PREFACE  FOR '' BONSAI SECRETS " NOVEMBER  2002  BY

 

CHARLES CERONIO

 

WORLD RENOWNED BONSAI FUNDIE AND

FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE PRETORIA BONSAI KAI,

AND THE AUTHOR OF VARIOUS BONSAI BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS

 

THE JAPANESE HAS A SAYING

"HE WHO LOVES NATURE WILL BE RICHLY REWARDED BY NATURE"

MOST BONSAI LOVERS HAVE A GREAT RESPECT FOR NATURE AND ESPECIALLY TREES.

WHAT BETTER REPRESENTATIVE OF NATURE CAN BE FOUND OTHER THAN THE TREE.

THE GREAT BONSAI MASTER JOHN NAKA SAID WHEN HE FIRST SAW THE MAJESTIC BAOBAB OF

AFRICA "I WAS SO OVERWHELMED BY THE TREE AND THE GREATNESS OF NATURE, I FELT LIKE A

TINY PIECE OF DUST LYING ON THE MOUNTAIN."

KIPLING ONCE SAID, "EAST IS EAST AND WEST IS WEST AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET".

THAT IS NO LONGER TRUE, AS PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE COMMUNICATING VIA

INTERNET OR E-MAIL, RESULTING IN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER'S CULTURE.

IN THE PAST BONSAI WAS CALLED "DWARF OR STUNTED TREES" BUT BONSAI IS NOW AN

INTERNATIONALLY UNDERSTOOD WORD.

I BELIEVE BONSAI IS LOVED THE WORLD OVER BECAUSE THE HECTIC PRESSURES OF OUR

EVERYDAY LIFE MAKES US ALL NEED SOMETHING TO RELIEVE OUR TENSION. WHAT BETTER

WAY TO DO SO AS TO ENJOY THE DAILY CARE FOR YOUR TREES.

BONSAI HAS TAUGHT ME MANY LESSONS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS PATIENCE. HASTY

DECISIONS RESULTED IN MISTAKES, AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN'T BE TOO CARE FULL

IN CULTIVATING BONSAI.

THAT IS WHY IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE TO RECOMMEND NEELS VAN TONDER'S GREAT EFFORT

TO EXPLAIN IN PRECISE DETAIL WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR BONSAI. NEELS PUT IN MANY HOURS

RESEARCHING THE TOPIC AND I CAN TRULY SAY THAT I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY IN

WHICH HE HANDLED EACH TOPIC.

I HAVE KNOWN NEELS SINCE 1977 AS A DEDICATED BONSAI GROWER WHO PROMOTED

THE ART IN A SMALL WAY TO MANY BONSAI ENTHUSIASTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

MOST PEOPLE ARE FASCINATED BY THIS ORIENTAL ART FORM AND NEELS PROVIDED IN THOSE

NEEDS. I AM OF THE OPINION THAT THIS CD CALLED "BONSAI SECRETS" WILL STIMULATE

THE GROWER INTO UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT BONSAI AND THE NEXT STEP WILL BE

WHERE HE OR SHE CAN BECOME MORE ENGAGED TO TAKE PART IN THIS WONDERFUL AND

REWARDING HOBBY, BY JOINING A BONSAI CLUB.

TATSU YAGO A Japanese MASTER'S REFLECTIONS ON BONSAI IS.....

 

CHALLENGE , INSPIRATION , INTERTWINED WITH PERSONAL FEELINGS OF THREE PRINCIPALS

 

 PATIENCE

PLEASURE                                                                                                                

                                                                                                              PEACE

 

PURE AND SIMPLE ENJOYMENT OF POETRY IN NURTURE .

 

THE END RESULT  ..........  BONSAI