Laatste workshop Contemplatieve Fotografie, dag 1

Afgelopen weekend ben ik naar het laatste onderdeel geweest van het Miksang Contemplatieve fotografie curriculum: Miksang 5 Oneindig Ontvouwen. het hele weekend stond in het thema van gelaagdheden en complexiteit; over geen verwachtingen hebben, maar wel het vertrouwen dat het zich ontvouwt, wat het dan ook maar is. We hebben ons verdiept in de complexiteit van de wereld, die gelaagd, rijk en gevarieerd is.

Last weekend I went to the last part in the Miksang contemplative photography curriculum: Miksang 5 Infinite Unfolding. The theme for the whole weekend was stratification and complexity; about not having expectations, but having the confidence that it will unfold itself, whatever it is. We deepened our skill of seeing the complexity of the world which is layered, rich and varied.

Gelaagdheden en complexiteit zijn te vinden in reflecties, gelaagheden van bijvoorbeeld gebouwen, momenten met mensen, ruimtelijkheid met mensen of momenten en het ruimte aspect met gelaagdheid.

Stratification and complexity can be found in reflections, stratification of i.e. buildings, moments with people, space awareness with people or moments and the aspect of space with stratification.

We hebben aspecten onderzocht die we nog niet eerder hebben onderzocht en dat konden we alleen doen door geen verwachtingen te hebben. Daar is vertrouwen voor nodig en stabiliteit. Je vertrouwt zonder verwachtingen, dat het zich ontvouwt, er zijn immers oneindige waarnemingen. Als je innerlijke ruimte hebt, kun je alles zien. Als je van binnen stabiel bent, blijf je rustig in een drukke omgeving en ga je niet mee in de verhalen om je heen. Sinds het een rustige en grijze dag was, was dit redelijk makkelijk te doen.

We studied aspects which we have not studied before and we can only do that by not having expectations. We need trust and stability for that. Without expectations we have confidence that it will unfold itself, because there are endless perceptions. If you have inner space, you can see everything. Of you are stable inside, you can remain calm in a busy environment and you don't get involved in the stories around you. Since it was a calm and overcast day, this was relatively easy to do.

In deze blogpost laat ik enkele voorbeelden zien van de eerste dag.

This blogpost shows some examples of the first day.

An afternoon at the beach in photos

My friend N. approached me last week if I was interested in coming over to Zandvoort for a bit of practicing Miksang photography on the beach. The weather was looking promising, in contrast to last time I was there, and I hadn't seen her in a while so I accepted her invitation.

N. invited a third friend and together we had a very pleasurable afternoon, walking and talking and taking snapshots here and there. There was really not much contemplativeness going on.

The day started out sunny and bright, later on the clouds and chilliness came in but halfway through the afternoon the sun was back. 

Friends and families were on the beach, hanging out, fishing, walking, running, swimming, playing or picnicking.

We also saw a couple of horse and carriages, we don't get to see that frequently so that was a surprise and a joy for sore eyes. 

We were anxious to see if the fishermen got any shrimp but we were not able to take a peek in their nets. I wonder if there are any shrimp left with all the big boats fishing the seas empty.

man walking on the beach

 Scroll down for some more pictures.

man with dog on the beach

tracks on the beach 

two seagulls: mother and young

woman tending dog in the sea

blue sunglasses

We had a very relaxing and enjoyable afternoon with lots of laughter, catching-up, sun and fresh air. In short: lots of abundance.

Following your highest excitement

Last weekend I participated in another contemplative photography weekend in Zandvoort. Actually that is not correct, it was not about contemplative photography, but it was given by the same teacher and the substance of the workshop was on a higher level: about abundance and finding our highest excitement, the Path of Creation.

The universe expresses everything in abundance, so we are also an expression of abundance: growth, curiosity, happiness. But we humans tend to think in shortcomings, failures and defects and we have a limited perception on abundance in general (money, possessions), actually abundance includes everything: nature, feeling good, moments. Our senses are the gate to experiencing this happiness. 

Everything that we give attention to tends to grow, look at our worries. If I lay awake at night because I worry over something (I do that a lot), the thing that I might be afraid of happening, will actually happen because I give it so much energy. That is one of the reasons why affirmations and goals always are drawn up in a positive way.

During the weekend we practiced changing our thoughts from shortcomings to abundance in various sessions by visualizing what we desired in our lives. The weekend was about how to manifest our desired reality. How do we do that? By choosing at any given moment our highest excitement, it is as simple as that.

Choosing our highest excitement in small and big decisions, to the best of our ability, taking action on that excitement as far as it feels right and without expectations of the outcome.

It is what children and animals, especially cats, do: they live in the moment and they do whatever they feel like best at that moment without pondering whether it is good for them or not, they go unconditionally for their highest excitement.

During the afternoons we practiced following our highest excitement in town and on the beach: we were not given an specific intention for photography, we simply walked around with our cameras, walked where we felt like going and experienced abundance everywhere: rain, sunshine, sand, people, friendship, space but also the abundance of food and drinks.

And that felt good. By the photographs you can see that I was stopped by a variety of perceptions.

I also choose to practice following my highest excitement at work this past week: I was asked to temporary fulfill a higher position and after a night's sleep I accepted without worrying about what will happen to me afterwards (I will get my current job back, but will I still like that?).

I also felt that NOT following my highest excitement at work, read: taking time to talk to colleagues, and to continually rush to the next job was making me unhappy and draining me. My senses let me know that that is not the right way to do my daily chores.

