Miksang is a Tibetan word that translates as ‘Good Eye’, and is based on the Shambhala and Dharma Art teachings of the late meditation master, artist, and scholar Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Miksang, at its most basic level, is concerned with uncovering the truth of pure perception. We see something vivid and penetrating, and in that moment we can express our perception without making anything up—nothing added, nothing missing. Totally honest about what we see—straight shooting. As we allow ourselves to become more available to the things around us without the biases, filters and formulas often associated with photography, our experience and expression of day-to-day moments becomes more rich and endlessly varied—beyond what we think. One moment, one shot—fully present.
©Elizabeth Watt
©Elizabeth Watt
©Elizabeth Watt
Your iphone can be a powerful tool for this practice. We’re not talking Instagram here…..it’s all about intention, and is available to everyone, all the time. It’s a wonderful way to give your mind a rest, take a break and get your daily dose of flow.
[…] Anyone can develop a ‘Good Eye’ with practice; it’s a muscle we can build like any other. This workshop will focus on the pleasure and the power of discovering beauty in unexpected places. Have you ever wondered why some photographs of the mundane—the ordinary in everyday life—resonate with us so powerfully? What makes certain images so magical, original or illuminating? It’s about actively ‘seeing’ as opposed to passively looking, and understanding the aesthetic aspects of visual discernment such as composition, light and shadow, perspective, depth-of-field, color, symmetry, texture, line and curve. Through illustrated talks, daily exercises and explorations that bring us closer to real ‘seeing’, you’ll learn how to refine your critical eye and indulge in practices that awaken your creative spirit, as well as exploring the concept of Miksang, described here. […]