Sacred Calligraphy of the East
Sacred Calligraphy of the East

Author: John Stevens

Publisher:

Published: 2013-02

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 9781626549944

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Throughout the East, writing is held to be a gift from the gods, and the divinely inspired letters and characters are objects of the highest veneration. The religious significance of calligraphy has thus led to a unique development of the art of brush and ink in Japan, China, India, and Tibet. This beautifully illustrated book covers such topics as the history and spirit of Eastern calligraphy, the art of copying religious texts, the biographies of important Zen calligraphers, and practical instructions on materials and techniques for the contemporary student. No knowledge of the languages discussed is required for the reader to appreciate the study of this ancient practice. John Stevens lived in Japan for thirty-five years, where he was a professor of Buddhist studies at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. Stevens is a widely respected translator, an ordained Buddhist priest, a curator of several major exhibitions of Zen art, and an aikido instructor. He has authored over thirty books and is one of the foremost Western experts on Aikido, holding a ranking of 7th dan Aikikai. Stevens has also studied calligraphy for decades, authoring this classic Sacred Calligraphy of the East. Other John Stevens titles that are likely to be of interest include The Philosophy of Aikido, Extraordinary Zen Masters, and The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei. Readers interested in related titles from John Stevens will also want to see: Abundant Peace (ISBN: 9781626543232), Aikido: The Way of Harmony (ISBN: 9781626543270), Secrets of Aikido (ISBN: 9781626543256), The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (ISBN: 9781626549951), The Philosophy of Aikido (ISBN: 9781626549937), Extraordinary Zen Masters (ISBN: 9781626549920).

Shodo
Shodo

Author: Shozo Sato

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

Published: 2014-03-11

Total Pages: 185

ISBN-13: 1462911889

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In this beautiful and extraordinary zen calligraphy book, Shozo Sato, an internationally recognized master of traditional Zen arts, teaches the art of Japanese calligraphy through the power and wisdom of Zen poetry. Single-line Zen Buddhist koan aphorisms, or zengo, are one of the most common subjects for the traditional Japanese brush calligraphy known as shodo. Regarded as one of the key disciplines in fostering the focused, meditative state of mind so essential to Zen, shodo calligraphy is practiced regularly by all students of Zen Buddhism in Japan. After providing a brief history of Japanese calligraphy and its close relationship with the teachings of Zen Buddhism, Sato explains the basic supplies and fundamental brushstroke skills that you'll need. He goes on to present thirty zengo, each featuring: An example by a skilled Zen monk or master calligrapher An explanation of the individual characters and the Zen koan as a whole Step-by-step instructions on how to paint the phrase in a number of styles (Kaisho, Gyosho, Sosho) A stunning volume on the intersection of Japanese aesthetics and Zen Buddhist thought, Shodo: The Quiet Art of Japanese Zen Calligraphy guides beginning and advanced students alike to a deeper understanding of the unique brush painting art form of shodo calligraphy. Shodo calligraphy topics include: The Art of Kanji The Four Treasures of Shodo Ideogram Zengo Students of Shodo

Sacred Script
Sacred Script

Author: Nassar Mansour

Publisher: I.B. Tauris

Published: 2011-12-15

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781848854390

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Arabic calligraphy is at once an expression of piety, aesthetic sensibility and artistic discipline. 'Muhaqqaq' was an early term which captured care, clarity and meticulousness in calligraphy. It was associated with the making of manuscripts of the Qur'an - a sacred task and one which helped to give the new Islamic order both identity and coherence. 'Muhaqqaq' energed in the eleventh century as the name for one of six classical scripts. This is the first book devoted entirely to 'muhaqqaq' tradition. Nassar Mansour, himself a highly respected calligrapher, here traces the development of 'muhaqqaq'. His book also presents examples of his own work in muhaqqaq whish demonstrate the enduring value of this script for today. This is an invaluable and beautifully executed reference work on Islamic calligraphy, which will attract art historians and practitioners alike.

