A guided and transformative journey of self-awareness through the combination and embodiment of meditation into ink brush practice.
Suitable for beginners and enthusiasts of any shape or size; each session begins with guided meditation and breathing exercises. Drawn some of the exercises from The Book Of Joy (Lama, Dalai; Tutu, Desmond), we will explore one concept/exercise in each session to unfold the secret of ‘’the art of joyful living’’.
In each session, I will demonstrate a single stroke and guide you through a close study of an Ancient Chinese Masterpiece. To help you have a better sense of the brush movement, each stroke will be demonstrated a few times through different angles (different cameras will be set up to support your learning). Each session will end with home practice designed to help you cultivate your own calligraphy practice.
How can I build awareness, presence,a loving and fearless heart through these practices?
What does this mean for me, and how do I explore mindfulness, joy and peace through brush movement?
How to bring joy and consciousness into my day-to-day life?
Join us to explore this secret. Relax, breath, feel the life in your hands, trust the flow through your brush, and onto the paper. Let your brush guide you in the dance of ch'i (lifeforce) and brush movement.
“Joy is the natural state and the ability to experience joy can also be cultivated as a skill. Studying calligraphy is one way to realize how powerful our presence can transform our personal experience, and people around us through meditative activities. In taking up the brush we become humble and feel privileged to be part of an ancient, creative civilization.”
Course Details
Lesson 1:
''Joyful Living'' exercise: Grounding and Personal Presence - Coming Home to Your Body
I will guide you through a journey while reconnecting with your body, and getting grounded with the earth. So you feel calm, relaxed, clear, and focused, with a sense of joyment to start your ink brush practice.
Brush Practice
In this first session of the course, we will show you how to set up your workspace, posture, how to use your brush; We will also do some basic, standard brush movements.
Lesson 2:
''Joyful Living'' exercise: Gratitude: I Am Fortunate to Be Alive
“Every day, think as you wake up, ‘I am fortunate to be alive. I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it,’” the Dalai Lama has often said.
Brush Practice
In this session, you will explore how to connect your brush movement with your body and breath; we will learn some new strokes and do a close study of the ideograph “Human.”
Lesson 3:
''Joyful Living'' exercise: Compassion: Something We Want to Become
What is that one thing, which when you possess, you have all other virtues? It’s compassion.
– Attributed to the Buddha
Brush Practice
In this session, you will learn how to combine the strokes and gain an understanding of the connections of this system of writing; we will do a close study of the ideograph “Heaven.”
Lesson 4:
''Joyful Living'' exercise: Forgiveness: Freeing Ourselves from the Past
‘’Indeed, no one is incapable of forgiving and no one is unforgivable.”
– Lama, Dalai
Brush Practice
In this session, you will identify the different types of East Asian calligraphy scripts; explore how your body interprets the brush flow and how this transforms your brush movements; learn about applied strokes in semi-cursive and cursive scripts, and do a close study of the ideograph “Tree.”
Lesson 5:
''Joyful Living'' exercise: Generosity: We Are Filled with Joy
Almost all of us are surprised how our joy is enhanced when we make someone else happy.
Brush Practice
In this session, you will study new strokes and do a close study of the ideograph “Moon”; explore the connection through practice all three scripts: formal, semi-cursive, and cursive.
Lesson 6:
''Joyful Living'' exercise: Rejoicing in Your Day
How we close the day and go to sleep is an important part of our practice. We will join everything we learned from previous sessions and have a practice of reflecting on the day.
Brush Practice
In this session, you’ll study the ideograph “Eternity.” This character is very important in East Asian calligraphy, because it includes all eight of the most basic movements. With all the practice and understanding you have built in the last sessions, you will find yourself more confident and enjoyable with your brush work and continue to practice all three scripts: formal, semi-cursive, and cursive.
Course Schedule
Each session last for 2 hours
Small group sharing (5 mins)
Guided sitting with practice of one of the ‘’Joyful Living’’ exercises (20 mins)
Brush practice (40 mins)
Break (5 mins)
Brush Practice + Q&A (40 mins)
Coming Back Home/ Sitting and close up (10 mins)
Registration
Date: start from 13th March 2021 (Six Sessions)
Time: GMT 10.00am-12.00pm (Saturday mornings)
Register Closed
*This course will be delivered online.The course link will be sent out to the participants before the course starts.
* every course will have sitting meditation. We would recommend settling yourself in a quiet place and wearing comfortable clothes.
If you have any question about this course or if you want to know more about the details please email us through: info@artofthebrush.ie