Most seemed to be standing on a point. Two more folks were witnessing this amazing display. We imagined that there must be small metal rods embedded at the point of contact, or else some kind of glue was used. Each of us peered from close low angles to detect what could account for this mystical display. Ella, not being so cautious, toppled one structure over. Luckily, it did not land on her.

I hurried over and picked up the fallen rock. I saw no evidence of a rod or glue. It indeed had been balanced on its pedestal. I lifted it up and tried to place it back where I reckoned it had been balanced. I cautioned Ella, to be careful and not upset any more sculptures and went about the task of finding balance. I was not successful and struggled immensely but did not find the magic spot where stability could be achieved. After a lengthy effort, an attractive Asian woman about my age approached and gently nudged me aside offering to demonstrate her work. She pointed to the spot she would set the stone upon. She called it by a foreign name. To me it looked like a slight dimple.

Placing the small end of the upper rock into that hollow, she deftly and quickly moved it around, slightly twisting and cajoling it into position. The sight of this slender woman with longish graying hair performing an intricate dance with a rock slightly larger than her head emanated calmness. It seemed only the ends of her fingers were used to achieve these small movements. Apparently, equilibrium was close. Shortly she was done and withdrew her palms which naturally assumed an open prayer posture. The rock I had grappled with was majestically resting in its previous stable state. She next went over and reset two other structures, I had not noticed were also amiss. I just took them to be part of the rubble strewn about the beach. Now all the display was standing and providing a small sense of order in our chaotic world.

I never got this woman’s name, but heard her story. She had set this display up for the purpose of taking pictures, one of which she hoped to use for a cover of a book she was publishing. Unfortunately not getting her name makes it difficult to find her book. But I carried away with me the sight of her presentation and the incredible feeling I had witnessed an amazing ethereal event. I also felt an urge to explore this practice.

Rock in the Snow

Rock in the Snow
January in Toronto

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

First Impressions, February, 1975: West Palm Beach, FL

After spending a whole evening escaping the clutches of the long arm of the law, I decided to take it easy. A day at the beach was called for. Luckily, my first ride was headed to Juno Beach. Here it is common to see many folks scanning the sand with metal detectors. Lore has it that a Spanish Treasure Fleet sank off shore in the 16th century. Several seekers swore they found gold here. It seemed a popular spot for booty seeking. I sat all morning doodling on a sketch pad. I even got to explore the surf. By mid afternoon, I was ready to resume my crawl southward. It was around dinner time passing through Palm Beach when I saw at the curb, Mike, who was arrested last night for Cannabis possession. He waved and shouted, “I got let out last night after you guys left, They didn’t even give back my stash.” He seemed in good spirits.
Further down the road, I went into a diner for a meal. As I was leaving, an elderly gentleman accosted me and berated me for my appearance and apparent lack of job. I engaged him in a polite conversation and he relented his attitude when he found I was erudite. He offered to buy me a meal. I told him I just ate. He was additionally surprised to find I could pay my own way. I joined him for dinner and afterward he offered to take me across the street to a bar. Apparently he was a well known patron and instructed the bartender to put my fare on his tab. During the evening, a couple offered to let me stay in their camper van parked across the street at a motel. They were staying in a room and not needing their camper. By the end of the evening, I decided I would feel more comfortable sleeping on the ground outdoors. It was late when I bade farewell to my new found friends and went out in search of a dark quiet location.
This part of South Florida is sparing on its dark locations. After a lengthy walk, I happened upon a golf course. By walking out onto the fairways, I could finally find a spot amongst the bushes that offered quiet and no light. I spread out my roll and enjoyed a long nap sleeping off the effects of partying. It was daylight when I was awakened by a tugging on my bedroll. As I came to, I noticed a small child prodding me into alertness. As I turned over, I noticed a young woman with a stroller, whispering to the child to come away from me. It was obvious she was frightened by my appearance and choice of sleeping arrangements. I unobtrusively shooed the child back to his charge, gathered my belongings and scurried away. I found a breakfast diner and went in to partake of their special. Before sitting down, I went into the restroom. There I observed the site that frightened the young woman. I admit I had a wild disheveled look about me. Not wanting to raise undue attention, nor disturb bystanders, I vowed to better attend to my presentation.
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Blog Archive

About Me, Part One

My photo
Rock Balancing: The Beginning. What began as a journal of my travels took a hiatus when I began to settle in Ithaca NY. In the meantime, I took up the practice of setting rocks to balance. I returned to my blog to begin recording this story

Part, The second

On Easter Sunday Morning, 2008, I made a decision to settle in the Ithaca New York area. At the same time, I decided to continue to post my blog, However, the stories now will come from the archive stored internally. These will be the stories I gathered while on previous journeys and never entrusted to paper. The date of each posting will not reflect the date of the story being related but will mark the date that narrative got inscribed.

Carry wood

Carry wood
33 years later

Part: The third

I took a brief hiatus from my daily blog writing. I did not know the direction it would take. part of me thought I would abandon it. It turns out I missed it. The old title "On the Road Again' is no longer apt. It appears I am settling. The travel stories will age to a point, when I will probably resusitiate them and do something with them. I dusted off some old stories and begin this new series.
Thr first is one was written two years ago. I edited it and begin again a series that is more apropos to someone settling in upper New York State. They are meant to warm, amuse, educate and sometimes inflame.