A series of ten ox herding pictures, a visual Zen manual on training the mind. The pictures focus on a herdsman and an ox, illustrating their struggle together in their search for true enlightenment.
The ox herder is the person on the spiritual quest and the ox is the mind, the true nature, they are two separate entities gradually merging into one.
The ten pictures are designed to show followers the different elements of the original mind and its unique levels of understanding. Through these ten we see the searching, the finding, the seeing, the catching and the caring. In the sixth picture, the student becomes one with the ox-mind and must give himself up so no barriers remain. "The Ox Forgotten, the Man Left Alone" is the seventh, the student is still existing, becoming a man of no-way. The eighth shows a level where no trace of the student remains. The ninth "Returning to the Origin, Back to the Source" the student is still without individual self, he can still see images, however they are only of scenery, this is because he is doing nothing.
In the tenth picture, "Entering the Marketplace with open Hands", the student will be restored with activity, that is, he returns a selfless man, giving hands to those who need them.
The journey is hard and long, something that will not be completed in one lifetime or two. This is the inspiration for our name, through work, realization, more work and more work, we come to a place with open hearts, open minds and always giving hands.
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Photo, shown from left:
Owner Glenn Mifsud
and staff
(at the time of the Tenth Ox Studio
opening in November 2008) |
About the owner, Glenn Mifsud...
The man behind the Tenth Ox vision is Glenn Mifsud. Some of you may already know Glenn as the owner and host of the Still Point Yoga Retreat in the nearby Village of Northport, Picton. Glenn and his team of friends, artists, artisans and tradespeople, combined hands and hearts to bring the beautiful Tenth Ox Studio into form, along with many hours of hard work and dedicated effort!
Originally from Toronto, Glenn has been living in Northport since 1988 where his work and presence have become a welcome contribution to the community. He loves the Bay of Quinte area for its natural beauty and inexplicable energy... a perfect location for his peaceful Still Point retreat and now, for the Tenth Ox Studio in the pretty town of Belleville.
Before moving into the Northport area, Glenn spent a period of time living on his sailboat, and has also worked as a professional cook and as a firefighter in Toronto.
Glenn holds a degree in Religious Studies and is a certified Yoga instructor. He has studied and practiced yoga for many years throughout Canada, the U.S., the Bahamas, and India. He offers various classes and workshops, as well as a yoga teacher training program at his Still Point Retreat. In addition to yoga, Glenn enjoys folk music, theology, and philosophy. His good nature and positive energy help make all guests feel comfortable and welcome.
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A little about our website...
The online home for the Tenth Ox Studio is designed to be reflective of the warmth and craftsmanship of the actual studio.
The website is optimized for a viewing screen resolution of 1280 pixels wide or higher, and also requires a Flash player to view all sections of the site appropriately.
A couple of design elements, in keeping with the yogic nature of the studio, include the integration of the "om" symbol, as the embellishment on either side of each web page (the outer scrolls on either side), as well as the integration of a Sanskrit heart sutra (or poem) tiled in the dark brown background of the site. Enjoy browsing through our online home!
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