Back in Mid-April, I did a program at DC Shambhala with Acharya Arawana Hyasahi called "Shambhala Art Level 4+5". This program was a condensed version of two programs I did nearly a decade ago (!) in Baltimore teaching from Trungpa Rinpoche's teaching on what he called "Dharma Art", which were renamed "Shambhala Art" about 2003 or so. These teachings, which as I've said before, were what drew me in to Shambhala (which lead directly to me meeting the other teachers I follow today), are essentially a direct experential way of demonstrating a lot of the concepts of Vajra yana Buddhism. As Acharya Hyasahi said, "The teaching trungpa did in shambhala art is the highest teaching, and also accessible in different ways." (I am going to be quoting directly from my notes from the weekend a lot, because I couldn't say it better than she did. :))These teachings (and the exercises that go with them) directly point to how some of the things talked about in Buddhism actually relate to one's life. For example, I could talk about "Relative truth" and "Ultimate truth" all day, but it wouldn't get the point accross as well as some of the "sign and symbol" excersizes. sasa
Arranging in terms of spatial placement and time.
Look at it in terms of first spark – earth – and how to tune in from there –human.
Heaven is “the big thing” – not at all biggest. The biggest perception, that breaks through subconscious gossip. We need to review this, because we will be reviewing these principles through different lenses.
Earth is the confirmation of the big thing – allows the heaven principle to be legitimate. Letting something live in us or move us.
Human principle – as a perceiver – see “how do I perceive the world?”
What is my definition of communication?
“Whew! Wow, I’ve done it.” Some sense of landing, being present.
It’s through perceiving rather than analyzing.
Last chapter- “art and society”.
It reminds us why we gather together to do this…
“It is connecting with defeating setting sun vision”- the small world of passion, aggression an ignorance.
“and transform it into Great Eastern Sun vision. That is our purpose in being here. We would like to establish….enlightened society…”
This is the background of why he taught it, and what we are supposed to do w/ it. When we realize how to be warm, there is not problem w/ introducing dharma into our art.”
So that’s the deal. You step in the door, and you are part of that stream of people trying to bring some peace to the world.
Those of us of privilege have a responsibility…
When we start to get small-minded, it is easy to lose our motivation. Any paragraph of this book is a powerful reminder of how art or artful living can be.
“It’s not self expression, it’s just expression. Things happen, there is no need to claim it as ours.”
I’m just introducing a few topics, and maybe introduce the Buddha families.
There is a 2nd chapter he entitles discipline.
Trungpa rinpoche often says, “it’s like combing hair”, going through a topic again and again.
In this case, he outlines the psychological and physical implications of heaven- could be implementing a meeting, a dinner party, a piece of art, a webpage, whatever.
(Working on social change theater – working w/ an incredibly innovative agency- that sees challenged people as having gifts- they are all so genuine, unimpeded)
We call this the ‘toehold’- but there is seemingly so much oppression in the system- it just squashes- clients, demands, finances, etc. – it sucks the energy down and closes it off. How do we find the help, practices, etc. we need?
3 reflections on heaven principle
1) Offers up numerous times the synchronization of mind and body. When they are synchronized, it is “authentic presence” – he recommends meditation before an artwork. “If we are artists, we need to live like artists, and treat our entire lives as discipline.” “Art and post art become one, like meditation and PMP become one.”
2) Also, the tools- the relationship w/ ones brushes, cloth, eggplants, whatever. The sacredness and potential power of the tools themselves.
3) Free from hope and fear – those of us who when we were children, were able to dance, sing whatever w/o hope and fear. Most of us unlearned that, that’s why shambhala is so into leaning into such experiences. The first thing is hope- to look at hope- wanting things to be better, more supportive, there is a sense of hopelessness- giving up expectation of a better result. Also soften up fear of inadequacy. We live in a time, in terms of job security, what is going on in the world, the fear is everywhere – it’s threatening- if not us, our family or neighbors. It’s the sense of how we work w/ hope and fear -
It is important to build up knowing feeling of wanted and unwanted- that whole arena of what it is to build capacity to live in a more curious, inquisitive way- in terms of inquisitive, it doesn’t matter if it is positive or negative.
If we are after comfortable, we will be disappointed.
It’s not shutting out what we view as unhealthy, or don’t agree with.
Most of us know we can’t control bringing in the good and putting off the bad.
In the end, “when we have that attitude and motivation, we are victorious. There is a general sense of even mindedness that could be called decency.”
The decency is the ability to live w/ our experience in an even minded way.
Earth is about workability and pliability. We have a vision of what an experience could be like. (In some states, working with people is like working w/ hardened clay – in others, it is more workable.
Peace and Space – exercise one – Buddha family
What is a Buddha family person like – enlightened quality – spaciousness, vastness, openness – anything is possible.
w/ three objects, we are going to
It’s heaven earth man, but w/ quality of spaciousness…
One must pay attention to the margins and the marginalized.
Pay attention to the boundaries.
Point of practice is to include ALL S.B. s in the action of wisdom and compassion. Where you put your things in relation to other people’s things can be incredibly profound and can affect others. Life has borders and edges in time and space – this is the room we are working with – we are working with “what is”.
There isn’t any freedom unless one realizes what the forms and limits are – it’s mostly about discipline.
Jim- as soon as an object is down, I am seeing it’s name and function.
Arianna- just let it go. ☺
Continue to practice during lunch- look t the world through colored glasses – red and warm, or cold and criticizing – make note of the view you are having.
And, in your environment – what do you order? What is the restaurant like? What are its qualities?
Write down 5 things during lunch – to sharpen up your perceptions…. what seems watery, fiery, etc. Look at the world as though you are an artist.
If objects are touching- there is something about the spacing that makes objects more visible.
Just looking at objects, without concepts…
-A little green thing, a first shoot – this is not the time for editing, for cutting it down. First thing in the creative process is nurturing – warmth, etc. later on, you can cut it off and be judgmental, but not now…
Buddha- center - head
Vajra- east - eyes
Ratna- south – throat, belly
Padma – west- heart
Karma – north- limbs
Relationship between heaven and earth-
Humans who are connected with both these principles – heaven – being w/o hope and fear- earth- unobstructed
Humans can survive w/ the mercy of heaven and earth- it is almost a traditional scientific c truth that when heaven and earth have a good relationship, humans have a good relationship w/ them. When they are in conflict, men and women have doubts about their ruler, who is supposed to join heaven and earth, like king David. “
The vision and the ability to get the job done – need to be able to hold those two things, otherwise there is war and disasters, etc.
Exercise- 5 Buddha family arrangements.
Q. At lunch, said thing about mimicking- felt like I was padma when I was young, and then ratna for past several years. Yet we are supposed to be born into 1 family. How does this work?
A. I don’t know – her relationship w/ the families is through SA and Buddhism, aesthetic principles, not maitri or psychological states. Don’t work w/ the 5 families that much in my own work.
Q. How important it is to do this- not just creating, but entering into other’s fields of experiencing.
A. Good to have diversity and voice of margin in a team, to see the whole system. What would it be like to see the world like ___? Try to see the world like them.
Aware of many ways of seeing.
Q- feeling the ground of someone else’s feeling when he or she are talking to you.
4 levels of listening
A. 1st- polite- listening from the middle of the cocoon- don’t actual see the other person, see a version of them we project out and we get that feedback- own projected sense of slides- may be more or less correct, but they are still our projections.
