Japanese calligraphy (called Shodo) exists somewhere between art and meditation.
The lines between drawing and writing are equally blurred. The word Sho can mean to write, to draw or to paint.
There is perhaps little real difference between them, for us too.
The part of the word Shodo that interests me most, though, is the second part – do, meaning the way
Calling any human activity a do elevates it beyond its obvious purpose to the point where it becomes an art – one which is approached as a way of life which embodies certain principles. Following a do means continually trying to embody these principles more completely in the way you live.
In Shodo, one of the most important of these principles is mind and body coordination – essentially harmony of the mind and body.
According to practitioners, bringing the mind and body into harmony through the practice of Shodo:
- enhances attention and focus
- creates peacefulness and relaxation
- develops willpower
It seems to me that all of those things are high on the list of desirable personal qualities for an artist.
- Attention and Focus: We need attention and focus to be able to work for long periods of time. Drawing anything accurately requires focus. Importantly, too, we develop our skills more when we give our practice our full attention.
- Peacefulness and relaxation: You can’t make beautiful work if you’re stressed and jittery. It’s next to impossible to work with attention and focus if you’re not relaxed. Beautiful line comes from a place of calm.
- Willpower: Willpower is necessary for us to keep on the path – the do – and to continue to develop ourselves and our art. Developing the skill required to make beautiful work requires devotion to practice over a long period of time.
That’s why I’ve recently decided to study Shodo as part of my regular practice. Because I see these traits as essential to the way of the artist. So I’d like to develop them in myself.
Personal Transformation
We might think that the reason we practise is to improve our art, but the real transformation is within ourselves.
What we really create through regular, focused practice is development of our drawing and painting skills yes. But also change in our personalities; in our understanding of ourselves; in our ability to focus and live as completely and as meaningfully as we can.
Beautiful Imperfection
Wabi, another of the principles of Shodo, translates literally as “poverty”. Perhaps “simplicity” might be a better way to think of it. It relates particularly to simple truths of nature, a lack of human artifice.
Wabi also expresses the beautiful imperfection and irregularity of nature. Asymmetrical balance is a central idea in Shodo, and one which resonates with the kind of art we more usually create I think – most obviously in composition.
The Enso
I’m right at the beginning of my exploration of Shodo and how its ideas can be related to our art practice. I practice for an hour in the evening, usually beginning with an Enso followed by some practice of basic strokes.
The Enso symbolises many things, but is most often described as a circle of infinity. It exemplifies dynamic action within balance and complete concentration in the moment.
Shodo Practice
- Practice begins with the ritual-like arrangement of materials, something I’ve been doing for some time whatever I’m drawing. It’s a great habit to get into because it mentally prepares you for practice, it helps develop peacefulness and relaxation.
It also makes it much easier to get started every day.
- Then the ink is ground, a process which is as much a part of the practice as the physical drawing itself. Why? Because grinding the ink is an opportunity to practice attention, focus and relaxation – it really doesn’t matter at this point whether I draw anything or not. I’ve practiced being in the moment, and developing attention and focus.
- At this point, I usually take a few minutes to centre myself in the hara and relax.
- Finally, the Enso is drawn. Here’s a quick 2 minute video showing how a typical practice session starts for me.
I think this complete concentration in the moment, together with the simplicity and the imperfect, asymmetrical balance of the Enso can feed directly into all drawing practice.
Here’s an example:
In this little drawing of a hollyhock I see the simplicity and imperfection of nature, it reflects the imperfection of my drawing.
All my drawings are imperfect to a greater or lesser extent. Usually greater! I’ve learned to be fine with that.
I strove for asymmetrical balance in the way the original drawing was cropped and arranged in the circle.
The act of sitting in the garden drawing the hollyhock itself was approached as a meditation. I was careful not to rush and tried not to think of the finished drawing, concentrating as much as possible on each line as the pencil crept slowly over the paper.
Endless Path
As well as finding ideas that translate immediately to the kind of drawing practice I usually do, I’m seeing an approach to art and practice that promises release from the frustration of the endless struggle to reach impossible – or perhaps simply unfulfilling – artistic goals.
When I returned to art eight or nine years ago, I was concerned entirely with the development of skills, looking for signs of progress from one drawing to the next.
I worked hard, but not always productively. Much of my time was spent in frustration which hampered my progress.
Having worked through that time, having developed some measure of those skills I thought I was lacking, and having found myself still unfulfilled by what I was producing, I find myself now on a new stage of my personal artistic journey.
Although perhaps journey is the wrong metaphor, because a journey implies a destination.
There is no destination in what we do. There is no point at which we will be able to say that we’ve arrived.
I don’t believe that lasting fulfillment can’t be found through the acquisition of skills or the production of better pieces of work, no more than it can be found in new cars, clothes or tech gadgets.
It can be found in the approach we take to our practice, but it takes time to learn.
You have already arrived
Every time we immerse ourselves completely in an act of creation (no matter how insignificant it might seem) we have arrived. Every time we do that, we transform ourselves a little more: we find more peace, develop our focus and attention a little more, become stronger in ourselves.
Perhaps that’s really the lesson of the enso. There is a definite beginning, when the brush touches the paper for the first time. But there is no end.
The Enso, Shodo practice, and meditation are about personal transformation. Ultimately, I believe, that’s why we practice art.
And the more completely we accept that fact, the more balanced we’ll be, the more we’ll be in harmony with our real goals, and the more peace of mind we’ll find.
And, perhaps, the better our art will be.
