Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Shodo, or the "way of calligraphy," has been one of the most highly respected arts in Japan for centuries..." (more)
Key Phrases: japanese cultural arts, brush meditation, brush stem, Michel Random (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"H. E. Davey combines a remarkable technical facility in the Japanese art of the brush with a deep understanding of its spiritual profundities. His book offers a marvelous practical introduction to Japanese calligraphy as well as insights into the essence of the art. It is a unique and fascinating presentation of a little-known art of self-cultivation." -Dave Lowry, author of Sword and Brush -- Review

Product Description

Based on traditional Japanese shodo, "the Way of Calligraphy," Brush Meditation introduces beginners and non-artists alike to working with brush and ink as a form of "moving meditation." By showing you how the most elemental brush strokes reveal your physical and mental state, it teaches you to become "one with the brush," attuned to the underlying principles of life and nature. As the text explores the intricate relationships of mind, body, and brush, it delves into the mysteries of human life energy, or ki, and the power of the hara, a natural abdominal center. Simple exercises demonstrate how to use the brush in spiritual practice, while illustrations guide every step. In the Appendix is information about how to find more formal instruction as well as sources for brushes, ink, and paper.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880656388
• ISBN-13: 978-1880656389
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #404,049 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful for Both Japanese Calligraphy and Meditation, August 7, 1999

By A Customer

I've been interested in Japanese painting and also brush writing for quite a few years. At the same time, I've also been fascinated by the idea of art as meditation. While I've read quite a few books that vaguely discuss how Japanese calligraphy is supposed to be "moving meditation," H. E. Davey's book is the first one I've read that clearly explains exactly how this takes place and how to start to use the brush in meditation.

Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony not only deals with using Japanese calligraphy as a device with which to meditate, it does so in a manner that even people with no understanding of Japanese will be able to get something out of trying the exercises discussed. It seems to me, that you could apply the ideas in this book to most forms of art, and even in school, business, or family life, to arrive at a true understanding of calmness and personal harmony.

It's a useful book. I only wish it were longer. I hope the author comes out with a second, perhaps intermediate level, volume soon.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Splendid Glimpse into the Art of Japanese Calligraphy, June 15, 1999

By A Customer

Strike with the katana, the Japanese long sword. Arrange a blossom in that brief interval after it's been cut, before it withers. Whisk a bowl of tea into a perfect froth. Seemingly disparate activities, yet each demands a similar sense of irrevocable action; absolute commitment; total coordination of mind and body. Once begun, none can be retracted. The consequences of each are obvious: a blunder is, if anything, more manifest than a flawless execution. In perhaps no other Japanese form of creative impulse is this concept of ichi-go, ichi-e--"one encounter, one chance"--more dramatic or obvious than when the calligrapher first touches an ink-wet brush to the dry expanse of white paper before him. Shodo, the Way of the Brush, exemplifies the spirit of Japanese art. In its potential for artistic expression contained within the rigid demands of form lies the challenge and the infinite reward of all the classical Ways of Japan.

From the budo (martial arts) to kado (or ikebana) to chado, the discipline of the tea ceremony, the range of these traditional Japanese Ways introduced to the West in the past half century has been extensive. Shodo, for the most part, remains an exception. The elegant art of the Japanese brush has, in large degree, been overlooked by Westerners in pursuit of the various Ways. Instruction outside Japan is limited. There are a few books on the subject; nearly all focussed on technical aspects of the art or else scholarly in direction, devoted to tracing the development of brush writing from its origins in China to its importation and evolution in Japan.

In pleasant contrast, H.E. Davey's new book, Brush Meditations: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony takes a unique approach in introducing shodo to the general public outside Japan. Quoting calligrapher Kobara Ranseki, who notes that "Every time I teach, I explain that art is balance," the author adopts a similar strategy in presenting shodo: a balanced one. The philosophical underpinnings of the craft are juxtaposed with practical advice on how to sit when practicing calligraphy, how to grasp the brush, what to look for in the shape and proper structure of the written character. Chapters are nicely balanced, with a history of ecriture in China and Japan, followed by an exploration of the mind-body connections pursued by the student of calligraphy. Then comes a chapter on the correct attitudes and habits of the calligrapher, and finally one featuring instructions for calligraphic compositions and projects. The result is a well-organized, comprehensive introduction to the Way of the brush, with a number of points to recommend it.