B. 2nd – step outside of organization system, to the edge, and look out. Getting disconfirming data. In the 1st instance of doing so, we do it to clarify – “I am my opinion”. Situations where many of us are stuck in our own view, and we think we are right. (ex. Diversity issues), so, when we hear other’s views, instead of being empathetic, we get more clear of their view. Good basis of debate – discussion like percussion.
C. 3rd- empathy- jumping out of our shoes into theirs. Gets into genuine dialogues.
D. 4th- generative listening- could generate a real wisdom in the listener. Spontaneous insight, - listening makes the insight come forth.
It is useful to know all these at different times.
Looking at flexibility is able to move from one to the other with some grace.
Q. That quote –
Chapter – “joining heaven and earth” –
Trungpa said in a dark age, there is more of a need for constant stimulation, creating numbness. We as practitioners can see these as obstacles.
What is the relationship between that contemplation and the exercises we just did?
More ways to see things. Seeing ways to work around the energies, and deal with it, play with it.
Q. a quote about “viewing a stick through the five families.”
A. We will try that tomorrow. Using the same set of objects for all five families.
If we had three sticks, we could make a 3 stick Buddha, ratna, etc. Maybe it’s because I’ve always worked w/ not enough funding or people. ☺ You work with what you got. I once taught this weekend w/ just matchsticks and paper.
How do you regard a stick through the 5 families?
It’s not about only using one sense perception. Contemplate that tonight.
Trungpa’s film choices- dersuzalla, the last wave, a documentary on cowboys, a documentary on sheepherding,
a theme of space and richness.
A plug for Acharya Ferguson’s new book ‘Natural Wakefulness’
Distinctions between innate (natural) and manifested (the training that will bring it about)
The white square- hearkens back to “back to square one”-m this open blank canvas of a mind, sky like mind, where we always return to in terns of making art pr==or working w. people. That is why it is there, as a reminder.
Will begin w/ checking- how is my mind and body….
______________________________________________________________________________________
Part 5- investigation – these parts are just topics CTR taught in relation to visual art- put together by his students- the point is I suppose we can do a everything together- this isn’t the only way of looking at this material – but in terns to participating in your own centers and whatever else your life is about.
The karmas – actions – what is the teaching? On Karma.
Cause and effect. Every action has a kind of reverberation in the world, a result. The fact you all are in this room is due to innumerable causes and effects in our lives.
There is no avoiding causes and effect, but also very difficult to understand. It’s not one thing = one result.
It also makes most sense in a multi-lifetime system, how these occur.
What does karma mean? It also means we have complete freedom in the nowness. In every moment are choices – we can choose Great Eastern Sun, or choose to be comfortable, familiar, closed down, HPs. You could open up, no hope, no fear, or act in this realm of conditioned behavior.
All teachings – art in everyday life, etc. are to train us to be able to choose wakefulness. These are relative choices. On her absolute, innate level – is undoctional basic goodness, accommodating both choices. Is always a ground like this. Could make something beautiful, or something to undermine people’s basic goodness. Doesn’t make a difference to the space. On a relative level, it does- choose awakened, or making suffering.
4 actions
Alll actions could be pared down to the 4 ways of participating in the world. Art making, making money, raising family, etc.
We will look at these first as actions, how they look visually, and then see them sequentially as a process of making art. They describe the 4 dignity, the 4 stages of creative process, how to participate in a skillful way in our lives.
- Pg. 169- p. 36 in “art of calligraphy”
- This discussions in not as abstract as you might think…”
- He taught these in 1979 on transparencies. Was inspired, since tom and Antonio didn’t understand what CTR was talking about ☺
Start w/ first one- discussion – 2 aspects of action
1- Innate
2- Manifested
Back to what we said before. Innate, naturally heaven, earth and man, 4 karmas, 5 families, etc. And 23rd part, how to see the world as a sense of order. Spring before summer, than fall. Morning, then noon, the night.
Trees grow greens up roots down. It’s how things are. Not a religious system.
Heaven earth and humans arrangement…. (para 1 p. 28).
Talent- the ability to be in touch with natural timing of the world.
“The basic innate nature of our existence and sense of perception in the circle”
Then sense of “dot in space” (as in SL 5), that momentary flash of awake mind is called a dot. Is a lot of nowness- insight of presence. Once we say or do something from there, is sometimes called the stroke or Ashe. From awake, really human inspiration comes some kind of expression. Likewise once it comes out of conditioned behavior, it just comes out.
So, we are trying o pay attention to what does what.
The line from the dot (earth) is the stroke (man).
Could also say the 1st dot surrounded by circles heaven.
Outside circle. – Mind.
Inner circle- energy.
Space, and energy.
Mind like open sky – things come and go – like clouds.
The energy is called the Great Eastern Sun. There is a Vibrant brilliant quality, which manifests in 4 different ways of the Karmas.
Pacifying
Round shape – peace, or pacifying.
Goodness- absence of arrogance. Absence of neurosis.
CTR makes an arrangement of h, e, m – the placement of the elements complements the circle. Sense of no neurosis. We feel that quality of pacifying.
(Passes around for people to try for themselves.) To be pacified seems to need balance. I comes out of a tradition that – dances came into Japan in the 7th century, and haven’t changes since then. Was passed down in the family since 8th century. Arawana watched teacher, and tried to do exactly the same way. The purpose of the dances is to attract gods, dralhas. Kind of a geomancy – the movement of the group – trying to do same thing, trying to shift energy of planet. You don’t fool w/ it, you just do it. Innovation is not of value here. Being in synch, inseparable from that – traditional art generally has a different value structure than how cleaver you can be. I don’t see these 2 things are at odds. I never noticed any difference.
-We are so used to thinking of what is innovative, interesting, has a spark, we have difficult with understanding 4 karmas.
How do you just be in a meeting, and mirror or hold opposites, conflicts in a meeting?
Would my role be to be pacifying w/o suppressing. Pacifying is to be able to mirror the whole. In such a way that everything clicks. Then the clarity can come to the surface.
These things get us things- what would placement be to feel pacifying.
(Balance, alignment),
This is visual rather than philosophical. How does it make us feel pacified?
IS A difference btwn – this is one of the most important
Boredom is incredibly important in meditation. It leads to no hope and no fear.
“it’s ok.” 2-thing going to -1
2 things 10 just go forward
If it is boring, do john cage thing, It sounds like cage’s looking into seeing.
Cage worked a lot w/ role of listener, trained to open out. We are working on how to listen.
Next karma
Enriching
Enriching- “manifested mind” – mental state of building, (I have no idea what It means.)
- Manifestation of the moving mind. S =enriching- outside if mind or thought.
- Big difference of feeling of square and feeling of diamond.
- Is the heart monolithic
In this situation we could …pg, 29, 30,
- Intrinsic energy of our state of mind
Need to take into account r
You actually think about the heaven –earth man-3
Magnetizing
Magnetizing - `”on you feel you out earth-“ Let go and go away, be generous.
Neurotic- “we want to jump off a cliff before we have to give someone even half a penny.”
Sense of padma is always some kind of longing. MAGENTIZING –reverses the pattern of thinking “I don’t have enough”.
You think you can get enough art, music, even shopping.
It is like a flower- beautiful flower- complete – one is immediately drawn to it. But it’s not jumping into you face. Magnetizing is often also translated as “empowering”.
Destroying
“The heavy one”. It’d basic nature is fearless. Too little fearlessness- coward
Too much- too intellectual
All the 5 families can use all 4 karmas- but there is also a correspondence.
