Making art is a way to rest in the spaciousness of our being, become intimate with not knowing, and allow our creativity to dance from emptiness.
In this workshop with master Zen calligrapher Alok Hsu Kwang-han and spiritual teacher Raylene Abbott, we practice art from the Zen perspective of beginner’s mind.
We spend time in meditations that combine activity and stillness to create the space to be open and empty. We gather elements from nature for “non-doing ikebana” and inspiration, and learn qigong mudras to explore when dancing with our paintings.
We then put aside all ideas of how to paint as we begin our work. We may be asked to paint our partner acting like a wild animal; our heart’s desire; a Zen koan; a piece of poetry; or the sound of silence.
As we paint, dance, arrange flowers, and share our work with others, we relax and return to our natural state of resting in the present, where the art of life continually unfolds..
