Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal: Going Zen at home with Jennifer Garner

Monday, October 7, 2024

Going Zen at home with Jennifer Garner

Balance: Taoist-Buddhist yin-yang symbol showing the seeds of the opposite on each side

Let's go to Jen Affleck's house to help her.

(Homes & Garden) Thoughts of a Los Angeles "farmhouse" may not immediately lead to a Zen Garden (or, more specifically, a pool area), but Hollywood actor Jennifer Garner has just challenged our conventions.

The actress's pared-back exterior space (architecturally designed by Steve Giannetti) makes a case for minimalist garden design – most notably thanks to its lack of planting, poolside furniture, and accessories.

The Zen of Jen (and Ben) | Marie Claire She's the nicest girl in town, but as a newish mom in 2007 and as Ben Affleck's wife, Jennifer Garner is finally learning to show some steel. Now in 2024 he's miserable because Latin dreamboat Jennifer Lopez has dumped him again, so Jen and Matt Damon have to keep him off the ledge.

(Live_Online #A) Jen Garner does a live at home guided meditation
with r. Chelsea online: Forgiving a piece of yourself (Feb. 17, 2021).

However, despite the absence of decoration, Garner's pool area is anything but boring. Instead, it's soothing, grounding, and designed so that the wood (from both the house and the decking) can take center stage.

Zen is a Japanese word from Chinese (Chán). The Korean (Sŏn), Vietnamese (Thiền), Pali (Jhana), and Sanskrit (Dhyana) are all words for "meditation," more specifically a kind of serene state of absorption. "Zen" in everyday use refers to the practices in the popular imagination rather than a Mahayana Buddhist school that originated in China (禪宗, chánzōng, the Chan School, "meditation school") or the Buddha-mind school (佛心宗, fóxīnzōng) [1] that later developed into various sub-schools and branches. Zen was strongly influenced by Taoism ☯️, especially Neo-Daoist thought, and developed into a distinct school of Chinese Buddhism [2]. China got Zen from India, Chán deriving from Buddhist dhyana. It then spread south to Vietnam and became Vietnamese Thiền, northeast to Korea to become Seon Buddhism, and east to Japan, becoming Japanese Zen Buddhism [3]. Zen emphasizes serenity meditation practice and direct insight into one's own innate "Buddha nature" (見性, Chinese jiànxìng, Japanese kenshō), and the personal expression of this insight in daily life for the benefit of others [4, 5]. Wiki edited by WQ

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This natural material works in harmony with the surrounding greenery and pool water to bring a sense of calmness to the area, and it's one of the finest (and one of the most beautifully simple) examples of a Zen Garden we've observed over the reign of this ever-growing outdoor trend.

A pool makes me feel cool in the garden

(Marie Claire) A rolled-up yoga mat and a baby stroller is pretty much all you need to blend in at the farmhouse-red Brentwood Country Mart in West Los Angeles [outside of Tinsel Town, closer to UCLA], where Jennifer Garner has asked me to meet her. The cozy-looking place is an apt choice for Hollywood's most down-to-earth star, except for the novelty item being sold at the bakery today: $5 cupcakes commemorating Paris Hilton's imminent trip to jail. There's a camera crew set up by the cash register. In a pair of blue jeans, a short-sleeve polka-dot blouse, and sneakers, Garner is walking along...when I stroll over to say hi. At which point she shoots me a curt "hello" and turns her back. Cuts me dead, [b*tch]. But it's half of the Bennifer! More
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Alongside Garner's (unintentional) approval, experts say we owe the rise of Zen-style gardens to their therapeutic qualities – many of which translate to spaces of all sizes (whether we have a pool or not). The key is in the simplicity, they explain.

"Compared to cottage and country garden-style gardens, this style of outdoor space is uncomplicated and paired back. It doesn’t feature a lot of different flowers, creating a sense of peace and tranquility," comments Marcus Eyles, the horticultural director at Dobbies.

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"The aim is to create a space with a modern feel – light and clean lines are important when it comes to establishing a sense of Zen." More

VIDEO: Inside Jennifer Garner’s Farm-Style L.A. Home | Open Door | Architectural Digest

(Architectural Digest) Sept. 3, 2024: Today, AD is welcomed by Jennifer Garner to tour her farm-style home in Los Angeles. When designing Garner’s home, there was no Pinterest board or pictures from a magazine; it was simply an in-depth discussion with designers Steve and Brooke Giannetti and a watercolor painting of their vision. Together, they designed a farmhouse-style oasis full of warmth and character. From her wooden kitchen with a dedicated baking station to an orchard in the backyard, it’s easy to forget Garner lives among the hustle and bustle of LA. “I wanted it to feel old and cool and historic, but I also wanted to make it work for a big family with a lot of things going on.”