"Samsara" is a Sanskrit word that literally means "continuous flow". It is the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The practice is to look deeply enough to see that there really is no birth, or death, only continuation. To be born means to become something from nothing. To die means to exist and become nothing. Is this really true when we use concepts like birth and death? Did you exist before you were born? Of course, you were in your Mother's womb. What about before then? I think that you were half your Mother and half your Father. And before that, you were your Grandparents. If you look even deeper, you can see that you were once a cloud, a river and the minerals in the rocks. This is not a new religion or even philosophy, it is the history of the Earth. When you die, you may become food for a beautiful tree that produces the most beautiful blossoms and fill the spring air with a lucious scent. Or, maybe you become ashes that nourish the soil that grow the vegtables that become part of the healthy bones in your grandchildren. If you look even deeper, you will see that there is nothing in this world that is not connected to everything else. Where did we come from and where are we going? It is only a continuous cycle. This is the life we experience, this is Samsara.

If this painting were to be an actual location, it would be the view from the Eminence Fault trail in Marble Canyon. Looking over the edge we can see Point Hansbrough directly below, President Harding Rapid upstream and the alcoves near Saddle Canyon downstream.

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