Favourite bonsai quotes

[Chris Di Nola]

Love this topic

When in doubt, cut it out........ my first teacher

A juniper without Jins is like a dog without fleas not natural............John Naka

People that play golf just havent found bonsai yet.............Me

[molty75]

awesom topic,

THE MOMENT; when you see the trees face looking back at you, you have found yourself.

THE PASSION; if your hands dont work with the tree, find your passion first and your hands will follow.

THE ART; there is none, drawing is not an art it is drawing, sculpting is not an art it is sculpting, BONSAI IS NOT AN ART IT IS BONSAI.

From who, me, you, us the trees, or just reality, what is reality, BBOOOOO, you just heard it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Craig]

"If i knew that when i started" (everyone)

[JOHNR]

Don't worry love, I'm just going to look. ( everyone who's gone to a Nursery ).

[shibui]

'No, I only took enough money to buy raffle tickets and guess what? - I won it (again)" - Goulburn(?) ausbonsai member

[PaulC]

`what did you do to that poor tree ?`
Poor, as for sympathy for the tree..............of course !

[FatMingsBonsai]

My 3 year old little nephew in my backyard observing my bonsai trees, and screamed out " You stole Mr Miyagi's little trees uncle Han !!!

[Steven]

"Bonsai rules are the rules of nature"

[MattA]

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."
~ Earl Nightingale ~

"The gift of flight is reserved for those who jump."
~ Marley Porter, architect ~

"As an artist, it is central to be unsatisfied. This isn't greed, though it might be appetite."
~ Lawrence Calcagno ~

"I am still learning."
~ Michelangelo ~

"Any profound view of the world is mysticism"
~ Albert Schweitzer ~

[Corymbia]

My favourite Nakaism: If you have a problem then cut it off; if you still have a problem then you really did have a problem in the first place - John Naka

We tell our students that they bring their trees in the boot and take them home in the glovebox - Elizabeth Simeonoff (The School of Bonsai)

Jan

[william5]

Some of these quotes are directly regarding bonsai but many are general tree quotes especially the non Japanese. I feel though they are still relevant, as we are creating images of real trees.

These are general Japanese Phrases I find meaningful towards our hobby. Many resonate the beliefs held in the creation of small trees.


Saru mo ki kara ochiru- Even monkeys fall from trees
Meaning: Even an expert can make mistakes; also sometimes used as a warning that "pride comes before a fall"

Atama kakushite, shiri kakusazu- Cover/hide your head, and not cover your bottom
Meaning: Don't cover your head but expose your bottom, ie: if you are trying to cover up something, be careful not to expose something else.

Fuku sui bon ni kaerazu- Overturned water doesn't return to the tray
Meaning: What's done is done; "There's no use crying over spilt milk"

He wo hitte, shiri tsubome- Breaking wind, closing buttocks
Meaning: There's no point in squeezing your buttocks after you have farted;

Sugitaru wa oyobazaru ga gotoshi- Too much is as bad as too little

Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru- Great oaks from little acorns grow.

Yanagi ni kaze- Follow the path of least resistance

Iwanu ga hana- Some things are better left unsaid; Silence is golden

"Sleep is like a bonsai tree, no matter what size your bed is, it's just the right size for a good night's rest, especially from https://mattress-lifter.com.au/. Rest is the best for bonsai tree"

A few non Japanese

"Do not be afraid to go out on a limb ... That's where the fruit is." - Anonymous

"If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason." - Jack Handey

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"There is, I conceive, scarcely any tree that may not be advantageously used in the various combinations of form and color." - Gilpin

"Alone with myself
The trees bend to caress me
The shade hugs my heart" - Candy Polgar

"One impulse from a vernal wood
May teach you more of man,
Of moral evil and of good,
Than all the ages can." - William Wordsworth

"The patient. - The pine tree seems to listen, the fir tree to wait: and both without impatience: - they give no thought to the little people beneath them devoured by their impatience and their curiosity." - Friedrich Nietzsche



I'll try and find some more later.

Thank you for sharing these quotes! They are all very meaningful and a great reminder of the importance of our bonsai hobby. I especially like the Japanese phrase, "Sugitaru wa oyobazaru ga gotoshi". It reminds me to never have too much or too little of something when creating bonsai. Thanks again for sharing these inspiring quotes!