As one reads through the book, another, incidentally, from Stone Bridge Press which is rapidly gaining a reputation as a quality purveyor of books about Japan, some observations occur. Included in the closing chapter are directions for brushing an enso, for example, the smooth circle of ink that is a provenance and signature of the Zen adept. Despite the do-it-yourself enso, Zen's overall contributions to shodo are given a mercifully short shrift here. The over-emphasis on this sect of exoteric Buddhism in Western literature on all the Japanese Do has far eclipsed other equally important influences on them. On the other hand, a great deal is made in this book of the operation and importance of ki energies during shodo. This may irritate some readers impatient with the over-mystification of ki which has become practically a cottage industry among too many non-Japanese authors bent on draping Japan's artistic forms in impenetrable mysticism. In the author's defense, it must be noted that he is a no-nonsense pragmatist when it comes to ki. He is using the concept primarily as a way of explaining the control of energy, the conscious expression of spirit, the flow of intent from the mind of the calligrapher to the brush in his hand to the flowering of the character on paper.

Davey struggles a bit when he explains the actual mechanics of making the three basic strokes of brush calligraphy. That is understandable. The simplest basic of any Do is impossible to describe through words alone. These are techniques which, common to all the Ways, simply cannot be adequately explained in print, nor mastered unless one is directly under the tutelage of a teacher. This book introduces the skills and makes no claims to do more in that regard. As much as any "how-to" text, instructions for controlling the line and shape of written characters are clear, detailed, and sufficient to compel the reader to take out ink, brush, and paper, and to "give it a try." The book's usefulness and value, in addition to providing the technical basics of calligraphy, however, lies in the broader scope of rendering for the reader the process of undertaking shodo, or any of the Japanese artistic disciplines.

Brush Meditation addresses a number of concepts that should occupy the calligrapher as well as anyone with an interest in these Ways. His discussion of the spiritual component that elevates craft into art is informed and inspiring. He describes wonderfully the conflict between a natural spontaneity--which is the goal of anyone following a Do--and the vital adherence to a set form--which is vital to achieving that goal.

"If your mind is correct, the brush will be correct," the author reminds. The adage is equally valid contrapuntally. Beautiful calligraphy emanates from a correctly tuned mind. This is clearly Davey's motivation and intent for following in the path of the brush. His view of shodo is as a means of personal transformation and self-cultivation; his book is directed at sharing this perspective. Brush Meditation offers a splendid glimpse into the discipline of Japanese calligraphy as more than a purely artistic or communicative medium. It is an enjoyable read, one that educates as it stimulates the imagination, and is sure to be a welcome, quickly ink-stained addition to the library of those with a serious interest in the Ways of traditional Japan.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shodo as it should be., January 15, 2002

By	Brett Denison (Aurora, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

I recently finished reading the book, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind and Body Harmony, by H. E. Davey. The book is excellent. I am novice (hardly even that, actually) when it comes to Shodo (having only recently begun studying Shodo), but your book provides a very smooth introduction, and does a great job of getting across the relationship between it and the other Japanese cultural arts (chado [tea ceremony], budo [martial Ways], kado [flower arrangement], etc).

It is written in a very positive way and contains many beautiful pieces of artwork. I very much enjoyed the "four experiments toward a positive mind," these are great examples of introspection. Though I am far from an expert in budo, I have spent many years training and researching this topic, yet several of the explanations, provided for terms such as fudoshin, hara, and ki shed new light on these concepts, beyond just their relationship to Shodo.

Chapters three and four provide a very gentle introduction to the physical techniques while also providing an overview of the relationship between good posture and the proper state of mind. The importance of the coordination of mind, body, and spirit is presented in a way that should be easy for someone that is new to the Japanese cultural arts to grasp and understand.

I am again impressed with Davey sensei's ability to communicate a complex subject in an interesting and informative way that maintains the readers interest, while still capturing the subtleties of the topic.

From a beginner's perspective, this is an excellent reference, and I highly recommend it.