I was invited to join a women's retreat this last weekend and teach Kumomi, the art of meditative doodling. Not only was the retreat wonderful (it was at a Zen center in the mountains, after all), but the evening of Kumomi was one of my favorite activities. Even though I'm on the spot, so to speak, when teaching this, there is so much spontaneity that it's unpredictably amazing every time. It's such a thrill to overhear the conversations that are sparked by people getting into their doodling and mark making (centers of energy! bringing animals or creatures out of the chaos! finding meaning in the randomness!). I sincerely hope the few hours we spent painting and drawing encourage everyone in the group to continue.
Of course, the rest of the weekend was fantastic, too. It felt like we were just hours from full springtime, so the leafs had not yet covered the trees, but there were buds on the branches, a few flowers, a few trees in bloom... The sunlight was invigorating! Sitting in the hot springs and watching the stars didn't hurt, either.
In the morning, the sun revealed the cliffs of the river valley slowly but brightly.
The blue sky was so deep. On a meander through the grounds, many contemplative Buddhas were discovered.
I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this remarkable group of women!
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