The Architecture of the Legend of Zelda
  • Home
    • Legal Disclaimers
    • Introduction and Intent
    • An Appreciation of Zelda
    • The Zelda Ethos
    • Recommended Readings
  • Articles
    • Ocarina of Time >
      • The Great Deku Tree
      • Dodongo's Cavern
      • The Forest Temple
      • The Fire Temple
      • The Water Temple
      • The Shadow Temple
      • The Spirit Temple
      • Fairy Fountains of Hyrule
      • The Temple of Time
      • Ganon's Castle
    • Majora's Mask >
      • A Thematic Unmasking of Majora's Mask
      • Clock Town and the Heart of Termina
      • Woodfall and the Southern Swamp
      • Snowhead and the Lands of the North
      • Great Bay Temple and the Western Coast
      • Ikana Kingdom and the Eastern Desert
      • On Spider Houses and Greed within The Legend of Zelda
      • Majora's Mask 3Ds — An Enumeration of Changes
    • The Wind Waker >
      • Outset Island
      • Dragon Roost Island
      • The Forsaken Fortress
      • Tower of the Gods
      • The Earth Temple
      • The Wind Temple
      • Ganon's Tower
      • Ancient Hyrule Castle
    • Twilight Princess >
      • Ordona Province and the Meaning of Twilight
      • Faron Woods and the Forest Temple
      • Cultures of Eldin Province
      • Lakebed Temple and the Lands of the Zora
      • The Arbiter's Grounds
      • Snowpeak Ruins
      • Sacred Grove and the Temple of Time
      • The City in the Sky
      • The Twilight Realm and the Palace of Twilight
      • The Hylian Architectural Tradition
    • Skyward Sword >
      • Skyloft and the Provenance of Legend
      • The Sealed Grounds and Intentions of the Goddess
      • Faron Woods and Skyview Temple
      • The Earth Temple of Eldin Volcano
      • Ancient Cultures of Lanayru Desert
      • Lake Floria and the Ancient Cistern
      • The Lanayru Sand Sea
      • The Fire Sanctuary
      • Sky Keep and the Isle of Songs
    • Breath of the Wild >
      • Breath of the Wild — Review
      • Ancient Sheikah Art and Architecture
      • Kakariko Village
      • Hateno Village and the Ancient Tech Labs
      • Lurelin Village
      • Tarrey Town and Modular Hyrulean Architecture
      • Stronghold of the Yiga Clan
      • Gerudo Town and the Great Desert
      • On Stables
      • Zora's Domain
      • Goron City and Death Mountain
      • Rito Village and the Wild's Frontier
      • The Fang & Bone — The Hunt Across Hyrule
      • Great Fairy Fountains of Hyrule
      • Monster Strongholds
      • Lodges: Unlooked-for Welcomes
    • Random Articles >
      • The Great Deku Tree: A Triumph of Aided Discovery
      • Are the Arbiter’s Grounds the Spirit Temple of Antiquity?
      • The King of Red Lions
      • A Bathhouse in Hyrule
      • The Mirror of Demise
      • To the Fishing Hole
    • Riddles >
      • A Rough Guide to Riddling
      • Simple
      • Middling
      • Challenging
  • About the Author
  • Discussion
  • Contact

The Pilgrim's Lack of Progress

1/13/2016

0 Comments

 
"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." 

- Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living


This quote has been in my head constantly for the past four or five years, ever since I stumbled upon it. Yet, even while recognizing its inherent truth, I find it hard to implement its wisdom in my life. The materialism and engaged action of the West battles the impermanence and non-attachment of the Dharma, and I always seem to fall somewhere in the middle, with little achieved in either direction. It is common knowledge that spiritual development nearly always attends the falling off of worldly, materialistic concerns, but beginning on that path is the sticky wicket, so to say. Were it easy to shift our cultural backgrounds and spiritual temperaments, though, perhaps the joy would be taken from the journey.

What this all means to say is that my writing has been overshadowed, as is normal, by confusion and the rearrangement of life. Like clockwork, the world shifts, and my personal life continues to adapt around change, though mostly beneficial change. Friends moving away, weddings, a new profession, loss and gain. Where is writing to fit?

​The first article in the Majora's Mask series of this blog was, more or less, just released, and I have mixed feelings about it. As it turns out, Majora's Mask is an incredibly difficult game to analyze, to comprehend, and to feel. Writing about it, then, seems almost impossible. There are several aspects of that article I am likely to change before the year is out, though exactly what I change remains to be seen. I will continue to tweak my writing style throughout the following articles (of which there will likely be six or seven, if I follow my current plan), and, as always, I welcome comments or suggestions. Courtesy of a modern age, my email is always open.


Best, 

Talbot
0 Comments
    The universe of The Legend of Zelda is replete with multifarious architectural oddities, beautiful and resonating structures, and ineffably-mysterious temples hidden in the remote corners of the world. It is my hope to explore said places, shedding light upon some of their salient features, and fulfilling the goals laid out by the introduction, the main goal of which is to help people understand and appreciate the unspoken, yet deeply-felt, allure of these locations and structures.

    Archives

    March 2023
    September 2022
    August 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014