Destroying- Karma
Magnetizing – Padma
Pacifying - Vajra
Enriching - Ratna
There is a a pacifying magnetizing- pacifying destroying - ‘like in ‘discovery elegance” Not feeling like it is “your baby”.
How we actually work w/ the 4 principles. (top p. 33)
Square represents manifestation. Mandala principle- what is a mandala? Set up – has an inner and outer.
“center and fringe” – ‘kil khor’ in Tibetan
Display of the mind and culture. Each of us lives in a mandala, we live in center.
Tradition Square = courtyard. – Living on this earth.
Circle. Heaven earth and man.
- 3 stroke strategy.
- East is always down, in middle, slightly of center-…
- From east – in the middle, slightly off-center, cool situation, cools off boredom and heat of neurosis.
- Big white in east-courtyard
Pure and cool, gentle, free from neurosis.
Can use red or yellow – same source.
Enriching- absence of arrogance and aggression. Make a connection w/ richness, leads to absence of arrogance. (markers roll to Karen ☺)
Arrogance – false puffing up – makes us feel poor. It’s not trusting our basic richness.
How to tune in to these karmas.
Magnetizing –approach it from the west. Overcomes poverty (straight out of traditional texts.)
Destroying – enter from the north- gives some sense of principle- destruction of laziness – next time you are lazy, draw a triangle, and cut right through that laziness.
Put them all together, and you get the “whole thing”.
The point is- all this works together, and is a description of what it is to live a life. We live in a world of action. The logic of “view = heaven – practice = person practicing .
4 dignities of shambhala work with same things, just in the opposite direction.
p. 36 – students enter from different direction for different reasons. Apart from an artistic, there is a sociological principle also.
When Antonio said “now” – green triangle –karma-
Went to the restaurants yesterday- show-off peppershakers.
Participant comments:
• You reminded me of the story of George and Martha- children’s stories about hippos.
• One teacher I work with- was a bit dharmic- said "do 1000 paintings, and THEN you can criticize your own work, you are still learning.”
• for about 25 years, I was an “Artist” – competing to get into shows- then I had it – it was too soul crushing- I’ve been much happier since I have not defined myself as an artist. I dropped out of that very vicious world. I always had this anxiety underneath- pressure to make it, to sell, to become famous.
• That attitude is very western European. I can identify with it.
Is a good and bad place to paint. Often, now have been taking photos of a landscape, and then paint from hat- it’s much easier- it creates a pacifying ground.
The thought –I want to do a landscape” or “I want to set up here” – that’s a thought, but then after set up, you don’t know what you are doing- first thought as empty.
Where do the universe of the neurotic artist and this other world coexist?
Arawana- every moment of activity, I’ve done before, but I haven’t done it before now. The person I was 30 years ago doesn’t exist now. The only thing I experience is right now. Even if I have done the same 7 dances thousands of times in locations – doing anything for 50 dollars ☺, I’ve done them in many situations that are less than optimal- but that time, is the first time I’ve done this gesture for them. Maybe the more training, the lass you have to worry about the action. But every time there is anxiety, every time there is anxiety to do it right, not fall down. Is always some combination of anxiety. And, in terms of working, I hadn’t worked since 2000, when the republicans cut off all arts funding. Now that It’s back, those experiencing are always back. ☺
Magnetizing -Padma- had a little conflict- different ideas expressed, people kept working together, people held to basic ideas while holding to other stuff. We did much better than
The Dharma Art teachings (now reissued in a new edition called "True Perception" after the original book, which I have called "my bible", went out of print) contain a lot of material on perception, how perception works, and distinguishing the ways of seeing the method of perceiving we all use. As Aryana said, "To be a human being, and live in a dharmic way, is art. Living harmoniously, to live in an artful way is this teaching. We can of course apply it those of us that do something we call art, but the teaching is that it is something that influences our whole life. Also, he offers up numerous times the synchronization of mind and body. When they are synchronized, it is “authentic presence” – he recommends meditation before an artwork. “If we are artists, we need to live like artists, and treat our entire lives as discipline.” “Art and post-art become one, like meditation and post-meditation practice become one.”
The weekend was specifically about working with the teachings of relating with the "Five buddha families" and "the Four Karmas".
All teachings – art in everyday life, etc. are to train us to be able to choose wakefulness. These are relative choices. On her absolute, innate level – is undoctional basic goodness, accommodating both choices. Is always a ground like this. Could make something beautiful, or something to undermine people’s basic goodness. Doesn’t make a difference to the space. On a relative level, it does- choose awakened, or making suffering.
All actions could be pared down to the 4 ways of participating in the world. Art making, making money, raising family, etc. We will look at these first as actions, how they look visually, and then see them sequentially as a process of making art.
Talent- the ability to be in touch with natural timing of the world.
“The basic innate nature of our existence and sense of perception in the circle”
Then sense of “dot in space” (as in SL 5), that momentary flash of awake mind is called a dot. Is a lot of nowness- insight of presence. Once we say or do something from there, is sometimes called the stroke or Ashe. From awake, really human inspiration comes some kind of expression. Likewise once it comes out of conditioned behavior, it just comes out.
So, we are trying o pay attention to what does what.
“The basic innate nature of our existence and sense of perception in the circle”
Then sense of “dot in space” (as in SL 5), that momentary flash of awake mind is called a dot. Is a lot of nowness- insight of presence. Once we say or do something from there, is sometimes called the stroke or Ashe. From awake, really human inspiration comes some kind of expression. Likewise once it comes out of conditioned behavior, it just comes out.
So, we are trying o pay attention to what does what.
_________________________________________________________________
Ok, now that I've given that summary, I felt the best way to explain more was to include my complete notes along side some of the exercises demonstrating each of the principles described.
Did you do any reading? Were you told to bring a book? To do a reading? Primarily, there is one chapter in the true perception/ dharma art – “the five styles of creative expression” that would be good to read.
Most of the study however will be from “joining heaven and earth”, which isn’t in “dharma art”- it is in “the art OF Calligraphy”. If you can get it, that is fine.
So, the end of the book- joining heaven and earth” – pg 146-end of book – primary source for weekend.
I’ve said it a couple times. What struck me in studying for this weekend is the enormous profundity of this material. The teaching trungpa did in shambhala art is the highest teaching, and also accessible in different ways.
Very weighty on me – how we share this material in a short amount of time.
Tom will have some follow up sessions. It is a LOT of material for 2 days.
The teachings are from the “visual dharma ‘ seminar that trungpa gave in boulder in the summer of 1979. We have been primarily studying from the summer – this is the background material on perception, how perception work, and distinguishing ways of seeing – self, cocoon – the method of [perceiving – the amount that our perceiving is colored by what the sakyong calls the “me plan”. The shambhala art teachings help us to first notice we do that, we have all sort of frames to choose, 1st to even notice something, 2nd if it is for us or against us, we like it or don’t like it, we are trying to discern our own method of perceiving.
The exercises highlight our neurosis and our natural ability to see things as they truly are.
Anyone want to share, it’s the part 1 and part 2 investigation.
To be a human being, and live in a dharmic way, is art. Trungpa uses the word dharma synonymously with art.
Living harmoniously, to live in an artful way is this teaching.
We can of course apply it those of us that do something we call art, but the teaching is that it is something that influences our whole life.
Then natural hierarchy- heaven, earth, and human.
Most of the study however will be from “joining heaven and earth”, which isn’t in “dharma art”- it is in “the art OF Calligraphy”. If you can get it, that is fine.
So, the end of the book- joining heaven and earth” – pg 146-end of book – primary source for weekend.
