(Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) In Bubryunsa, a beautiful temple set in the mountains about two hours from Seoul, I was happy to participate in a temple stay with fellow artists. I was struck at seeing this swastika, used without the Nazi connotations, but to represent what it originally supposed to—auspiciousness, eternity, and Buddhism.

Tae Min, the monk who guided us through a tea ceremony, meditation, and a tour of the temple grounds, made me smile when I saw that she has a smartphone. It’s the same one I have: a Samsung Galaxy S3.

Her phone’s cleaner had a Buddha on it.

We saw a lot of buddhas.

And I mean, a lot of buddhas.

But I think the statue I liked best was this one. He looks badass, and probably does martial arts.

I leave you with this lovely rock balancing we came across. Peace, love, and get your Zen on.