Japanese Cultural Workshops

At our recent Shodō calligraphy classes at KSD Glasgow on Saturday, as well as our online Monday evening group, we found nature based inspiration, brushing 大地 daichi, meaning the great earth or vast land, a common word which also describes our relationship with the land… Read More »Brushing the Shapes of the Great Earth at Shodō Calligraphy

As we moved into Spring at our monthly shodō groups, we worked on a classic character and practiced its strokes and styles. We brushed 永 ei, meaning eternal, which has been written for centuries for its balance of eight strokes central to learning calligraphy, known… Read More »Brushing 永字八法 The Eight Principles of Eternal

Inspired by Edo period Zen monk Hakuin Zenji’s writing and natural imagery, at our monthly shodō calligraphy online group and relaxed in person meeting at KSD Glasgow we wrote 風清 kaze kiyoshi, pure wind, following the words 月白, (bright) white moon. It was a nice… Read More »Brushing Hakuin’s vision in shodō calligraphy

At our recent shodō groups in person and online we brushed the striking kanji characters Tsuki shiro 月白 (つきしろ)🌙, meaning bright white moon, from a commentary by Zen master Hakuin Zenji written in 1749. This is part of a longer phrase ‘white moon pure wind’… Read More »The white moon of Hakuin in varied shodō styles

Towards the end of Autumn at shodō calligraphy we brushed the nature inspired and seasonal Aki no sora 秋の空 (あきのそら), meaning Autumn sky 🍂 We practiced the two kanji characters with the Japanese kana の in between, writing them in two vertical columns for the… Read More »Brushing 秋の空 Autumn Sky

As golden leaves fell in the Woodlands area of Glasgow, our first afternoon Shodō group at KSD was likewise inspired by the ochre earth and expansive heavens, brushing from the magnificent Thousand Character Classic Senjimon 千字文. The afternoon was enjoyable, immersive and educational, split into… Read More »An Autumnal Afternoon Exploring Shodō Classics

Moving into autumn we had a theme of empathy with the heartful Zen phrase dōji 同事 (どうじ), which has a meaning of thinking about others, and their heart. As a common Japanese word it simply means ‘the same’ ✨ In the kaisho style the two… Read More »Heartful Zen Calligraphy for Autumn

After the summer break our Saturday morning class in Glasgow and our online Monday evening group met to relaxingly ease back into shodo calligraphy practice. Brushing the single character for dew or open air, Tsuyu 露, which in Zen writings has also had a meaning… Read More »Calligraphic simplicity brushing tsuyu 露