I’ve said it a couple times. What struck me in studying for this weekend is the enormous profundity of this material. The teaching trungpa did in shambhala art is the highest teaching, and also accessible in different ways.
Very weighty on me – how we share this material in a short amount of time.
Tom will have some follow up sessions. It is a LOT of material for 2 days.
The teachings are from the “visual dharma ‘ seminar that trungpa gave in boulder in the summer of 1979. We have been primarily studying from the summer – this is the background material on perception, how perception work, and distinguishing ways of seeing – self, cocoon – the method of [perceiving – the amount that our perceiving is colored by what the sakyong calls the “me plan”. The shambhala art teachings help us to first notice we do that, we have all sort of frames to choose, 1st to even notice something, 2nd if it is for us or against us, we like it or don’t like it, we are trying to discern our own method of perceiving.
The exercises highlight our neurosis and our natural ability to see things as they truly are.
Anyone want to share, it’s the part 1 and part 2 investigation.
To be a human being, and live in a dharmic way, is art. Trungpa uses the word dharma synonymously with art.
Living harmoniously, to live in an artful way is this teaching.
We can of course apply it those of us that do something we call art, but the teaching is that it is something that influences our whole life.
Then natural hierarchy- heaven, earth, and human.
Arranging in terms of spatial placement and time.
Look at it in terms of first spark – earth – and how to tune in from there –human.Heaven is “the big thing” – not at all biggest. The biggest perception, that breaks through subconscious gossip. We need to review this, because we will be reviewing these principles through different lenses.
Earth is the confirmation of the big thing – allows the heaven principle to be legitimate. Letting something live in us or move us.
Human principle – as a perceiver – see “how do I perceive the world?”
What is my definition of communication?
“Whew! Wow, I’ve done it.” Some sense of landing, being present.
It’s through perceiving rather than analyzing.
Last chapter- “art and society”.
It reminds us why we gather together to do this…
“It is connecting with defeating setting sun vision”- the small world of passion, aggression an ignorance.
“and transform it into Great Eastern Sun vision. That is our purpose in being here. We would like to establish….enlightened society…”
This is the background of why he taught it, and what we are supposed to do w/ it. When we realize how to be warm, there is not problem w/ introducing dharma into our art.”
So that’s the deal. You step in the door, and you are part of that stream of people trying to bring some peace to the world.
Those of us of privilege have a responsibility…
When we start to get small-minded, it is easy to lose our motivation. Any paragraph of this book is a powerful reminder of how art or artful living can be.
“It’s not self expression, it’s just expression. Things happen, there is no need to claim it as ours.”
I’m just introducing a few topics, and maybe introduce the Buddha families.
There is a 2nd chapter he entitles discipline.
Trungpa rinpoche often says, “it’s like combing hair”, going through a topic again and again.
In this case, he outlines the psychological and physical implications of heaven- could be implementing a meeting, a dinner party, a piece of art, a webpage, whatever.
(Working on social change theater – working w/ an incredibly innovative agency- that sees challenged people as having gifts- they are all so genuine, unimpeded)
We call this the ‘toehold’- but there is seemingly so much oppression in the system- it just squashes- clients, demands, finances, etc. – it sucks the energy down and closes it off. How do we find the help, practices, etc. we need?
3 reflections on heaven principle
1) Offers up numerous times the synchronization of mind and body. When they are synchronized, it is “authentic presence” – he recommends meditation before an artwork. “If we are artists, we need to live like artists, and treat our entire lives as discipline.” “Art and post art become one, like meditation and PMP become one.”
2) Also, the tools- the relationship w/ ones brushes, cloth, eggplants, whatever. The sacredness and potential power of the tools themselves.
3) Free from hope and fear – those of us who when we were children, were able to dance, sing whatever w/o hope and fear. Most of us unlearned that, that’s why shambhala is so into leaning into such experiences. The first thing is hope- to look at hope- wanting things to be better, more supportive, there is a sense of hopelessness- giving up expectation of a better result. Also soften up fear of inadequacy. We live in a time, in terms of job security, what is going on in the world, the fear is everywhere – it’s threatening- if not us, our family or neighbors. It’s the sense of how we work w/ hope and fear -
It is important to build up knowing feeling of wanted and unwanted- that whole arena of what it is to build capacity to live in a more curious, inquisitive way- in terms of inquisitive, it doesn’t matter if it is positive or negative.
If we are after comfortable, we will be disappointed.
It’s not shutting out what we view as unhealthy, or don’t agree with.
Most of us know we can’t control bringing in the good and putting off the bad.
In the end, “when we have that attitude and motivation, we are victorious. There is a general sense of even mindedness that could be called decency.”
The decency is the ability to live w/ our experience in an even minded way.
Earth is about workability and pliability. We have a vision of what an experience could be like. (In some states, working with people is like working w/ hardened clay – in others, it is more workable.
Earth principle is saying there’s always moisture to make it workable. The vision- heaven- rains down, makes our everyday experience workable, pliable.
What does it mean? Apply the principles to art.
Human – ‘simplicity’ – a sense of nowness, not being biased towards one side or another, a sense of freedom. One is able to be living on this earth w/ a vision.
And then the 4th is the 4 Karmas, the 4 actions. Which we will cover this weekend.
Up for a small exercise, rolling around on the floor.
The 5 Buddha families- the Mandela principle. These come out of vajrayana Buddhism, but they apply in many ways – not particularly religious.
Very similar to Native American systems. Not looking at it in terms of psychology, but an aesthetic, feel for, a quality. Will look at this rather than “this is neurotic and sane version of Buddha family, etc…”
We are talking about the process, as well as what we are making w/ the product.
3 points-
1) The product- the what- ex. This shambhala center
2) -The process- the who- if asked, you could tell someone how you did it.
3) The person- the who- the state of mind of the person making it.
In SA we are talking about the state of mind of the artist? We have a lot of instructions so far- what is the mind that makes the arrangement…. spacious- curious- cool and relaxed – emphasized-
"Neurosis is that which creates obstacles to perceiving the phenomena world properly, and fully, as the true artist should. The basic obstacle to clear perception is omnipresent anxiety, which does not allow us to relate to our selves or the world outside ourselves. Out of that anxiety comes a feeling of heat. Out of that is a feeling like heat. That claustrophobia leads us to contract our sense perceptions. Where there is 100 % claustrophobia, we can’t see, hear, smell, taste. Our senses are numbed. This is a great obstacle to creating art. “ – CTR
Being a drola- a person who is always moving – migrator- always moving- could be related to things like now – a cultural shift- where something isn’t working. We had the breakdown of communism, and now we are having the complete breakdown of capitalism – it didn’t work for most of the world anyway- we are seeing it doesn’t work –there is a lot of falling apart right now –let alone global warming, growing poverty, wars. - Omnipresent anxiety.
In the chapter “dharma and art”.
When arawana was starting in the 60’s, there was a feeling that agony fueled to process, that seeing therapy or something would steal ones art.
Fundamentally, art is an unconditional beauty, which transcends ordinary beauty. –CTR
What does it mean? Apply the principles to art.
Human – ‘simplicity’ – a sense of nowness, not being biased towards one side or another, a sense of freedom. One is able to be living on this earth w/ a vision.
And then the 4th is the 4 Karmas, the 4 actions. Which we will cover this weekend.
Up for a small exercise, rolling around on the floor.
The 5 Buddha families- the Mandela principle. These come out of vajrayana Buddhism, but they apply in many ways – not particularly religious.
