Bosatsu Field

BIg Brush Ryu

Tom N' Jerry

Moving the Stupa (formerly known as the stone)

Friday I had the opportunity to help out Virginia Wolf with her stone Stupa project again. Unfortunately my camera has malfunctioned so the ink painting is all I have to really commemorate the experience. I also did a little blowing meditation there with the flute, which no one told me was awful. I had been thinking a bit about confidence lately after hearing stories of others and thought that my own confidence is rather high. But playing the flute in front of an audience is a good way to put that false sense of confidence in check. As I played I could feel my heart rate increase and I could hear my heart pounding trough the notes. I asked but no one else seemed to notice. Thinking about it, it was a really wonderful experience. Rev. Meiko has asked me to play for the children at the Dharma school. That will be another opportunity to practice in front of an audience. I would like to practice a bit more prior to that since I have been neglecting the Shakuhachi facet of my own overall practice lately.

I remember my first lesson after practicing for two years on my own. The first time I tried to blow a good Ro note for my teacher I could not make a sound at all. He called that the lesson effect. I have come a long way from there but still have a lifetime to go.

May all be well and happy
Jordan

Joy!

Hoping Everyone is enjoying their holidays.
May all be well and happy,
Jordan

Bosatsu Thoughts With color!

Megumi Took the scanned image and added some color for what I thought was a nice effect.
Hope you enjoy!

Jordan

Bosatsu Thoughts

Jizo

Contemplation

Peace

Flower of delusion

Ha Ro Tsu

I picked up a new small brush on Saturday. It is pleasant to work with and responds nicely.

Be well.
Jordan

Mother And Daughter

Ink and reality

Up until a few moments ago I thought that my recent endeavor to do ink paintings was just another distraction. However there is a lesson even here that I am beginning to learn. Karma, cosmic consciousness, whatever you want to call it is well represented by the ink and paper. The ink could care less how you "want" things to be. The ink has no concept of forgiveness. It is just ink and will behave like ink. Reality is like this, causation is like this.

Right concentration required.
Jordan

Moon Orchid

Ok, Something other than fish. I paused a bit while drawing the orchid and the ink blurred.

Be well
Jordan

Fish II

I was working with a large brush (the "proper" one I bought yesterday)today which is a good place to start because it is so hard to control (or so the book says, this is counterintuitive for me but I only have a large brush right now so...) I am still having difficulties loading a good mix of ink and water. As you can see the fish above is solid ink which ideally it would have had varied shads of ink.

While practicing I had an enthusiastic audience (the girls) and that I don't think was beneficial to concentration. They were having fun though so it was worth it.

Enjoying the weekend, hope you are too.
Jordan

Fish

My first attempt at Sumi-e, thanks for the book Mom! This was done with a self inking calligraphy brush, But I have a proper one now. Fish is the first lesson and I feel I may continue doing fish for some time.

Life is distractions, I love life!
Jordan