Author: Tiago Oliveira

“Make space in your life to recognise the richness of your basic nature, to see the purity of your being and let its innate qualities of love, compassion and wisdom naturally emerge.” Mingyur Rinpoche

The Zendo reopens on Tuesday 7^th January and we look forward to sharing practice with you in 2020. Regular practice enables one to integrate and maintain practice in everyday life.

We continue to have weekly meditation sessions on Tuesday evenings from 7.30-9 pm and the Study group remains on the last Tuesday of each month.

Upcoming days of Practice ( Zazenkais ) and retreats in 2020:

9^th February and  18^th October– from 10-5pm. On these days we sit periods of silent meditation with walking meditation in between. Private Interview is available with Tania. At times there is a short talk /guided meditation and discussion where we explore the practice of Zen. We also have a practice of a Talking circle.

January 23 – 26 in Paris, France (Thursday 6.30pm – Sunday 3pm) Retreat led by João Rodrigues Sensei, Scott William and Tania Gent (without Genno Roshi) – if you have been considering attending a weekend retreat then this is a good opportunity to come! Please register in advance –
Telephone: +33 (0) 1 49 88 91 65  Email: info@danasangha.fr

April 18 – 25 in Doncaster, England (Saturday 6.30pm – Saturday 3pm), This week sesshin in the UK is led by Genno Roshi and is for Scott Williams’s Transmission. Please register in advance –
Telephone: +33 (0) 1 49 88 91 65  Email: info@danasangha.fr

In 2019 we received generous donations from you all for both Spear and Foodbank charities. In 2020 we would like to continue to support a charitable organisation.  Is there a charity that is close to your heart that you would like to nominate?

Email us: zenmeditationrichmond.org

A workshop in contemplative art appreciation with Frank De Waele Roshi

‘See with your eyes, hear with your ears. Nothing is hidden.’

Tenkei Denson

‘Ni intelligence, ni conscience, rien que regarder et sentir.’

Marcel Duchamp

Looking at art is a spiritual practice.
The age-old and intimate engagement of Zen Buddhism with the arts invites us specifically to envision ‘contemplating art’ as a Zen practice par excellence.

Just like Zen, art appreciation engenders an awareness in which the hard separation between subject and object softens. We outgrow a dualistic “illustration reading”.

True seeing implies an opening up to ‘groundlessness’. As a meditation, we are empowered to disidentify with preconceived ideas, habitual judgments or inherited standards.

In contemplating art we also trust our innate ability to resonate with truthfulness.  We refrain for instance from hiding behind art historical knowledge or behind a supposed lack thereof.

As in Zen spirituality, seeing art calls us to reappraise language as a tool to
own and integrate our inner experience.

Ultimately, art contemplation opens us up to a total body-mind experience. As we engage with all our senses and physicality, we remember our embodied relation to lived space. As in Zen.

In this inspirational workshop, we explore together the differences between looking, observing and seeing. Through instructions and exercises, we will train a new, non-dual way of perceiving and learn to apply it.

In the end, we will just see great art and have fun!

The day has two parts. In the morning we will meditate in the zendo, receive instructions and practice visual exercises. After lunch, we go to the Tate Modern for an interactive visit (of a part of the collection). There, we first apply individually the ‘devotional seeing’ we’ve learned. Then a group process in the museum is facilitated in which we share together.

 

Frank De Waele Roshi will be leading and facilitating the ‘Seeing Through Zen’ workshop. He is a Zen teacher in the White Plum Zen line of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi and is a dharma successor of Genno Roshi and Bernie Glassman. He lives in Belgium and works full time as the of his community, the Zen Sangha.

Drawing on his experience as an artist and art guide, Frank Roshi will offer clear and precise instructions in looking at art and share his meditative and art historical expertise.

PROGRAM

Saturday, November 24th

7 – 9pm                    zazen & dharma offering

Sunday, November 25th

9am                          zazen

10.10am                   break

10.30am                   zazen

10.50am                   teisho & practices on seeing

12.15am                   lunch

1pm                           travel to Tate Modern

2pm                            individual visit

2.50pm                      group visit

4.30pm                      closing of the day

 

The schedule is subject to change. The cost for the day is £25 and for the evening we ask for donations.

The Zendo is a moments’ walk from Richmond train station. Please contact Carole Tonkinson carolewillistonkinson@gmail.com or Tania Turner taniagent@hotmail.com for registration. We will ask for payment at registration as places are limited.