Seeing and Drawing as Zen

These workshops don't require artistic ability. Seeing and Drawing as Zen is as the title suggests focusing on seeing, truly seeing the world around you.

Even if you can't draw a straight line, all you need is to want to see.

You'll need to bring a scrapbook, preferred A3 size, pencils, pens, charcoal or pastels of your choice, even water colour or texta pen.

Additionally to the workshop participants are invited and free to join in the weekly zazen group at the temple.

The Zen of Seeing is a way to Awaken. Suddenly there is the miracle of being really alive with all the senses functioning:

'How wondrously strange and miraculous:

I draw water, I carry wood.'

Zen master Hokoji, 8th century

'How wondrously strange and miraculous: I see! I see a lettuce! I see you!'

The 9th century Zen master Siubi was asked: 'What is the secret of Zen?'

'Come back when there is nobody around and I shall tell you.'

The inquirer returned. Siubi took him to a bamboo grove, pointed at the bamboos and said:

'See how long these are. See how short these are!'

'Suddenly the questioner SAW, had a flash of awakening.

What did he see? He had a revelation of sheer existence.

Where there is revelation, explanation becomes superfluous. Curiosity is dissolved into wonder.' Frederic Frank.

Realization of the True self, also called the original face or the true person without label. As he puts it: 'Becoming one with the lilies in seeing/drawing, I become not less, but more myself.'