So I experienced with that too this week. My fellow secretary was taken ill and a lot of work was coming in hourly, I was swamped. The first day I was trying to keep up with my email and I went home exhausted. The next days I took mini-breaks: chatted to friendly colleagues for as long as that felt good. I still had a lot of work done, but I felt less drained at the end of the day.

Wedding on the beach

Right now I am in the middle of a photography weekend in Zandvoort, the Netherlands. It started last night and to take as much advantage of the day as possible I took off to Zandvoort in the early afternoon thinking going to the beach for a brisk walk with K. later on. The weather was already a bit turbulent.

Transportation was not very smooth: the tram was stuck because of a broken cable and my connecting train just rode off when I entered the platform. A little agitated I settled in my hotel room and waited for K. to arrive. Meanwhile I heard the wind picking up and showers of rain were pouring down.

We decided to go for a walk with our cameras anyway although the wind almost knocked us off our socks. I had not been to the beach in this kind of weather in ages so I was kind of excited.

Just between showers we saw this bridal couple emerge, she was without a jacket an with a flying skirt, he was charming with his candid smile.

And I was thinking two things: I have never been married before and if I ever do I probably will not wear a white wedding dress.
The second thought was: would I like to photograph a wedding? I saw two photographers circling around the couple urging them to pose this way or that way and they obliged. I photographed my brother's wedding about 13 years ago, I liked doing it because they were family. Photographing total strangers on their big day is an entirely different matter. So, I don't know the answer yet. I don't feel the urge, so for the time being I'll just leave it.

Amazing skies

amazing sky with wind mills on horizon

Last Sunday I went for a walk on the beach with my ex boyfriend. Maybe not one of my great ideas emotionally wise, but visually wise it was a fantastic idea. I mean, these skies were just awesome!

amazing sky

Lots of turmoil in the sky, lots of turmoil within myself. Trying to befriend my ex after a painful break-up is not an easy thing to do even after almost a year. Looking into this unlimited space though gave me space within, it gave room for feeling these emotions, venting them and feeling lighter afterwards. I am sure you have experienced this too at one occasion or another.

cloudy sky and kite flyer

And then there were these guys flying in the sky, riding on the wind that rolled over the dunes. They represented the ultimate experience of freedom.

sea gulls and an amazing sky

sand dunes, amazing sky and two kite flyers

Who knows, I might try it out one day.

Day III Space Awareness: people in space

Last Sunday was the third and last day of this wonderful workshop. We went one step further and we could include people and animals as phenomena in space.

Funny enough, that felt easier to do on Saturday when we were not supposed to do so yet. Sometimes when I felt myself too eager to take shots with people in it I went back to the intention of space without people or animals in it.

boy walking through water 

Our teacher Hèlen explained to us again the Heaven - Earth - Man principle. We probably would not practice it while walking around with our cameras, but we could use it while looking back at our photos.

For example in the photo above: the Heaven-principle (base) is the beach, the Earth-principle (second dominant aspect) is formed by the tyre-tracks and the Man-principle (the aspect which brings Heaven and Earth together) is the woman on the beach.

We could add the aspect of people and animals on this third day, because we were grounded in space. We could explore them as form.

man waiting for a bus

Hèlen asked us what we would be bringing home with us and what our expectations were before we came over. My expectations were low except that I expected to learn something new and I was eager to know about it and to practice with it.

woman and dumpsters on the beach

What I experienced through the workshop was: freedom, happiness, relaxation and openness. It was a fun group and our teacher seemed to have enjoyed it and learned from it, too. What I will bring home with me is a feeling of endless possibilities, a broad horizon in more ways than one.

See also day I and day II of this workshop.

Day II Space Awareness: space in sand and sky

curved fence on the beach

On the second day of the workshop we talked more about our awareness in general. Hèlen is convinced we are aware all day long, but sometimes there are clouds of thoughts which make us a little less clear or awake than at other moments. 

curved sand and water

"Now is the only moment, you cannot be more in the present than you already are." That was kind of an eye opener as in most Buddhist teachings we hear that we are not aware all the time and that when we are thinking of the past for example we are in the past. Today we heard that even when we are thinking of an occasion in the past we are still thinking it in the present. That actually makes sense, doesn't it?

edge of sand and water

Meditation is a practice or method to be with the intrinsic qualities of ourselves like courage, fearlessness, abundance, contentment, clarity and so forth. Every meditation helps to have a better experience of the present. And everything we do is an expression of ourselves. Thoughts are a confirmation that we are present.

circles in pavement

On this second day of the workshop we explored the spaces of sand and beach, again without any reference frameworks like people, animals or other objects.

space on the beach and in the sky

It was a glorious day and the skies and beach could not have been more splendid as you can see by these photographs.

splash of sand on a concrete surface

space between two sets of black dumpsters on the beach

Hèlen also explained the Heaven - Earth - Man principle to us. Heaven represents the space in which something takes place, it is the base, the foundation. Heaven is the second dominant aspect and it supports the Heaven aspect. Man brings Heaven and Earth together, it is the most elegant aspect. This principle is used in contemplative arts, like Kado (flower arrangements) and Haiku.

tyre tracks going into space

This day also felt awesome like yesterday. According to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche "Spaciousness brings inspiration." I experienced more room in myself and I felt more relaxed, my vision is broadening and it feels a bit like unlimited boundaries. The sky is the limit!

shadows of posts and a blue sky

See also day I from this workshop.