Very similar to Native American systems. Not looking at it in terms of psychology, but an aesthetic, feel for, a quality. Will look at this rather than “this is neurotic and sane version of Buddha family, etc…”
We are talking about the process, as well as what we are making w/ the product.
3 points-
1) The product- the what- ex. This shambhala center
2) -The process- the who- if asked, you could tell someone how you did it.
3) The person- the who- the state of mind of the person making it.
In SA we are talking about the state of mind of the artist? We have a lot of instructions so far- what is the mind that makes the arrangement…. spacious- curious- cool and relaxed – emphasized-
"Neurosis is that which creates obstacles to perceiving the phenomena world properly, and fully, as the true artist should. The basic obstacle to clear perception is omnipresent anxiety, which does not allow us to relate to our selves or the world outside ourselves. Out of that anxiety comes a feeling of heat. Out of that is a feeling like heat. That claustrophobia leads us to contract our sense perceptions. Where there is 100 % claustrophobia, we can’t see, hear, smell, taste. Our senses are numbed. This is a great obstacle to creating art. “ – CTR
Being a drola- a person who is always moving – migrator- always moving- could be related to things like now – a cultural shift- where something isn’t working. We had the breakdown of communism, and now we are having the complete breakdown of capitalism – it didn’t work for most of the world anyway- we are seeing it doesn’t work –there is a lot of falling apart right now –let alone global warming, growing poverty, wars. - Omnipresent anxiety.
In the chapter “dharma and art”.
When arawana was starting in the 60’s, there was a feeling that agony fueled to process, that seeing therapy or something would steal ones art.
Fundamentally, art is an unconditional beauty, which transcends ordinary beauty. –CTR
What is a Buddha family person like – enlightened quality – spaciousness, vastness, openness – anything is possible.
w/ three objects, we are going to
It’s heaven earth man, but w/ quality of spaciousness…
One must pay attention to the margins and the marginalized.
Pay attention to the boundaries.
Point of practice is to include ALL S.B. s in the action of wisdom and compassion. Where you put your things in relation to other people’s things can be incredibly profound and can affect others. Life has borders and edges in time and space – this is the room we are working with – we are working with “what is”.
There isn’t any freedom unless one realizes what the forms and limits are – it’s mostly about discipline.
Jim- as soon as an object is down, I am seeing it’s name and function.
Arianna- just let it go. ☺
Continue to practice during lunch- look t the world through colored glasses – red and warm, or cold and criticizing – make note of the view you are having.
And, in your environment – what do you order? What is the restaurant like? What are its qualities?
Write down 5 things during lunch – to sharpen up your perceptions…. what seems watery, fiery, etc. Look at the world as though you are an artist.
If objects are touching- there is something about the spacing that makes objects more visible.
Just looking at objects, without concepts…
-A little green thing, a first shoot – this is not the time for editing, for cutting it down. First thing in the creative process is nurturing – warmth, etc. later on, you can cut it off and be judgmental, but not now…
Buddha- center - headVajra- east - eyes
Ratna- south – throat, belly
Padma – west- heart
Karma – north- limbs
Relationship between heaven and earth-
Humans who are connected with both these principles – heaven – being w/o hope and fear- earth- unobstructed
Humans can survive w/ the mercy of heaven and earth- it is almost a traditional scientific c truth that when heaven and earth have a good relationship, humans have a good relationship w/ them. When they are in conflict, men and women have doubts about their ruler, who is supposed to join heaven and earth, like king David. “
The vision and the ability to get the job done – need to be able to hold those two things, otherwise there is war and disasters, etc.
Exercise- 5 Buddha family arrangements.
Q. At lunch, said thing about mimicking- felt like I was padma when I was young, and then ratna for past several years. Yet we are supposed to be born into 1 family. How does this work?
A. I don’t know – her relationship w/ the families is through SA and Buddhism, aesthetic principles, not maitri or psychological states. Don’t work w/ the 5 families that much in my own work. Q. How important it is to do this- not just creating, but entering into other’s fields of experiencing.
A. Good to have diversity and voice of margin in a team, to see the whole system. What would it be like to see the world like ___? Try to see the world like them.
Aware of many ways of seeing.
Q- feeling the ground of someone else’s feeling when he or she are talking to you.
4 levels of listening
A. 1st- polite- listening from the middle of the cocoon- don’t actual see the other person, see a version of them we project out and we get that feedback- own projected sense of slides- may be more or less correct, but they are still our projections.
B. 2nd – step outside of organization system, to the edge, and look out. Getting disconfirming data. In the 1st instance of doing so, we do it to clarify – “I am my opinion”. Situations where many of us are stuck in our own view, and we think we are right. (ex. Diversity issues), so, when we hear other’s views, instead of being empathetic, we get more clear of their view. Good basis of debate – discussion like percussion.
C. 3rd- empathy- jumping out of our shoes into theirs. Gets into genuine dialogues.
D. 4th- generative listening- could generate a real wisdom in the listener. Spontaneous insight, - listening makes the insight come forth.
It is useful to know all these at different times.
Looking at flexibility is able to move from one to the other with some grace.
Q. That quote –
Chapter – “joining heaven and earth” –
Trungpa said in a dark age, there is more of a need for constant stimulation, creating numbness. We as practitioners can see these as obstacles.
What is the relationship between that contemplation and the exercises we just did?
More ways to see things. Seeing ways to work around the energies, and deal with it, play with it.
Q. a quote about “viewing a stick through the five families.”
A. We will try that tomorrow. Using the same set of objects for all five families.
If we had three sticks, we could make a 3 stick Buddha, ratna, etc. Maybe it’s because I’ve always worked w/ not enough funding or people. ☺ You work with what you got. I once taught this weekend w/ just matchsticks and paper.
How do you regard a stick through the 5 families?
It’s not about only using one sense perception. Contemplate that tonight.
Trungpa’s film choices- dersuzalla, the last wave, a documentary on cowboys, a documentary on sheepherding,
a theme of space and richness.
A plug for Acharya Ferguson’s new book ‘Natural Wakefulness’
Distinctions between innate (natural) and manifested (the training that will bring it about)
The white square- hearkens back to “back to square one”-m this open blank canvas of a mind, sky like mind, where we always return to in terns of making art pr==or working w. people. That is why it is there, as a reminder.
Will begin w/ checking- how is my mind and body….
______________________________________________________________________________________Part 5- investigation – these parts are just topics CTR taught in relation to visual art- put together by his students- the point is I suppose we can do a everything together- this isn’t the only way of looking at this material – but in terns to participating in your own centers and whatever else your life is about.
The karmas – actions – what is the teaching? On Karma.
Cause and effect. Every action has a kind of reverberation in the world, a result. The fact you all are in this room is due to innumerable causes and effects in our lives.
There is no avoiding causes and effect, but also very difficult to understand. It’s not one thing = one result.
It also makes most sense in a multi-lifetime system, how these occur.
What does karma mean? It also means we have complete freedom in the nowness. In every moment are choices – we can choose Great Eastern Sun, or choose to be comfortable, familiar, closed down, HPs. You could open up, no hope, no fear, or act in this realm of conditioned behavior.
All teachings – art in everyday life, etc. are to train us to be able to choose wakefulness. These are relative choices. On her absolute, innate level – is undoctional basic goodness, accommodating both choices. Is always a ground like this. Could make something beautiful, or something to undermine people’s basic goodness. Doesn’t make a difference to the space. On a relative level, it does- choose awakened, or making suffering.
4 actions
Alll actions could be pared down to the 4 ways of participating in the world. Art making, making money, raising family, etc.
