I have been inspired by Lynne Hoppe who has been creating these amazing faces on old book pages and sharing them on her blog. They are amazing. You really ought to pop over there and have a look. So although I find the format a little on the small side I just had to try one. Here's a little monk on a page of an old book called "Something Special".We have been spending some time over at the Duck Creek Gallery where the Tibetan Lama Tenzin Tsundu is creating a Green Tara sand mandala. Each day he starts with a meditation, some chanting and a little Dharma talk. The room is filled with wonderful energy and smiling faces. Yesterday, Dorje the dog joined us and today 6 month old Sophia sat wide eyed for the chanting.
Today Lama asked "how will we use this precious life?" What will we devote our time and attention to? He reminded us that this is an important subject of contemplation. He showed us the lotus flowers that Tara was holding, one for compassion and one for wisdom. These are the two important ingredients that guide us in our lives. We need wisdom to see clearly, to help us cut through our delusion and attachments, to help us see the importance of compassion, to see how to be compassionate in our smallest action.
If we just sit on our mat, do a little meditation, say a few prayers, what is the value of that, Lama asked. Our practice needs to be out there in our lives. We develop wisdom through our meditation and then we take it out into the world in the form of compassion.
As an act of letting go, of manifesting impermanence, as well as dispersing blessings, Lama will take the sand from the mandala down to the ocean on Sunday. His work of exquisite detail and beauty, a weeks work will be swept into a pile of mixed sand and swept up in the ocean waves. Could you do this with something of great beauty that you had poured yourself into every day, all day long for a week?
If you live on Vancouver Island or nearby there are a couple of interesting opportunites to offer support for Tibetan Earthquake victims and in return receive teachings from a wide range of Tibetan teachers and feast on Tibetan treats. Momos and Dharma anyone?
There is always at least one gem, for me, in each of your posts...
ReplyDeletetoday the Lama's quote:
"Our practice needs to be out there in our lives. We develop wisdom through our meditation and then we take it out into the world in the form of compassion."
And yes...Lynne Hoppe's work is fabo.
This month the Tibetan monks are here in Virginia Beach at the American Theatre for the 10th year creating a sand mandala and sacred dance with teachings all the while...isn't it excellent to have their collective energy raining down blessings upon us all. It's a great time to be alive.
How fabulous! And what a challenge
ReplyDelete[Could you do this with something of great beauty that you had poured yourself into every day, all day long for a week?]
I will sit with this through the retreat next week. Thank you, Carole, this really helps me set my intention - which has been floundering!
For me it's - "could I do this with life?!" - Can I let go of all my ideas about what life is supposed to look like, how it's supposed to turn out - and just allow it all to go - to allow all the constructs to be dissolved - recognizing that it all comes and goes anyway. Life is the sand mandala it seems...
ReplyDeleteI love your new style of art here! :)
carole, i think you need a whole stack of these paintings... i am sitting here smiling... : )
ReplyDeletei think there's something about using these old pages that fits with the theme of impermanence. i can't put my finger on it, but it's there. well for one thing, (i just had a thought ; ) i can't bring myself to put any kind of fixative or protective coating on them even if i sell them. they're meant to keep breaking down. anything that hinders that process takes the energy right out of them.
this week i painted on a rock in the middle of the creek with watercolors. before i'd finished it was starting to wash away. a butterfly flew by as i was painting, and for a brief instant i was the butterfly, the creek, everything. then i was 'me' again... afterwards i was thinking how liberating it is to paint something that will quickly get washed away. but a sand mandala that takes a whole week to create and then is swept up in a minute? no, i would be too attached, i think...
i love coming here and reading your words. today the ones that will stick with me the most are, "Our practice needs to be out there in our lives. We develop wisdom through our meditation and then we take it out into the world in the form of compassion."
as I read your post my eyes stopped at the words: develop wisdome through meditation and take it out into the world in the form of compassion.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to do that-- oh I think I have plenty of compassion-- but I can't seem to meditate much--I think about and talk about and set goals and then the next day I realize I did not meditate the day before...I will keep trying though... another thoughtful post once again.
merci 33 - yes Lama's very clear expression of how we're going about cultivating wisdom & compassion was very helpful. Hope you get to see the monks in your neighbourhood. And even if you don't, you are right that energy is out there.
ReplyDeleteGenju - your generosity of spirit always shines! Wishing you a fruitful retreat and safe journey. Looking forward to your post retreat blogs!
MeANderi - "could I do this with life?!" That's the big question isn't it?
Lynne - I love this connection of the old pages to impermanence and the painting on a rock in the creek with water colours. You are on your way to a sand mandala!
layers - a natural serenity just pervades your art and your living space, that you so freely share with us, a felt sense of equanimity is there. It is my sense that the outer reflects the inner.
I love the idea of superimposing art coming from you, on to old texts. Hence, very much looking forward to discover what will come out of this new vein of inspiration of yours!
ReplyDeleteRegarding taking practice into the world, I see it as a feedback loop process. Inner work informs how we are in the world, and in turn, engaged practice feeds our inner experience and growth. It certainly is my experience with work I do as Zen Hospice volunteer. Viewed under that lens, service is very much a 'selfish' act. One that feeds oneself even more that the other being served . . . :)