To Embody

To embody is to cause to become a body or to make concrete and perceptible. Does nature give shape to the human form or visa versa? A famous Buddha head entwined in the roots of a fig tree rests peacefully in the old capital city of Ayutthaya, Thailand. In 1767, many Buddha figures were decapitated and temples destroyed during the Burmese invasion. Some have suggested the tree simply grew around this fallen Buddha head or that a thief hid it away for later retrieval. I believe the placement was more intentional than either theory because of its perfectly upright and outward facing position. The anthropomorphic tree roots embrace the face, providing arms and legs to the disembodied. In turn, the serenity of the Buddha’s smile validates the authenticity of nature’s embrace.

Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya, Thailand – Kodachrome slide © Yvonne Cornell, 1988