We will look at these first as actions, how they look visually, and then see them sequentially as a process of making art. They describe the 4 dignity, the 4 stages of creative process, how to participate in a skillful way in our lives.
- Pg. 169- p. 36 in “art of calligraphy”
- This discussions in not as abstract as you might think…”
- He taught these in 1979 on transparencies. Was inspired, since tom and Antonio didn’t understand what CTR was talking about ☺
Start w/ first one- discussion – 2 aspects of action
1- Innate
2- Manifested
Back to what we said before. Innate, naturally heaven, earth and man, 4 karmas, 5 families, etc. And 23rd part, how to see the world as a sense of order. Spring before summer, than fall. Morning, then noon, the night.
Trees grow greens up roots down. It’s how things are. Not a religious system.
Heaven earth and humans arrangement…. (para 1 p. 28).
Talent- the ability to be in touch with natural timing of the world.
“The basic innate nature of our existence and sense of perception in the circle”
Then sense of “dot in space” (as in SL 5), that momentary flash of awake mind is called a dot. Is a lot of nowness- insight of presence. Once we say or do something from there, is sometimes called the stroke or Ashe. From awake, really human inspiration comes some kind of expression. Likewise once it comes out of conditioned behavior, it just comes out.
So, we are trying o pay attention to what does what.
The line from the dot (earth) is the stroke (man).
Could also say the 1st dot surrounded by circles heaven.
Outside circle. – Mind.
Inner circle- energy.
Space, and energy.
Mind like open sky – things come and go – like clouds.
The energy is called the Great Eastern Sun. There is a Vibrant brilliant quality, which manifests in 4 different ways of the Karmas.
Pacifying
Round shape – peace, or pacifying.
Goodness- absence of arrogance. Absence of neurosis.
CTR makes an arrangement of h, e, m – the placement of the elements complements the circle. Sense of no neurosis. We feel that quality of pacifying.
(Passes around for people to try for themselves.) To be pacified seems to need balance. I comes out of a tradition that – dances came into Japan in the 7th century, and haven’t changes since then. Was passed down in the family since 8th century. Arawana watched teacher, and tried to do exactly the same way. The purpose of the dances is to attract gods, dralhas. Kind of a geomancy – the movement of the group – trying to do same thing, trying to shift energy of planet. You don’t fool w/ it, you just do it. Innovation is not of value here. Being in synch, inseparable from that – traditional art generally has a different value structure than how cleaver you can be. I don’t see these 2 things are at odds. I never noticed any difference.
-We are so used to thinking of what is innovative, interesting, has a spark, we have difficult with understanding 4 karmas.
How do you just be in a meeting, and mirror or hold opposites, conflicts in a meeting?
Would my role be to be pacifying w/o suppressing. Pacifying is to be able to mirror the whole. In such a way that everything clicks. Then the clarity can come to the surface.
These things get us things- what would placement be to feel pacifying.
(Balance, alignment),
This is visual rather than philosophical. How does it make us feel pacified?
IS A difference btwn – this is one of the most important
Boredom is incredibly important in meditation. It leads to no hope and no fear.
“it’s ok.” 2-thing going to -1
2 things 10 just go forward
If it is boring, do john cage thing, It sounds like cage’s looking into seeing.
Cage worked a lot w/ role of listener, trained to open out. We are working on how to listen.
Next karma
Enriching
Enriching- “manifested mind” – mental state of building, (I have no idea what It means.)
- Manifestation of the moving mind. S =enriching- outside if mind or thought.
- Big difference of feeling of square and feeling of diamond.
- Is the heart monolithic
In this situation we could …pg, 29, 30,
- Intrinsic energy of our state of mind
Need to take into account r
You actually think about the heaven –earth man-3
Magnetizing
Magnetizing - `”on you feel you out earth-“ Let go and go away, be generous.
Neurotic- “we want to jump off a cliff before we have to give someone even half a penny.”
Sense of padma is always some kind of longing. MAGENTIZING –reverses the pattern of thinking “I don’t have enough”.
You think you can get enough art, music, even shopping.
It is like a flower- beautiful flower- complete – one is immediately drawn to it. But it’s not jumping into you face. Magnetizing is often also translated as “empowering”.
Destroying
“The heavy one”. It’d basic nature is fearless. Too little fearlessness- coward
Too much- too intellectual
All the 5 families can use all 4 karmas- but there is also a correspondence.
Destroying- Karma
Magnetizing – Padma
Pacifying - Vajra
Enriching - Ratna
There is a a pacifying magnetizing- pacifying destroying - ‘like in ‘discovery elegance” Not feeling like it is “your baby”.
How we actually work w/ the 4 principles. (top p. 33)
Square represents manifestation. Mandala principle- what is a mandala? Set up – has an inner and outer.
“center and fringe” – ‘kil khor’ in Tibetan
Display of the mind and culture. Each of us lives in a mandala, we live in center.
Tradition Square = courtyard. – Living on this earth.
Circle. Heaven earth and man.
- 3 stroke strategy.
- East is always down, in middle, slightly of center-…
- From east – in the middle, slightly off-center, cool situation, cools off boredom and heat of neurosis.
- Big white in east-courtyard
Pure and cool, gentle, free from neurosis.
Can use red or yellow – same source.
Enriching- absence of arrogance and aggression. Make a connection w/ richness, leads to absence of arrogance. (markers roll to Karen ☺)
Arrogance – false puffing up – makes us feel poor. It’s not trusting our basic richness.
How to tune in to these karmas.
Magnetizing –approach it from the west. Overcomes poverty (straight out of traditional texts.)
Destroying – enter from the north- gives some sense of principle- destruction of laziness – next time you are lazy, draw a triangle, and cut right through that laziness.
Put them all together, and you get the “whole thing”.
The point is- all this works together, and is a description of what it is to live a life. We live in a world of action. The logic of “view = heaven – practice = person practicing .
4 dignities of shambhala work with same things, just in the opposite direction.
p. 36 – students enter from different direction for different reasons. Apart from an artistic, there is a sociological principle also.
When Antonio said “now” – green triangle –karma-
Went to the restaurants yesterday- show-off peppershakers.
Tom Semmes- How to actually use the 4 Karmas to create a work of art
All fine party conversation, but you need to use it to actually create a work of art.
I am going to talk about how I experienced the 4 karmas originally, and then how I actually use them, and we will do exercise to see how they are working.
I realized when I took my first SA class, at the same time, I started taking art classes- I have been studying SA at the same time I had been studying art. I lost something at art school. Part of my interest was how CTR created art w/o ego. He made it look simple. No heavy concepts. At art school, was all aggression, who had connections, studios, etc. I couldn’t see myself being that way. There was an energy that was truncated. Part of my interest was to break through that. When I first studied the 4 karmas, I remember taking back a message for what you actually do in the studio (or anywhere else) to create a work of art.
First, negative aspects. Everyone who’s ever done or taught art, the first thing is a judgment “I’m not good enough”. It amazes me that people come to a class and say, “I can’t draw”. Well, of course not, you are learning. Our culture has a truncated view- some people have talent, some don’t. Those who don’t often go off and make a lot more money. ☺ But seriously, it’s one think to not want to learn to draw but to say you can’t is a negative judgment you made on yourself. in my process of taking these classes, come across these negativities.
