Thought Sketches 03/27/2015: Seeking Zen

"Zen" is often associated with Buddhism, a popular religion is some parts of the world.  The central practice in this religion is about seeking a state of mind through meditation.  When this state of mind is achieved, your sense of self disappears, and you essentially achieve "empty mind".  If your mind is empty, your intuition and insight can communicate directly with you... without all the usual noise it must contend with such as worries about managing your many obligations.  Creative ideas flow like a great river.

Now, you don't need religious practice to experience this state of mind... in fact we all have at one time or another.  There are times when your mind is in a state of utter confusion... in those moments, you are getting a glance at what Zen in all about.  Some poems and artwork can actually trigger a Zen response by presenting conflicting ideas in a synergistic fashion, taking you by surprise, or by presenting a scene with powerful emotional impact.  Its as if you were striding along thoughtfully, and then suddenly you realize you walked off a cliff... and for some reason you are not falling.  In that moment you have Zen as you struggle to make sense of things.  If you work at it, you can lengthen your time in the "Zen zone" by letting go and just experiencing the imagery the art inspires.  I find that doing this leaves me in an exceedingly good mood.

Today I wanted to highlight a few artists that seem to be quite good at putting the viewer in a Zen-like state.  Take your time, you may find yourself inspired to create something.

Comments on the artwork should be directed to the original artists 

What is a "Thought Sketch"?
It is simply a short concise poem that conveys a single mood or idea.  It is usually inspired by artwork, and can be either taken as stand alone work or in tangent with the artwork it complements.  It can also be a starting point for more complex ideas.


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