Many are considered to be pieces of sacred, fine art. Zen Circles have an unmistakable presence which is why they have been collected for centuries. Some circles are bold and dynamic, others have a Wabi-Sabi quality, and others are ethereal, subtle, and delicate as if conveying the essence of light-filled rainbows. Sessions of drawing in this way produce a surprising range of unique and distinctive Enso Circle art. In my interview with the Drawing Your Own Path podcast, I discuss many aspects of my art practice. As my brush traces each open circle, awareness is as much a component of the art as paper and ink. This process is like a form of moving meditation. I create Enso art in practice sessions where I draw one mindful circle after another in a single sitting. In working with them, the journey, the practice, has been the reward. I have taken those teachings and worked with them diligently, for years. My experience feels like this, searching for, receiving, and applying guidance from the teachers I have encountered. The teacher shares information and then the student works with it, often for years, to gain some level of insight and attainment. In a way I feel that my journey has been akin to a classic seeker’s trek, traveling great distances through jungles filled with tigers and snakes, to meet a genuine spiritual teacher. Each seal is intimately connected with my excursion in working with the brush arts. I often sign my art with personal seals or chops. Multicolored ensos are created by dipping a single brush into different colors. Typically an enso circle is drawn in one circular brush stroke although freeform ensos may break this rule. For me, drawing them is a way to meditate with ink and paper. Lately, my practice has moved into a new phase that I am just beginning to explore. The Enso Circle represents many things including awakening, nothing (Mu), everything, and the infinite. The first time that I drew a circle with an East Asian calligraphy brush, I was immediately captivated by the ink that flows through the veins of this three-thousand-year-old art form.
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