Then, later, doing a piece, and then judging it and saying “that’s bad, that’s bad” – using the destruction karma- “oh it’s no good” and destroying it. I would be working on a piece, not wasn’t sure where it was going, and if it didn’t go somewhere in ½ hour, I would just destroy it.” You need to stay w/ it. Take an inspiration and not obstruct it. With destruction, or enrich it too much “I will be really careful, this is how you do it, these is not.” And another- working w/ other people – a sense of competition- “he’s no good, but she’s better than me.” How do you work with other people and criticize art. The first step from creating art to showing it – you can just show it “I am looking at this work, can I step outside the process and see it as others do?”
So, the 4 karmas. The first and last are most important. ☺ Pacifying- we all forget about it. Always start w/ first negative judgment of ourselves. The very reason we have art schools seems to be to create a pacifying place – the teacher says "take our pencil, paper, draw a figure”. You need to create that situation yourself, to learn to be your own teacher. Only so much an external teacher can tell you, you need to learn yourself. But how do you do that without peacefulness? We have talked about vajra family…
Almost all artists create little tricks that work for them, for whatever reason. For me, scrapping my palette does it. There are periods when everything I do looks bad.
The mixing colors amazes me. ☺ I sort of wish we could overlay family colors- charetuse family, pink family, karma and padma = purple.
You always need to find a way to create a pacified place- a container. I know it’s conceptual, arbitrary, but as humans we work w. these things to reach that place. Then what- you enrich it; you add things- pretty easy, put colors on a canvas. And it goes on and on like that. Enriching is the easiest of all the families to me. But at some point, you need to make up your mind- “what is this picture about?”
Here is where padma comes in – magnetizing something in- what the canvas is “about” – abstract or realistic. “How do you keep that magnetizing energy going?
The danger is that you will get to that point, and then all these other ideas will start happening – like you re afraid to go there- you get this neurotic padma aspect- and the structure goes “glu gly glyu glu”.
And then there is a point of completion, and then it sits for 2-3 days. Somehow, the picture starts to change- it starts to look stupid, or too much, wtc. “ Here’s where 4th karma comes in. Is a good destruction, and a bad kind.
Good – “where is the life in this?” – it’s more about life than killing something? And what do you want to keep here? And think maybe to keep this; you need to take this…” some are worth destroying or painting over.
And then the critic- it’s not about cutting you down, but to increase the amount of life – this dance troupe needs maybe a little work, but this one really has it!
‘ or whatever.
Participant comments:
• You reminded me of the story of George and Martha- children’s stories about hippos.
• One teacher I work with- was a bit dharmic- said "do 1000 paintings, and THEN you can criticize your own work, you are still learning.”
• for about 25 years, I was an “Artist” – competing to get into shows- then I had it – it was too soul crushing- I’ve been much happier since I have not defined myself as an artist. I dropped out of that very vicious world. I always had this anxiety underneath- pressure to make it, to sell, to become famous.
• That attitude is very western European. I can identify with it.
Is a good and bad place to paint. Often, now have been taking photos of a landscape, and then paint from hat- it’s much easier- it creates a pacifying ground.
The thought –I want to do a landscape” or “I want to set up here” – that’s a thought, but then after set up, you don’t know what you are doing- first thought as empty.
Where do the universe of the neurotic artist and this other world coexist?
Arawana- every moment of activity, I’ve done before, but I haven’t done it before now. The person I was 30 years ago doesn’t exist now. The only thing I experience is right now. Even if I have done the same 7 dances thousands of times in locations – doing anything for 50 dollars ☺, I’ve done them in many situations that are less than optimal- but that time, is the first time I’ve done this gesture for them. Maybe the more training, the lass you have to worry about the action. But every time there is anxiety, every time there is anxiety to do it right, not fall down. Is always some combination of anxiety. And, in terms of working, I hadn’t worked since 2000, when the republicans cut off all arts funding. Now that It’s back, those experiencing are always back. ☺
Unfortunately, if I am doing a piece, I am trying to do it – I know the way it is supposed to be. And while sometimes I am a raving banshee- but somehow, this –SA- working w/ groups of people – the book true perception- Luther said it’s my bible- I FEL THE same way. I DON’T know what or why it is, but that drive to create something with other people that could shift the social fabric. I am desperate to change something, to make something better. What is that? I don’t know what it is. But it is the inquiry.
Even inside this slightly neurotic, hyper-vigilant states, you both described “the first moment is the here and the now” – even if it is dancing in a basement for 2 people, there is a sense of ‘this is who I am.”
The immediate nowness of improvising – but if I haven’t pacified, I can’t enter into playing music at all. I’ve had this experience where I’d been in an orchestra, asked to do a solo, and then have an idea of it, but then go, and would be awful; you have to surrender to it. If composing, must surrender enough to be silent. Surrendering to be present to all the sense perceptions and direction. Music has taught me that. You surrender in his now, and bring all your passion and skill…but also your neurosis. To surrender more and more, so I can hold the space and accommodate my neurosis and vision simultaneously.
JB- that immediacy is what ctr called back to square one. You need to get there to be pacified. You have a vision, but don’t know how to manifest that. If you get back to square one, that first square arises, and then- plop!- then it can come out. It has helped to be present driving the past couple days.
Even inside this slightly neurotic, hyper-vigilant states, you both described “the first moment is the here and the now” – even if it is dancing in a basement for 2 people, there is a sense of ‘this is who I am.”
The immediate nowness of improvising – but if I haven’t pacified, I can’t enter into playing music at all. I’ve had this experience where I’d been in an orchestra, asked to do a solo, and then have an idea of it, but then go, and would be awful; you have to surrender to it. If composing, must surrender enough to be silent. Surrendering to be present to all the sense perceptions and direction. Music has taught me that. You surrender in his now, and bring all your passion and skill…but also your neurosis. To surrender more and more, so I can hold the space and accommodate my neurosis and vision simultaneously.
JB- that immediacy is what ctr called back to square one. You need to get there to be pacified. You have a vision, but don’t know how to manifest that. If you get back to square one, that first square arises, and then- plop!- then it can come out. It has helped to be present driving the past couple days. Exercise-
Looking at the arrangement. Before, people love to jump in and saying something.
But looking at something has it’s own process. Similar to creating, but from outside in, not inside out.
1) Pacify the situation- just looking at all of it. We have agreed there is a container (the golden rectangle). Just looking at the whole thing.
2) Enrich- bring in concepts you already have. Ex. Working w/ ratna, know ratna is yellow, is rich, etc. adding different filters. Not really choosing one, just adding filters. “This is about fullness” or “enriching gold king-like power”. Also certain elements representing space. Where is what feels like earth, heaven, human, etc. Where is the energy in this – space, form and energy is another phrase for heaven, earth and man. Just throwing out ideas.
3) Magnetize- if this was heaven, what is the earth? What is trying to nurture heaven ground it, give it the space it wants. Assigning importance – “this is the next largest element”, “does the earth element ground it?” etc.
4) Destroying- how could it be different? What is and isn’t working? We aren’t going to say, “I like this, I don’t like that, that one sucks, etc.”
So, what did the creator say?
What does assigning importance mean – determining “what is this about?” It about ratna- in enriching- bring in other concept of what it is bout.
What is being expressed by the relationship through the objects? The principles of heaven, earth man really work with seeing art.
Afternoon- will be continuing w/ it- but more 3-d- in four different spots of the room. Self-select group.
View- remember silence, and things arise from silence. More spaciousness and openness = more fun. Also, practically- more screens, ladder, etc.
Debrief of the process- what is it like to do this process- if you have any stories- there is a wide range of what the process could be like.
Looking at the arrangement. Before, people love to jump in and saying something.
But looking at something has it’s own process. Similar to creating, but from outside in, not inside out.
