Courtyard Kwan Yin

KWAN YIN NOW RESIDES HERE

Our neighbor, when viewing our garden, suggested we now needed a female deity, such as Kwan Yin, to balance out our 2 Buddhas. Taking this as a challenge, we searched far and wide, until we came upon the correct Ms. Yin. Of course, it was decided that she needed her own space; one without any males present. (A powerful woman has no need for men.) So, we chose our courtyard as home for such an important deity.

Kwan Yin was not any ordinary deity. In fact, originally, she was not a "she" at all.  It is a historical fact that Ms. Yin is the Chinese version of the male god, Avalokiteshvara. Say that 3 times!
In both Tibet and India, this deity was initially recognized as a male. Interesting that this lovely creature evolved from male to female - or perhaps, may actually be a combination of the two genders. Who would have thunk it?

Kwan Yin is a compassionate goddess. However, the word, Karuna, (similiar to compassion)  has within it, "ru" from Sanskrit, meaning to weep. Karuna actually is more akin to the word, empathy, meaning that one internalizes the suffering and the pleasure of others. Or in the case of this avatar - it is a form of transmutation through the light of spirit, affected by her material form. This is why Kwan Yin was and is so beloved. She, in effect, is the iconic female - the World Mother, much like the Virgin Mary. She cares for all her children.

One last thing, which I found most interesting when researching Kwan Yin was that, often she was depicted with a moustache - perhaps, further proof that Ms. Yin may have been a Mr. However, her masculine side is negated by the softness of her appearance.

So, welcome home Kwan Yin. Believe me, this is the perfect place for you.
Statue from Design Toscano