Intuition
When I think about the journey from where I've come to where I am now, living in a Zen Temple as a monk and an artist, the path appears entirely random and chaotic. Like the spiritual (and life) path, the creative process never follows a straight line. Instead, it weaves through the quiet and chaos, guided by something more profound than logic. For me, that something is intuition.
Intuition is the pulse of creativity and life. It is a rhythm that beats beneath the surface of thought beyond the reach of conscious reasoning. It is a force that moves a brush across the canvas before knowing what to paint, a flash like a burst of sunlight through the clouds.
The old Zen masters, guided by intuition, spontaneously responded to each moment from a place beyond thought. Their teachings were often expressed in action rather than words. The action my Rinzai Zen ancestors expressed was frequently a blow with a stick but sometimes a stroke of a paintbrush.
They understood that true creativity arises from a place of not knowing. When I loosen my grip on preconceived ideas and judgments, the true nature of things can reveal itself. Intuition flows most freely in this space, guiding my hand and brush in an effortless and profound dance.
In my work, I’ve learned to trust this process and to surrender to the flow of intuition, even when it leads me into unfamiliar territory. A certain fearlessness is required, a willingness to step into the unknown and allow the creative process to unfold in its own way. It’s not always comfortable; it often feels like walking a tightrope between chaos and order. But it is precisely in this balancing act that the magic happens, where something new and unexpected emerges, something that could never have been predicted or planned.
As I work, I repeatedly return to this sense of intuitive flow. The textures and images I work with are like fragments of a dream, each holding a piece of the puzzle, yet none revealing the whole picture. When I allow myself to step back, to let go of the need for control, the pieces begin to fall into place. In those moments, I feel a deep connection to the source of all creation, a source that is both within and beyond me, a reflection of the boundless creativity of the universe itself.
Intuition is not something I can force or control. It is a gift that arises when I'm open, receptive, and willing to step into the unknown with a sense of curiosity and wonder. It is the voice of my true nature, the expression of my deepest self, and it is always there, waiting for me to listen.
