After a wait of over three years we were delighted to re-start our Shōdo group at Kagyu Samye Dzong Tibetan Buddhist centre at the start of June. It was great to be back in the Woodlands area of Glasgow. It was a delightful group and… Read More »Shodo Calligraphy returns to the Tibetan Buddhist Centre
We began our Monday online calligraphy class on zoom with an introduction by Blair to each of his materials and tools uses, then we worked stroke practice and holding the fude for particular strokes. This time we brushed the four kanji characters of the zen… Read More »Finding balance and harmony in Shodo calligraphy
At our recent Zen Brush shodō class in April we brushed the two nature based kanji characters of the zen phrase Kūge 空華 . These are well known kanji and together can be translated variously as sky flowers, petals of emptiness, sky splendour. They were… Read More »Brushing sky flowers at Shodo calligraphy
Inspired by meditation and calligraphy itself, as well as the first signs of spring emerging, at the March meeting of Zen Brush Shodo calligraphy we brushed the three kanji characters of the zen phrase Hi Shi Ryo 非思量 which can be translated as something like… Read More »Hishiryo spacious thinking in zen and calligraphy
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 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
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
At Zen Brush, our online Shodō calligraphy group (monthly on zoom) we brushed the four kanji characters in the heartful zen phrase Anjin-ryumyo 安心立命 (literally ease/peace ; heart-mind ; stand; fate). This can be translated in various ways such as peace and enlightenment, or letting… Read More »Midsummer Zen Shodo Calligraphy
At our online Shodō calligraphy group (monthly on zoom) we brushed the elemental zen word Unsui 雲水, literally meaning clouds and water, and more specifically meaning novice zen monks and nuns (it is shortened from going clouds-flowing waters), coming from a Chinese poem ‘to drift… Read More »Swirling inky clouds and water in Shodō calligraphy
At our zoom Shodō calligraphy in March, we brushed the beautiful zen phrase Ekō -henshō 回向返照, meaning ‘turning the light inward and illuminating the self’, or ‘turning facing, answering with light’. Blair talked about the meanings of the phrase and use in Master Dogen’s meditation… Read More »Brushing Zen Calligraphy: Turning the Light Inward