Daoist paintings, can they be used as spiritual practice?

[Spiritualnewbie]

Hello all,

hope you are all relaxed.

hope im posting this on the right forum. My question is, can daoist paintings be used as spiritual practice, watching them or even better, painting them?Like mantras in yoga or buddhism.

 

I feel them to be very spiritual , but im very insecure and doubt a lot!

 

Im no expert in chinese paintings, ( which I was) but one example is of zhang daqian

(you can press at the painting to enlarge it)

 

thank you and hope to read you soon.

Manuel

Edited February 1, 2023 by Spiritualnewbie

[ChiDragon]

1 hour ago, Spiritualnewbie said:

My question is, can daoist paintings be used as spiritual practice, watching them or even better, painting them?

 

Only if you believe in it does. Then, it will work for you.

1 hour ago, Spiritualnewbie said:

I feel them to be very spiritual , but im very insecure and doubt a lot!

IMO It could be very spiritual if your mind is set for it. You are insecure is because your heart is not ready for it. Once you have your mind set for it, then, there should be no doubt about it. You can treat it as the cultivation of Tao. You can visualize that you are in the picture walking along the trail. That will put you in a spiritual mood interacting with nature. That was how I felt when I enlarged the picture. Indeed, it was very spiritual.

[Camellia]

That's a beautiful painting you shared; it evokes such a calm feeling for me. I can see why you would be drawn to it! 

 

I think almost any pursuit can be a spiritual practice based on how you engage in it, whether it be as mundane as folding laundry or a hobby like art or music. 

 

There's a book called "The Tao of Watercolor" by Jeanne Carbonetti and while the style of art isn't Chinese, it talks about using playfulness and deliberateness to create balance and find flow in your painting, and it builds on Daoist concepts. If you decide to take up painting as part of your practice, you may find it useful. 🙂

Edited February 4, 2023 by Camellia

[steve]

On 2/1/2023 at 8:15 AM, Spiritualnewbie said:

My question is, can daoist paintings be used as spiritual practice, watching them or even better, painting them?

 

For sure, yes.

Like Camellia, I think anything can become a meditation or a spiritual path even negative things.

There is a nice book I read a long time ago called Creativity and Taoism by Chan Chung Yuan.

Warm welcome!

[Spiritualnewbie]

Hello! and thank you all 3!!!!!!!!

thats the kind of answers I expected. (Sry for the late reply). Want to some Yoga everyday because I need the excercise, but I want to paint as a main spiritual practice.

@ChiDragon My heart says your answer is very deep. Still dont understand it fully though. I will look for excercises to open the heart, but one thing I realized ( using my heart) Is that I look too much to be succesfull and not that much what I like to do.

 

@CamelliaThanks! I bought a book called the tao of art, talking about the theory behind chinese paintings,  once I have some spare money i will look for "The tao of watercolor" sound very intersting. I love to play, but  dont know how to be playful in what I do.

 

Steve, i cant read enough books, ( im a bit too theoretical, i hate it.) Same with "the tao of watercolor" Im gonna try to buy it once i read the book I already ordered.

 

Thank you again :)!

@steve

[ChiDragon]

7 hours ago, Spiritualnewbie said:

@ChiDragon My heart says your answer is very deep. Still dont understand it fully though. I will look for excercises to open the heart, but one thing I realized ( using my heart) Is that I look too much to be succesfull and not that much what I like to do.

 

Your heart has the desire to fulfill your wishes. Your mind is to find a way to fulfill the desire of your heart.

Edited February 4, 2023 by ChiDragon

[Spiritualnewbie]

thank you again Chidragon! And sry for the late reply again! dont overdo it with answering me wish you a relaxed day.

Manuel

 

@ChiDragon