During Samhain, I commence my travel to the core of my Essence. On that night, nothing of substance fades with the dawn...it illuminates the light, infuses it with a current of indescribable luminescence. Moving closer to the Primal, words, sentences and verbal communication becomes secondary and the pre-literate self emerges and dominates.
     Attending a lecture on Neo-Classicism in Early Modern China- Seals and Seal Script in the Eighteenth Century by a University  Professor Alan Atkinson,  welded state-of-being to form, the power of  the written word is enourmous. His delivery of the topic,was well-researched and scholarly, kenetic and relevant.
     The history of Seals and Seal Script dates back thousands of years; Shaman were the first to utilize this method of communicaiton as a means to open the spirit world to this plane in order to assist humans in their lives, akin to my personal interest  in "Casting the Runes", a divinaiton method wherein special stones or cards that are inscribed with a magical alphabet are consulted with the expectation of answers or solutions after the process is complete. Familiar with this ancient practice, I learned that a human's need to communicate with a higher source fulfills not only the personal desire of craving relevance in Life, but continual practice and adhearence to a method creates organized characters that will evolve into a coherent alphabet and eventual language that can serve as a reference base for future generations.
     Scholarly achievement sometimes overshadows the act of providing of  education as later Dynasties became occupied with the creation/production of Seals and Seal Scripts; yet I believe it was positive obsession: we have well-preserved and exquisite examples of the progress of Script communication, the purpose of their creation and insight into the culture and attitudes of the people.
     At one time crude but becoming graceful and distinct, we late 20th century Westerners are beginning to appreciate the beauty of Chinese Script. Because of our multi-cultural, high-tech, globally interconnected world, the West is more attuned to Eastern philosophy, culture and art.  We are moving towards a balanced way of living, we understand now that excess in any form is disastrous; we adore our decadent lifestyles but seeking something elegant, intelligent and minimal hightens our awarness of Sahasrara, the seventh Chakra.
     From the 5,000 year old Chinese art of Feng Shui, the method of arranging furinishings in a compatible way with the environment, chakras and spritual energy to the 2,500year old Hindu Tattwa-the five elements-system, to the numerous Asian art, architecture and fashion flux, the ancient East has been escorted to the post-modern West.
       
Gabrielle Lin
  2 November 1998