Week #24

Kicking Back On Sunday Morning

This was the last week of my Nalanda Miksang Level II class. In our final week we looked at people and other sentient beings. Here I captured the play of light on the legs - lots of lines and colors.

I have so enjoyed the class and have learned a lot along the way. I want to thank  Miriam Hall and my fellow classmates who shared the journey with me. Miriam has once again created a space to learn, reflect, and grow. Naland Miksang is a practice that will continue to influence my photography and life as I move forward.

Week #20

Roses and Rain

"It is obvious. We see something. But here's the where it's profound: the contemplative practice is to transform the obvious, ordinary experience into an appreciation of the ordinary as extraordinary, the appreciation of it for what it is - the ordinary magic of being alive. It turns out that seeing itself is ordinary and yet completely miraculous."

Looking and Seeing: An Introduction to Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography

 - John McQuade and Miriam Hall

Class assignment this week was flowers and weeds. Seemed easy at first but really trying to capture "what caught my eye" and not my preconceived image of a flower turned out to be quite the challenge. 

Week #19

Man From Above

"Nalanda Miksang's heart is the level two opening of the phenomenal world: the world of sense and sensibility, the world of ordinary magic and everyday beauty. Dot is space simultaneously reveals this resonance. It is the play of surface and depth, or event and space. Dot in space reveals this as it moves from our simple level one experiences into the many expressions of level two."

Looking and Seeing: An introduction to Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography - John McQuade and Miriam Hall

Week #18

Tree and Wall

"Our life is not average. It is unique and sacred and worth fully appreciating. Deep down we know this. Contemplative photography is a way to connect with our contemplative mind, the mind that knows this - the heart that knows this."

Looking and Seeing - Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography - Miriam Hall and John McQuade

I am looking forward to starting Level II of Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography with Miriam Hall this week. I took Level I of Nalanda Miksang last year and have been hoping to have the opportunity to take level II. Contemplative photography is a lifelong pursuit and I feel so blessed to have found such a gifted teacher in Miriam.

Week #30 Photo Challenge

Texture and Lines

I have been slowly working through a wonderful book - Looking and Seeing: An Introduction to Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography by John McQuade and Miriam Hall. This week I learned that Mariam Hall will be offering an online class on level 

1 Nalanda Miksang. I have already signed up for the class and look forward to engaging with a broader community of those practicing  contemplative photography. If you are also on this path I hope you will think about joining the class too!

Week #26 Photo Challenge

Yellow Paper

"Color as color cuts through interpretations and self-absorption, straight to things as they are. It has an edge. 

John McQuade

I continue to work through the Looking and Seeing book by John McQuade and Miriam Hall. I went out this week with my intention  set on color. Some of my images were good but they included other aspects such as pattern or light. This "flash of perception" came out as pure color with space and depth. It is easy to understand why contemplative photography is a practice for a lifetime.

Week #25 Photo Challenge

Looking Down

Another week of practicing Nalanda Miksang contemplative photography and reading "Looking and Seeing" by John McQuade and Miriam Hall. I'm feeling very inspired by their writing and exercises.

"Practicing contemplative photography is a kind of sail, stirring us back to the ordinary magic of clear seeing. Making an image is using that sail to catch the joy of the world"

John McQuade and Miriam Hall

Week #20 Photo Challenge

City Window - San Francisco

Started a new book this week, Looking and Seeing, Nalanda Miksang Contemplative Photography by John McQuade and Miriam Hall.  Looking forward to learning more about Nalanda Miksang, a contemplative photography training out of Canada, and starting some of the exercises they have developed. I'll share some of my thoughts about the book over the next several weeks.