8/18/2023 0 Comments Zen circleOr paint so slowly that a single stroke takes longer than one year. This has the advantage of not giving your mind time to interfere. The brush moves so fast that your eye can barely see it. Usually, the entire stroke, the entire painting, is finished in no more than a single breath, about one second. For this reason, they are often called "one stroke" paintings. Most paintings are done with a single continuous stroke of the brush. Each moment of Zen Brush painting is always fully complete in and of itself. If we practice to get better at Zen Brush painting, then we miss the whole point of Zen Brush painting. In this way, the practice of Zen Brush painting is always extremely enjoyable. We are fully present with each brushstroke. There is no future moment or attainment our mind is fixed in. Each moment of painting is already fully complete in itself. We think of a future goal we are practicing to attain. When we practice we think of getting somewhere. The paintings will flow effortlessly by themselves. When the student's self-image as an artist is out of the way, he will no longer be limited and inhibited by thoughts of I, me and mine. But it will not be the student as an individual person that is painting. When the student realizes his True Nature, then he will be able to paint anything. When the student asked for instruction, the Master simply said, "You must become the bamboo." He was asking the student to realize that he already is the bamboo and all of life. A student wanted to learn how to paint the beautiful bamboo paintings like the Master. There was a Zen Master who was also a well-known artist in China. This is the most important practice of Zen Brush painting and Zen in general. When the mind is clear of the self-centered thoughts of I, me and mine, then body, mind, brush, paper, ink, and life all become one. It is only different in that you have a painting at the end. Think of the practice of Zen Brush as you would the practice of meditation. Your opinions, concepts and beliefs stand in the way of life expressing itself through your body, brush, ink and paper. If you know what you want to paint, you interfere with the direct flow of life. Only a truly empty mind can be aware of life as it is and allow it to express itself. You must clear your mind of all thoughts, expectations, opinions, knowledge and goals. Watch it dance free of all expectations, opinions and goals. Hold the brush over the paper and let it move by itself. Learn to trust the brush, ink, and paper. Let the universe use this empty vessel to express itself through the brush, ink and paper. It is about your True Universal Self, not the separate being you think and believe you are. Zen Brush painting is not about your talent, knowledge or skill. In this way, Zen Brush Painting is both a practice of and expression of Enlightenment. It is not as much about making beautiful paintings as it as about understanding your True Nature and that of all of life. Zen Brush painting is a very old tradition going back over a thousand years. There are a few basic techniques I can share. Many people have asked me to explain the techniques of Zen Brush painting.
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