At our language and cultural group Kanji Club in October our theme for the month was 曜日 ようび Yо̄bi – Days of the Week such as 🌞Sunday (nichi)🌙 Monday (getsu), and the other days which are also the inspiring Five Elements – fire, water, wood,… Read More »Writing and pronouncing the Five Elements
Through Autumn 2021 Blair worked with North United Communities with funding from Creative Scotland and Glasgow Connected Arts Network to lead an inspiring Manga, Anime and Comic Project of free sessions for young people in three locations in the North and West of Glasgow. Blair helped… Read More »Manga, Anime and Comic Project for Young People, Part 1
At our monthly Shodo calligraphy group online on Zoom we brushed the four deep characters Soku Shin Ze Butsu 即心是佛 , a famous old zen saying – heart-mind here and now is Buddha – about being together with all things. We brushed this in the… Read More »Brushing Mind Here and Now is Buddha
At our September De-stress drawing and doodling group we had an inspiring and settling theme of being near trees and in the forests, breathing the pure air and finding inspiration in the colours of the trees and light shining through 🌳🌲🍃 It was nice company… Read More »Refreshing forest air at De-stress
The theme for September at our Kanji Club group was 時間 Jikan – Time ⌛ From telling the time ⌚ to counting time spent, current affairs etc, these are very handy characters to get to know. We read and wrote these in Chinese characters and… Read More »Learning the time in Kanji and Hiragana
At Japanese stamp making it was great to see folk experimenting with different pictures to make into stamps. We had a lovely horse that really came to life. Blair talked about stamp design layout and combining characters vertically, and we enjoyed some peaceful time working… Read More »Lively lines and animals at stamp making
Blair worked with young people on a relaxing Youth Arts project in Glasgow – ‘De-stress and Express’ – combining arts and crafts with mindful meditation. The arts and crafts classes were delivered in three locations – Maryhill, Ruchill and Milton. It was a tremendously well received… Read More »Youth Arts Project – De-stress and Express, Part 1
This month take a few minutes break to doodle any shapes, lines or patterns you fancy. It is so relaxing to just take any pen and start with a line or shape, then bring other shapes and lines around it, curves or zig zags or… Read More »Creative Time – Abstract doodly fun
At our cozy and friendly zoom Shakyo group, we copied the short Boundless Life Ten Line Bodhisattva of Compassion Sutra (Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo) 延命十句観音経 for wellbeing and meditative practice. It is a short Sutra so we had some extra time to have a chat… Read More »Shakyo practice of the Boundless Life Bodhisattva of Compassion Sutra
After the summer break we met at our online group and enjoyed brushing the characters kiryoku 気力 , which means – vitality or energy, or willpower. The first kanji Ki 気 (in the pic attached) is the same character as qi/chi in Chinese such as… Read More »Vitality of Shodo calligraphy at Zen Brush