1) Pacify the situation- just looking at all of it. We have agreed there is a container (the golden rectangle). Just looking at the whole thing.
2) Enrich- bring in concepts you already have. Ex. Working w/ ratna, know ratna is yellow, is rich, etc. adding different filters. Not really choosing one, just adding filters. “This is about fullness” or “enriching gold king-like power”. Also certain elements representing space. Where is what feels like earth, heaven, human, etc. Where is the energy in this – space, form and energy is another phrase for heaven, earth and man. Just throwing out ideas.
3) Magnetize- if this was heaven, what is the earth? What is trying to nurture heaven ground it, give it the space it wants. Assigning importance – “this is the next largest element”, “does the earth element ground it?” etc.
4) Destroying- how could it be different? What is and isn’t working? We aren’t going to say, “I like this, I don’t like that, that one sucks, etc.”
So, what did the creator say?
What does assigning importance mean – determining “what is this about?” It about ratna- in enriching- bring in other concept of what it is bout.
What is being expressed by the relationship through the objects? The principles of heaven, earth man really work with seeing art.
Afternoon- will be continuing w/ it- but more 3-d- in four different spots of the room. Self-select group.
View- remember silence, and things arise from silence. More spaciousness and openness = more fun. Also, practically- more screens, ladder, etc.
Debrief of the process- what is it like to do this process- if you have any stories- there is a wide range of what the process could be like.
Destroying - Karma- we had different skills, and we used them indepen
d
ently,
check
ing in from time to time- we sort of came up with a plan to start, and then ran w/ it, using their own skills. What was the leadership style-?
We set the initial view- like a seed and things unfolded from here- a lot of tolerance and flexibility.
We set the initial view- like a seed and things unfolded from here- a lot of tolerance and flexibility.
Magnetizing -Padma- had a little conflict- different ideas expressed, people kept working together, people held to basic ideas while holding to other stuff. We did much better than
any one single persons vision. We tried to focus on “or who wouldn’t want whipped cream?” When we got back here, a sense of openness and play after shopping, and went for horizontal, and it got more horizontal and inviting. Horizontal leadership- really listening to one another. Worked very much together. A bit of collision at the start- “it has to be this and this and this”- weren’t allowing ideas to blend but we got back and really listened to each other.
( 1) not allowed to say ”yes, but” – only allowed to say “yes, and” – a big rule of improvisation – and 2) no bad ideas. –Idea- great design company has these wonderful rules.).
Direction leadership vs. process leadership at the beginning then started playing together. Decided “let’s go out and get what we like, and then see what happens” and it worked. Somehow it was all going to work anyway. Very improvisational. Developed organically
Enriching- Ratna-
( 1) not allowed to say ”yes, but” – only allowed to say “yes, and” – a big rule of improvisation – and 2) no bad ideas. –Idea- great design company has these wonderful rules.).
Direction leadership vs. process leadership at the beginning then started playing together. Decided “let’s go out and get what we like, and then see what happens” and it worked. Somehow it was all going to work anyway. Very improvisational. Developed organically
Enriching- Ratna-
we worked together- even the guy stocking boxes in the store was working with us. Magnetized another person ☺ concerned about budget ☺ had all these ideas – and kept coming up w/ good ideas- difficult part was paring down ideas, and certain ideas people we attached to. Had a lot of clarity of being clear.
Was a little scared that other groups had a head start. We had no vision at first, just some objects. People just took on roles. Brian almost got killed by Gesar, somehow it came together, we weren’t sure how.
Making the boundary w/ Vajra was the hardest part. We took on roles we did best. Got a little scared by list – had a shopping list of 20 things- asked the restaurant we were in to give us a carry-out order ☺ paring down shopping list.
Pacifying – Buddha -currently spifing up our center in Baltimore for the Sakyong. For those who haven’t seen ‘discovering elegance’ – CTR did the heaven element, earth- furniture, and m
Was a little scared that other groups had a head start. We had no vision at first, just some objects. People just took on roles. Brian almost got killed by Gesar, somehow it came together, we weren’t sure how.
Making the boundary w/ Vajra was the hardest part. We took on roles we did best. Got a little scared by list – had a shopping list of 20 things- asked the restaurant we were in to give us a carry-out order ☺ paring down shopping list.
Pacifying – Buddha -currently spifing up our center in Baltimore for the Sakyong. For those who haven’t seen ‘discovering elegance’ – CTR did the heaven element, earth- furniture, and m
an as the flower arrangement at the end.
Started out w/ a list of food- and stayed pretty close. “Of course ☺” – zinnia felt the other three really were in harmony- I was comfortable, and admire that
Started out w/ a list of food- and stayed pretty close. “Of course ☺” – zinnia felt the other three really were in harmony- I was comfortable, and admire that
simplicity that I don’t have ☺” I could feel how clear the other 3s vision was. ☺
Sometimes people get really strong opinions about something, and it doesn’t flow so well, and they really get upset.
Thanks tom for inviting me- logistics, and Antonio and Judy bond.
Unusual situation- some people are here that haven’t done the SA in a sequential way. But it’s fine, we want to build a community of people with a commitment to art, both in court vision- the uplift of the center and community, and a team of people to take that on, plus in general is a way of building enlightened society and contributing is art practice and sensitivity to the [phenomenal world. I just want to clarify that people do the whole program (1-5). And Mr. Sayzik had these pins made as a reminder. Pins are a big part of shambhala culture- and other Tibetan groups make fun of us. ☺ We say these are how we are going to find each other in the bardo. ☺
A pin joins heaven and earth – the pin at the heart- it reminds us of our heritage and reminds of our commitment to this path- the art path- and we have a responsibility to continue w. practice, both sitting meditation practice and practice in art =- it has resonated with us, what we can cultivate our own compassion, wisdom – you have real resources- tom, Alexander and Elaine in Philly, Judy in Baltimore.
We always offer Part 1-3 at Karma choling for a week, and 4-5 for a week. I think I’ve been in this program dozens of times and have always learned new things, and still feel like I am scratching the surface- don’t feel like this is the end of the road, but a beginning.
Just remind you of the seriousness of the commitment to practice and help out, both in the Shambhala community. And any other community you are part of.
Sometimes people get really strong opinions about something, and it doesn’t flow so well, and they really get upset.
Thanks tom for inviting me- logistics, and Antonio and Judy bond.
Unusual situation- some people are here that haven’t done the SA in a sequential way. But it’s fine, we want to build a community of people with a commitment to art, both in court vision- the uplift of the center and community, and a team of people to take that on, plus in general is a way of building enlightened society and contributing is art practice and sensitivity to the [phenomenal world. I just want to clarify that people do the whole program (1-5). And Mr. Sayzik had these pins made as a reminder. Pins are a big part of shambhala culture- and other Tibetan groups make fun of us. ☺ We say these are how we are going to find each other in the bardo. ☺
A pin joins heaven and earth – the pin at the heart- it reminds us of our heritage and reminds of our commitment to this path- the art path- and we have a responsibility to continue w. practice, both sitting meditation practice and practice in art =- it has resonated with us, what we can cultivate our own compassion, wisdom – you have real resources- tom, Alexander and Elaine in Philly, Judy in Baltimore.
We always offer Part 1-3 at Karma choling for a week, and 4-5 for a week. I think I’ve been in this program dozens of times and have always learned new things, and still feel like I am scratching the surface- don’t feel like this is the end of the road, but a beginning.
Just remind you of the seriousness of the commitment to practice and help out, both in the Shambhala community. And any other community you are part of.
