In February and March we ran a series of Japanese stamp making classes – called Tenkoku 篆刻 – in the Glasgow area of Scotland, kindly sponsored by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, helping people discover the traditional Japanese stamp making process. These inspiring cultural groups… Read More »Tenkoku Japanese Stamp Making Events
Last month at Zen Brush Shodo calligraphy we brushed the four kanji characters of the inspiring zen phrase Shin Jin Ichi Nyo 身心一如 which can be translated as body and mind/spirit, oneness (from Zen master Dōgen’s Bendowa writing). This is about how our heart/mind/spirit and… Read More »Brushing oneness at Zen Shodo Calligraphy
At our de-stressing and relaxing drawing group we enjoyed an illuminating theme of returning light. That light of hope as the sun starts rising in the sky each day – changing the earth, skies and ourselves – as we move away from the darkness of… Read More »De-stress doodling the light of hope ✨
We enjoyed a delicious theme this month of お茶とお菓子 Ocha to okashi – Japanese tea and sweets – tempting our taste buds and investigating green tea culture, such as Sadō the Way of Tea. We will look at related kanji and commonly used vocabulary for… Read More »Japanese tea and sweets themed Kanji Club
In December 2022 and January 2023 Blair enjoyed a fascinating visit to Japan as part of a project kindly funded by the GB Sasakawa Foundation. He was fortunate to be able to meet Tenkoku Seal Engraving as well as as Zen masters and teachers and… Read More »Meeting Seal Engravers and Zen Teachers in Japan – exploring Tenkoku
We hope you are keeping cosy and well and settling down for the winter holidays. Here is our Season’s Greetings card, an aerial inspired one of Glasgow this year! Please see colourful images from our groups and community events below, it is great to look… Read More »Season’s Greetings ❄
At Zen Brush in November we brushed three kanji characters, each repeated twice with different versions, in the monumental zen phrase Yama wa kore yama mizu wa kore mizu 山是山水是水 which can be translated as mountains are mountains, waters are waters (from Zen master Dōgen’s… Read More »Brushing mountains and waters at Shodo Japanese calligraphy
In November we had a mysterious night time theme 🌙 of nocturnal insects, particularly moths with their incredible variety of shapes, curious colour combinations and fascinating patterns. We enjoyed exploring freely with some of us going own way using different materials, and had a relaxing… Read More »Doodling nocturnal moths and insects
We had a Japanese spiritual and cultural life theme for our November meeting of Kanji Club with 寺社 Jisha – Temples and Shrines – we wrote and pronounced these and a few other fascinating related kanji including 神 kami – gods/soul and 社 sha –… Read More »Discovering Temples and Shrines in Japanese
We brushed the two kanji characters in the inspiring zen phrase Dōtoku 道得 (lterally way/express ; grasp/pick up/able to) which can be translated as expressing the way, expressing truth, or picking up the way. Blair discussed their Zen meanings and connection to calligraphic expression in… Read More »Expressing the Way in Shodo Japanese Calligraphy