Skeleton Sitting

"Skeleton Sitting" by Kelly Pankey. 16"x20" pastel drawing on art board.

Come to zazen, climb into your coffin. After zazen, 

climb out of your coffin. What's the difference? No fear.

- Robert Livingston Roshi qtd. in No Fear Zen

If a stone
Can be the memento
Of the dead,
Then the tombstone
Would be better as a lavatory.

- Zen Master Ikkyu

Kelly Pankey is an artist living and working in the Kern Valley. Recently, she attended her first sesshin with the Zen Fellowship of Bakersfield. Promptly thereafter, she created this piece.