Essential Elements

Summer 2010 marks a period of transition and awakening.  In sifting through tai chi, chi energy, and the previous essential's post I have finally arrived at the core.  The foundation of my practice... the spiritual center that unlocks the many gates along the path to awakening to my true nature and creative practice.  Zen philosophy has always resonated with me, and I can remember spending many, many hours at the James Madison University library, as an undergraduate drawn over and over to the zen books, while studying psychology, art, and martial arts.  But the conceptual philosophies I came across in books never penetrated very far under the surface, and only tangentially resonated in the activities of my life, and certainly did not form the core practice of my search for a sustained creative practice.  The resonant search was always there, but never fully awakened and integrated.

I have recently arrived home.  It was always here...and its nothing special.  But it means everything.  It is the core of my creative practice and everything manifest will flow from it.   I was in the right direction when examining Tai Chi...but this only uncovered the true core essential element of breathing and flow, pointing to a spiritual core.  Examining Tai Chi, i found it to be another creative art manifesting a spiritual core.....which led me to the realization that what was missing was my mindful awareness of my spiritual core, which I have found , coming full circle,  through the gate of zen practice.  Not zen philosophy which is of little consequence, though instructive and necessary for learning.  But zen practice.  Experience and practice in Being and Seeing.  This is my gateway to the sustainable, meaningful creative practice.

My current spiritual community home is the Austin Zen Center.  Attending regular zazen sesshins, services, and participation events sharpens the single point of mindfulness and is the first spiritual community (other than a martial arts dojo, or my studio) that I have felt at home, at peace, and that I was fully alive and in the moment.

Since my last post I have also decided not to pursue the typical commercial or art community activities in the vain effort to "market" my practice.  Commercial or community art connections will form organically from my zen creative practice and from no other direction.  As such I respectfully bowed out of the Casa de Luz and Jones Center ArtHouse projects.... not that they would not have been meaningful community connections, but that they happened to coincide with a transitional period that required realignment of intention and purpose.  All that follows from this point forward will be a stream of mindful practice along my chosen path.  :)))