Secrets of Aikido
Secrets of Aikido

Author: John Stevens

Publisher:

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781570622359

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Aikido harmonizes the body and spirit with natural forces and universal laws, this work explores the hidden secrets and spiritual aspects of Aikido. It also covers the Tantric dimension of Aikido, the Aikido science of sound, and the six spiritual pillars of Aikido.

Zen Brushwork
Zen Brushwork

Author: Katsujō Terayama

Publisher: Kodansha

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 9784770029447

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

With its bold strokes and mystic aura, Zen calligraphy has intrigued many Westerners, but has remained a little-understood art form. Master calligrapher and swordmaster Tanchu Terayama offers detailed lessons in Japanese brush techniques, as well as an appreciation of calligraphy's subtle elements. With its bold strokes and mystic aura, Zen calligraphy has intrigued many Westerners since the 19060s, but has remained a little-understood art form. Here, master calligrapher and swordmaster Tanchu Terayama offers detailed lessons in Japanese

Zen Masters
Zen Masters

Author: John Stevens

Publisher: Kodansha Amer Incorporated

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 9784770023858

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Recounts the life stories of three of the greatest Zen masters in history--Ikkyu, Hakuin, and Ryokan

Zen Sourcebook
Zen Sourcebook

Author: Stephen Addiss

Publisher: Hackett Publishing

Published: 2008-01-01

Total Pages: 309

ISBN-13: 0872209091

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Introduction by Paula Arai. This is the first collection to offer selections from the foundational texts of the Chinese, Korean, and Japanese Zen traditions in a single volume. Through representative selections from their poetry, letters, sermons, and visual arts, the most important Zen Masters provide students with an engaging, cohesive introduction to the first 1200 years of this rich -- and often misunderstood -- tradition. A general introduction and notes provide historical, biographical, and cultural context; a note on translation, and a glossary of terms are also included.

Foundations of Reiki Ryoho
Foundations of Reiki Ryoho

Author: Nicholas Pearson

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2018-04-03

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 162055674X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A comprehensive guide to the first and second degrees of Usui Reiki Ryoho as well as Reiki’s history and Western evolution • Details hand positions, self-healing exercises, spiritual development meditations, and the Japanese Reiki techniques introduced in the first degree, shoden, and the second degree, okuden • Provides a thorough introduction to the five levels of byosen, the energetic mechanism used to scan an individual’s energy field and locate areas of disharmony • Examines the core teachings of Reiki founder Usui Mikao and offers a new comprehensive exploration of Reiki’s history and evolution • Explores tools and techniques adapted by Western lineages, such as working with crystals and the chakras Bridging Eastern and Western lineages to reclaim Reiki’s roots as both a healing art and a spiritual practice, Nicholas Pearson offers a new comprehensive exploration of Reiki’s history and evolution, the foundations of Usui Reiki Ryoho theory and practice, and the original techniques and modern tools of both the first degree, shoden, and second degree, okuden. He explores the etymology of key Reiki terminology and presents a complete discussion of the origins of the symbols used in the second degree, providing new historical, cultural, and spiritual context. He examines the core teachings of Reiki founder Usui Mikao, who taught that Reiki Ryoho enacted healing at the soul level, as well as insights from other important Reiki masters such as Hawayo Takata. Explaining what Reiki is and how it heals, the author outlines the six core characteristics that all varieties of Reiki share, including initiations and the Five Precepts. He details effective hand positions, self-healing exercises, spiritual development meditations, and the Japanese Reiki techniques introduced in first degree and second degree practice. He also explores a number of other techniques that have been adapted by Western lineages, such as aura sweeping, chakra tune-ups, and charging and programming crystals with Reiki. He provides a thorough introduction to the five levels of byosen, the energetic mechanism used to scan an individual’s energy field and locate areas of disharmony, allowing you to increase your ability to sense centers of toxic imbalance as well as begin dislodging them, thereby increasing the effectiveness of Reiki treatment. Offering Reiki tools to transform your life from the inside out, Pearson shows how Reiki Ryoho is a healing system that focuses on the inner and spiritual aspects of your being first, allowing you to polish the heart so it reflects the shining light of the soul.