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Pelham Bay Park

The monkeys said, to each other, “we didn’t know where this water comes from. Since we have nothing to do today, let us follow the stream up to its source to have some fun.” “Reaching its source, they found a great waterfall.” (Journey to the West)

This station is the ultimate source of my exploration, from whether i am going to school or simply to a distant part of NYC that I never even knew about. What better way to show adventure and “reaching” a source than to show what brings us to the destination. On my way to Baruch College, I can simply look out the window of the train and see all the passing stations, places, and faces of all the others going on their “adventures” to their destination. This quote from Journey to the West defines how to feel about the MTA, especially the stop I get on the trains, if i have nothing to do, then I simply take the train and transfer at a different stop than where I usually do, so I can end up at places that didn’t even exist to me until that moment, and no matter where I end up going, even school, every destination for me is an adventure of some sort.

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Underground Train Stations (Ex. 86th St on the Lexington Ave Line)

“Here, O Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness…” (The Heart Sutra)

Emptiness has a new definition with The Heart Sutra, rather than the usual negative connotation, here emptiness refers to a label-less and non judgmental perspective on daily aspects. Underground, you can see all sorts of people with the widest background variety, none of which judges the others. You will see homeless people sleeping, begging through the trains, children being escorted by their parents, kids going on class trips, couples of all sorts, entertainers such as drummers, singers, and performers, sleepy business folk, you name it you’ll find it looking out the windows of a train. I chose this quote by The Heart Sutra because it shows how New Yorkers have a empty perspective, all the people are on the train together and we are all equal.

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Baruch College/ Gramercy District

“I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars” (Song of Myself)

This quote exemplifies my final destination on my journey to school, Baruch College in the Gramercy District. This quote shows that the small aspects of life is nothing less than the bigger things in life. Usually when people go to school, they mindlessly follow their muscle memory and walk to Baruch to attend their classes and then potentially leave after their day ends, however this location is much more to me. Although its such a small area in NYC, Gramercy provides a place for me to expand and learn about the small things in life, just like the small hidden theaters, the many delis that are turned into shadows by the large corporations and building surrounding them.

Photos taken by yours truly, SupaSadia.