Thanks for reading
Paul
Posted: August 26th 2014
The ideas in this post have come in large part from reading Brush Meditation, A Japanese Way to Mind and Body Harmony by H. E. Davey. If any of these ideas resonated with you, I strongly recommend you get hold of a copy. Whether you decide to practice Shodo or not, it will make you a better artist.
The Keys to Colour - Free 6 step email course
Learn how to:
- mix any colour accurately
- see the value of colours
- lighten or darken a colour without messing it up
- paint with subtle, natural colour
Hi Paul, this is a very interesting and informative article for writers, artists and all who love to paint, draw or simply doodle.
Hi again, may I post a link to this article on my FB Page?
< https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petite-Paintings/202724813218553?ref=hl > Thanks.
I agree with this well formulated article. Well done Paul.
Radical is the word that best describes how I see this practice in the context of my usual state of mind. After more than a year of developing a practice habit, sustained focus continues to be an uphill run. My impulse is to turn away from simplicity and head toward minutiae… I’m not sure why there’s safety for me in that–there’s not a whole lot of renewal in it to speak of. Sounds like the question I need to ask myself is not what have I produced but how am I now. Thanks for inviting us into your practice, Paul. It’s beautiful.
Thanks Paul for all.It’s very important.
Thanks Nancy. Please do feel free to stick it on facebook, there’s really no need to ask – I’m delighted that you think it worth sharing with your friends.
Thanks Dojo, glad you liked it. I’m guessing that with a name like that the material is somewhat familiar to you!
Thanks Melissa,
>the question I need to ask myself is not what have I produced but how am I now
Yes, I would agree. That’s the question I find myself asking more and more. It does feel odd sometimes, but the more I draw, the less I’m concerned with the actual results of the drawing.
Of course, when I nice one does come out I’m just as pleased as ever. But I don’t worry about all the steps in between as I used to – the drawings that don’t come out so well. I know that each of them has helped me grow.
Thanks Maria-Vitória, always lovely to hear from you.
I love your practice and your articulate and inspiring way of sharing with us!
I do agree with you more than 100% being a person too familiar with the term ‘meditation’. The kind of drawing you mention is the co- ordination of hand, mind and soul! You really rock….:-).
Thank you Paul for this wonderful article.It inspires me to start practicing Enso, it is soo very true that it is a journey without end because the journey is the destination. I love being on my endless path. Since I started painting and drawing 4 years ago all I want to do is paint more and draw more.
There is a magical transformation going on inside of you when you practice art and your view of your surroundings are for ever changing.
In German: Die Reise ist das Ziel.
loosely translated. The Journey is the finish line.
Love your websites and having fun with my tribe in Creative triggers.
Helga
Thank you Adele, I’m really glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks Gowri – hand, mind and soul, I like that 🙂
Hi Helga, great to hear from you here too 🙂
If you want to have a go at this, I’d strongly recommend getting hold of that book I inked to at the end of the post. I think you’d love it.
See in the forum soon 🙂
I felt a “peacefull” quietness reading this article because I recognized that feeling of “being in the moment” ..
Thank you Paul missed the link at first. I guess I need to learn to see..smile.
I have ordered the book and I am exited. It only cost me $ 9 dollars for a used copy.
Helga
Paul, in the lovely video, you draw a circle…I’ve seen that before. What is it called? And its significance is?
An recommendations for where to buy the supplies to do the ink drawing practice? Brush, ink stick, paper, etc?
Many thanks for your contributions to all our lives.
Paul, I’ve always believed Art was terribly important for our Children’s development. I’ve spent years volunteering at low income schools teaching mostly what I learned from you. It wasn’t until my daughter got cancer and felt she was to Foster Kids that I saw how important it is. These were kids that needed to be reached a new way. Learning late in life I am ADHD explained a lot! These kid’s brains have been rewired by dysfunction so they can’t learn normally! I believe you are developing a way not only to teach our Kids to draw, but how to Learn! I’ve watched you evolve from being one of the best Painters I know, to someone wanting Everyone ‘See’ what you ‘See’. I told you yrs ago you were going to write a Book, I believe you are almost there! What I see in your latest Writings has me encouraged to get well enough to apply your Teachings to younger students. I’m really excited for what I see developing in your Work! PS… Great Article!
Another great article. Thank you Paul, for share it with us.
Thanks Debora, I’m glad you liked it – and apologies for the late reply.
I think we can encourage more of those “in the moment” experiences to appear in our days, and if we can, our days will be the richer for it.
Hi Mike – judging from your comment on my vimeo page I think you’ve got this sorted now, but it’s an Enso. I highly recommend you try one!
Helen, what a wonderful comment, thank you.
The thought that the more positive parts of this might be passed on by someone else is completely inspiring to me. Please do get well. If there’s anything I can do to help, to support you in any way, please email me.
Thanks Junin, I’m glad you liked the post. More like this to come!
Hi Paul,
I’ve come across this wonderful post a long time after you published it. I am an artist and part of my practice is starting my day with a daily drawing practice that I think of as a few moments of meditation. I’ve done blog posts about this and my process shares much with what you’ve touched on and written here. I’m just exploring the work of other folks who share a similar point of view! Thanks for this post and hope you don’t mind if I share a link on my blog or facebook page. Thanks and best wishes! — Patti
That’s great to hear Patti, please feel free to link to any of your posts in the comments here!
One of the recent posts is here:
https://missouribendstudio.com/blog/2017/8/25/27ast2aux8bvn38gmvkgsgs5gjpwud
I’ve read a fair amount about wabi sabi, but will definitely look for the book you mentioned, as it sounds perfect for me. Thanks again! — Patti
Hi, I used to draw for relaxation at very beginning. Now I have confidence in portrait drawings. I believe drawing can do lot better in your life. love to draw always <3