Thanks for the link and the learning, Jaim! And great discussions my ladies!

To me, the dried Naree Pons look real and quite amazing. It doesn't seem to fit (as you both point out), that they are refered to as female, but appear male. I personally feel that the dried pods are something "real" whereas the photo of the fruit tree was created as art by humans.



I can relate to this concept. Though again, the pods do not look like beautiful women, but do look very detailed and real. It reminds me of the time I was outside hanging laundry and my eyes were drawn to a single bougainvillea leaf nearby on the lawn. It was in the shape of a bust and I knew it to be a representation of Thoth/Djehuty - made for me to see.





Then there was the little mask/face created by dried leaves that I felt was, again, created intentionally for me to see.





The pods are far more detailed though. So I remain unsure whether they are the mummified remains of true little entities that once lived, or if they are elaborate sculptures created from living plant material, by spirit, of something that exists in that form in spirit, or even existed in the physical at some point in time. My guess would be that these are mummified remains of something that existed.

It "leaves" me thinking though (ha ha) that natural things, leaves, pods, etc., can be shaped anthropomorphically for the benefit of a seeker. I believe, along the lines of the wikipedia explanation, that when Buddha experienced the beautiful women they were as spirits but upon leaving him, they left their impression upon the fruit as a validation or reward. I don't think the beautiful women were fruit that came to life, but somewhere along the line the Buddah story, these littlie remains, and the pod tree fruit merged into the current concoction.