Gyo Practice
by Janice
Something happened when I was five that first year of vacation out in nature on the Rideau. Even at that young age I knew I had fallen deeply in love with something, a much larger presence, the Universe or God, something which existed that I could feel and trust, but that I couldn't grasp or hold on to. I cried as we were leaving, and to distract me, my Dad said we would be back the next year, and he had me get out of the vehicle to open and close the gate at the end of the driveway. It was important to keep the gate closed when you came and went between the Rideau and regular life in order to keep the farm animals out that were in the field beyond the fence. 50+ years later, I find it is interesting to look back and see how the Universe works. This may be the very first Amaterasu art piece...
The seed once planted by the Universe back then, similar to a bird randomly dropping a seed in a garden as it flew over, took years to grow on its own. But it did grow. I was brought up Catholic, and I spent decades of time on the Rideau, drifting, flowing, playing and dreaming on the water. Over time, that practice led to a natural Zen practice, followed by starting Aikido at a time when I needed it and studying a bit of Japanese Zen on my own. Eventually, I came across an old to the world, but new to me art form.
In Zen art, after many years of training, a master's real message passes from the Universe through the brush and ink to the paper, and it is waiting there to be read by the right viewer(s) who passes by at another time where the process is reversed from the paper and ink through the Universe to the viewer. Over the years, there were several pieces of Zen art which came alive in such a manner that helped to shape my training and outlook. The message is deeper than what is on the surface of the ink and paper, although that helps with translating the overall message. Sometimes, Zen art even contains puzzles. Once seen, the message continues to unfold over a period of time, and often times it takes years to truly understand the breadth and depth of a good piece of Zen art as it continues to come alive. For me I see such pieces with my heart first before my brain. I can react to a piece knowing it with my whole being before I have time to comprehend it. Over time understanding deepens with both one's heart and mind. One's practice can be like that as well.
Practice is where everything happens. Everyday practice with the right intent makes a difference in the energy in one's own life and then also the world around one.
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Gyo
The character for Practice.
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The Pure Flowing Clear Light of the Universe (God) is our Light.
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Ten no Hikari Ji
Text, calligraphy, photographs and art Copyright © 2025 Rideau Lakes Zen.
All rights reserved.
Amaterasu Art is one of the practices of Rideau Lakes Ten no Hikari Zen.
A Family, Friends and Monastic-Oriented Practice.
A flowing Zen perspective.
