Minding the arts
Art and meditation were the focus of a Contemplative Arts workshop that took place on Saturday 2nd May 2009 at the London Shambhala Meditation Centre.
Artist, Herbert Elsky, led the event with a series of talks and demonstrations on calligraphy, Japanese flower arranging and Zen archery. There was also a video presentation on Miksang, a meditative form of photography. Miksang is a Tibetan word for “good eye” and aims to promote a greater awareness of our surroundings through the medium of photography.
“They are all different sorts of meditation” said Elsky. “Through them you can begin to connect with your own state of mind and learn to appreciate and enjoy yourself.”
The purpose of the day was also to show that meditation isn’t just about sitting quietly; it is about cultivating a state of mind that you can use in a very active way.
“Meditation doesn’t mean we have to become like zombies and sit on a cushion all day. People meditate because they want to make something good happen. You begin to see how you create your own obstacles and once that happens, you can go beyond them. It’s a beautiful thing to see happen.”
Alex Rankin
