The time has come to say goodbye.
This past month has been an interesting adventure in cultivating mindfulness. I think that I have gained a greater appreciation for the different ways that art can be used. The work that I did was more than an exercise to improve my skills or a way to capture images. It served as a way to connect to people, a way to focus on the moment at hand, and a way to try and see reality as it is.
I found drawing to be an excellent way to focus. It kept me present and it pushed me to shake off any preconceived ideas about reality that I was holding onto. It was very effective to have a tangible indicator that I wasn't being mindful (a bad drawing) or that I was (a good drawing). The process was very goal oriented, which made it easier to commit to than any other type of meditation I had previously attempted. Throughout the course of this project I have seen an improvement in both my drawing abilities and my ability to calm my mind and be present.
I think that the most important thing that drawing through a Buddhist perspective did for me was to increase my capacity for compassion. I found that I was unable to draw without feeling a great deal of love towards my subject. I had always had a difficult time reconciling the idea of feeling compassion for all things and seeing reality as it really is. Everything is imperfect, so why wouldn't noticing and scrutinizing those imperfections make the world more painful? Why wouldn't you choose to ignore the ugly things and get on with your life? Everything will be better that way.
However, the opposite is true. When you close yourself off to the quirks and imperfections of the world, you also miss all the things that make it truly beautiful. It is possible to find beauty and wonder in a crumpled up chocolate wrapper or the one feature that you're most self-conscious about. The kind of amazement that comes from examining the world carefully and honestly is a result of accepting that you are viewing an impermanent object that will never be exactly like it is right at this moment. It's easy to miss if you aren't careful to stay completely in the present moment.
And if you can inhabit the present as it really is, you might even wake up.
This past month has been an interesting adventure in cultivating mindfulness. I think that I have gained a greater appreciation for the different ways that art can be used. The work that I did was more than an exercise to improve my skills or a way to capture images. It served as a way to connect to people, a way to focus on the moment at hand, and a way to try and see reality as it is.
I found drawing to be an excellent way to focus. It kept me present and it pushed me to shake off any preconceived ideas about reality that I was holding onto. It was very effective to have a tangible indicator that I wasn't being mindful (a bad drawing) or that I was (a good drawing). The process was very goal oriented, which made it easier to commit to than any other type of meditation I had previously attempted. Throughout the course of this project I have seen an improvement in both my drawing abilities and my ability to calm my mind and be present.
I think that the most important thing that drawing through a Buddhist perspective did for me was to increase my capacity for compassion. I found that I was unable to draw without feeling a great deal of love towards my subject. I had always had a difficult time reconciling the idea of feeling compassion for all things and seeing reality as it really is. Everything is imperfect, so why wouldn't noticing and scrutinizing those imperfections make the world more painful? Why wouldn't you choose to ignore the ugly things and get on with your life? Everything will be better that way.
However, the opposite is true. When you close yourself off to the quirks and imperfections of the world, you also miss all the things that make it truly beautiful. It is possible to find beauty and wonder in a crumpled up chocolate wrapper or the one feature that you're most self-conscious about. The kind of amazement that comes from examining the world carefully and honestly is a result of accepting that you are viewing an impermanent object that will never be exactly like it is right at this moment. It's easy to miss if you aren't careful to stay completely in the present moment.
And if you can inhabit the present as it really is, you might even wake up.
______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you to everyone who sat still for me, let me draw their things, helped me brainstorm ideas, and kept me going. It has been an lovely experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment