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Thread: calligraphy - my comment

  1. #1

    calligraphy - my comment

    Hi all,

    I just want to share about the calligraphy that I learn.

    Yesterday, my sister ask me write some chinesse character for her.
    Because this caracter is for my beloved sister, I just want to make the best character that I can write.

    And you know, I have written more than 10 times, and all have given me an unsatisfaction.

    I'm not satisfied with the character that I write. And I got frustration on it.

    And then, I put down my brush and go in to my room.

    I relax my mind, and start to do zazen.

    After sit zazen, I just think that writing calligraphy must be like doing zazen.
    It's not about good or bad character. No beautiful or ugly.

    And why I got frustated, is because I want to write the perfect character.
    I forgot, that all is perfect as it is.

    And then I just free my mind, and take my brush and start writing again.

    But this time, I will not think about good or bad.

    Just write!

    And what make your calligraphy become perfect is not the ink or the shape of the character, but the mind that write the character.

    I just enjoy every stroke, and I finished the characters.
    Well, although my mother comment my character as "not good but better",
    But this time I'm really satisfied on it.

    Life is also like that. Some times we're not satisfied about our life.
    But believe me, when you drop off all good or bad, and just follow your life with an open head. Your life can be full of satisfaction.

    It doesn't mean that in life, we do nothing at all.

    Although I drop good or bad character in my mind, it doesn't mean that I stop train and practice calligrafy, but I just make it as some thing that I can enjoy it.

    In life, we have to learn a lot of thing. If you a doctor, then you have learn how to cure diseases. If you live as a worker, than you have to learn how to become a good worker. And as a human, we have to learn to become a better human, even though every was perfect as it is.
    But this time, we learn with an open mind, not with the "hot" head.
    And we can enjoy this life.

    And life is just the practice of the dharma

    This is what I want to share...

    Gassho, Mujo

  2. #2

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    Thank you Mujo. I enjoyed reading your post.

    Cam

  3. #3

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    Thank you, Shui. Deep bows.

    Your comment was 'perfect' calligraphy.

    Gassho, Jundo

    PS - It is easy to satisfy Buddha, but not so easy sometimes to satisfy our mothers!

  4. #4

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    After sit zazen, I just think that writing calligraphy must be like doing zazen.
    It's not about good or bad character. No beautiful or ugly.
    That's a truth.

    W

  5. #5

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    Thank you for sharing that - perfectly clear!!!

    Mujo your mom made me smile... world wide...moms are there to motivate you (of course, in there own way ) even if they aren't right with you at the moment

    Gassho, Shohei

  6. #6

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    There is a great book titled Passion Painting (I think, can't find my copy right now) and it is all about putting aside your critical mind and just painting as you feel. As a kid, art was one of my favorite subjects in school. Unfortunately, according to the standards by which art was judged, I was not very good at it :cry:. I lost the joy of creating art because I internalized that criticism: "If my drawing and painting isn't good then why bother" is how the delusion works. The Passion Painting book helped me to realize that creating art is done for art's sake, and that good/bad judgments have no place in that creation moment. Thus enlightened, a couple years ago I picked up paintbrushes and pencils again to PLAY . Am I any better now that I am free of the delusion of good/bad judgment? I don't think so, but more importantly, I don't care!

    PS: Passion Painting is not the title. At least it's not showing up on Amazon that way. And I still can't find my copy, which is very puzzling. I think it was by a French author, maybe two authors. Sorry, not much help if you want to follow up. There's other similar books out there, though.

  7. #7

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    That book was exactly where it was supposed to be, but my delusional eyes/brain did not see it. That's just sad.
    "Life, Paint and Passion" by MIchele Cassou and Stewart Cubley
    Also good is "Drawing as a Sacred Activity" by Heather Williams.

  8. #8

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    Hello all,

    Mujo,
    Thank you for sharing this with us...your lesson is a good one for us all to learn from.

    Gassho,
    Jinmei (Kelly)

  9. #9

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    1
    Quote Originally Posted by AlanLa
    There is a great book titled Passion Painting (I think, can't find my copy right now) and it is all about putting aside your critical mind and just painting as you feel. As a kid, art was one of my favorite subjects in school. Unfortunately, according to the standards by which art was judged, I was not very good at it :cry:. I lost the joy of creating art because I internalized that criticism: "If my drawing and painting isn't good then why bother" is how the delusion works. The Passion Painting book helped me to realize that creating art is done for art's sake, and that good/bad judgments have no place in that creation moment. Thus enlightened, a couple years ago I picked up paintbrushes and pencils again to PLAY . Am I any better now that I am free of the delusion of good/bad judgment? I don't think so, but more importantly, I don't care!

    PS: Passion Painting is not the title. At least it's not showing up on Amazon that way. And I still can't find my copy, which is very puzzling. I think it was by a French author, maybe two authors. Sorry, not much help if you want to follow up. There's other similar books out there, though.
    Thanks alan... and every one

    Gassho...

  10. #10

    Re: calligraphy - my comment

    Thanks for that story. I got a hunch your sister won't mind what it looks like and will love it because her brother made it for her.

    _/_

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