Empty Hand Zen Center

By Fran Shalom

The fun started after lunch when we began setting up for Dairyu Michael Wenger’s “free-stroke” ink brush workshop. Michael has been brush painting for many years and refers to his work as “inklings.” We were all excited to take part. Everyone became busy, clearing the zendo of zabutons and zafus, replacing them with tables and chairs. The tables then were covered with newspaper and each person received the necessary tools: Chinese ink brushes, thick and thin; plastic dishes that held black ink; two water bowls, one for mixing and one for cleaning brushes. Stones of varying sizes were passed around to use as paperweights. The preparation was filled with anticipation and a little trepidation.

Michael came in and handed out paper and then gave instructions: make a free stroke on the paper, without thought or calculation. He gave a demonstration, making it look effortless. We were encouraged to be bold and loose.

The room suddenly became very quiet. People stood by their paper, intent, concentrated, brushes poised above papers as we waited for inspiration to create the first “free stroke”. But, as soon as brush hit paper, the tension dissipated, and was replaced with whimsical playfulness and childlike exuberance.

Shunryu Suzuki wrote in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: “When you do something, if you fix your mind on the activity with some confidence, the quality of your state of mind is the activity itself. When you are concentrated on the quality of your being, you are prepared for the activity”.

Everyone was involved in a creative practice and thoroughly enjoying themselves. It felt like a room of seven year olds set free with finger paints, encouraged to let their imaginations run wild. The energy was palpable. When we finished the first paintings, we had a show and tell. Michael went around the room and had us describe the image and give it a title. The titles ran the gamut, from “Downward-facing Guitarist” and “Donkey Moon” to “Flower” and “Mistake”. Some of the paintings were hard to decipher, but all were delightful.

After a tea break, Michael had us work with partners. One person made a brushstroke then the other until both agreed that the piece was finished and properly titled. The workshop ended with a look at the best of our “inklings” which were hung on the shoji screen in the zendo. At the end of the workshop, we each had a pile of our very own “masterpieces” to take home.

Our Thanks to Dairyu Michael Wenger who gave us the gift of an afternoon of creative play, a continuation of our morning practice and a wonderful end to the weekend. It made going out into the evening rain, driving home, just a little bit easier…

Dogen put it succinctly: Those who see worldly life as an obstacle to Dharma see no Dharma in everyday actions. They have not yet discovered that there are no everyday actions outside of Dharma.