With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Yesterday I had the most wonderful experience of presenting a teisho to an Advanced Art Class at a local high school which specializes in teaching the creative arts. The students in attendance were bright, intensely curious, and described as "risk takers" by their art teachers. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet them and learn from them. Its this sort of thing, as well as today's opportunity to marry a couple, that makes the Zen priesthood so rewarding.
I spoke to them about taking on and developing a creative mind that arises from the Zen Peacemaker Precept, "Not Knowing." When we approach a canvas, sketch pad, or writing paper with a "Not Know" mind everything is possible. Just so, life itself.
Such a mind can be developed through our practice, but also through the surprises that life itself offers us. When we are surprised by something our mind feels open and fresh. We might feel anxiety and, as uncomfortable for some of that anxiety is, it can serve us to remain alert. Being alert is akin to mindfulness. When we are mindful things are able to present themselves as they are. It is here that creativity can blossom.
In college some years ago I had an art professor insist that we feel the things we attempted to draw. At the time, my mind was closed. I was clearly unable to feel the leaves of the plant in my still life. This inability made the drawing dead. That I now can touch a leaf with my heart opens me to seeing a leaf without seeing a leaf. A leaf is an image in my mind, it is not the leaf's true nature.
Let us practice to see clearly.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
Yesterday I had the most wonderful experience of presenting a teisho to an Advanced Art Class at a local high school which specializes in teaching the creative arts. The students in attendance were bright, intensely curious, and described as "risk takers" by their art teachers. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet them and learn from them. Its this sort of thing, as well as today's opportunity to marry a couple, that makes the Zen priesthood so rewarding.
I spoke to them about taking on and developing a creative mind that arises from the Zen Peacemaker Precept, "Not Knowing." When we approach a canvas, sketch pad, or writing paper with a "Not Know" mind everything is possible. Just so, life itself.
Such a mind can be developed through our practice, but also through the surprises that life itself offers us. When we are surprised by something our mind feels open and fresh. We might feel anxiety and, as uncomfortable for some of that anxiety is, it can serve us to remain alert. Being alert is akin to mindfulness. When we are mindful things are able to present themselves as they are. It is here that creativity can blossom.
In college some years ago I had an art professor insist that we feel the things we attempted to draw. At the time, my mind was closed. I was clearly unable to feel the leaves of the plant in my still life. This inability made the drawing dead. That I now can touch a leaf with my heart opens me to seeing a leaf without seeing a leaf. A leaf is an image in my mind, it is not the leaf's true nature.
Let us practice to see clearly.
Be well.
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