A Dream

During a recent retreat at the Temple, I found myself traversing the landscape of my subconscious in a way that impacted my perspective on my art.

The retreat, a time of deep meditation and practice, offered an unexpected journey through silence and stillness into the vibrant world of dreams and artistic revelation.

One night, after a full day of practice, I had a dream that held the clarity and vividness of a waking vision. I found myself in a museum where the walls were adorned with beautiful artwork.

Each piece transcended the conventional boundaries of form and space, mirroring the Zen teaching that the separation between self and other, object and observer, is an illusion. Each work’s foreground and background served as a visual metaphor for the interconnection of all things, the unity of the relative world of phenomena, and the absolute essence of our true nature.

However, I couldn’t identify the artist behind these pieces. When I woke up, I realized this artwork, so unique and yet so familiar, could only be my own.

I believe the dream was not just a journey through an imaginary museum but a profound message from my subconscious, urging me to explore new avenues in my artistic expression.

Inspired by this dream, I have begun experimenting with techniques and perspectives that blur the conventional boundaries between subject and environment, intending to invite the viewer to experience the artwork as an observer and as a participant in its unfolding narrative.

This integration process has been challenging and exhilarating, pushing me to question and expand my understanding of art and its capacity to convey profound spiritual truths.

- Sokei