Contemplative Photography

The Art of Miksang

I’ve been captured by the art of Miksang but let me preface this by letting you know I’m not a miksang master or a formal student and I have no training at all.  My eye has been drawn to miksang photography for a long while but I must thank Mike Shell, who blogs at The Empty Path who introduced me to the art when he saw some simple shots on my Red Bubble photography site. Despite no training (as yet) I am drawn to miksang and love its pure simplicity and contemplative nature.

What is miksang?
Miksang is an art form centred on Contemplative Photography. Miksang is a Tibetan word that translates as “Good Eye” and is based on the Shambala and Dharma art teaching of the late meditation master, artist and scholoar Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche.

Contemplative Photography
According to the Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography, miksang “is (at its most basic level) photography 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.”

Simplicity is not ‘simple’
What attracts me is the simplicity and purity of an object or form but it is surprisingly complex and difficult to achieve. When taking photos I can often be hindered by my internal monitor, judgement kicks in, as does photography ‘training’ and ‘rules’.
Miksang frees me to be totally captivated with a vision and express it, just as it is, no judgement, no formula or rules, no arrangement or post-processing. It is raw beauty. I start to see things in their purest sense with a mind that is relaxed, open and free.

If you’d like to find out more about Miksang, check out these links:

See my weekly Monday Miksang offerings to you here:

5 responses

16 03 2012
napkinwriter (04:15:25) :

Louise!
Hi, it’s me, Napkinwriter. I LOVE contemplative photography too; Years ago, I was at a retreat where the leader identified my one photo I brought as THE signature photo of my life. I believed that too. And I hope to have it on a book cover oneday. I’m going to click to follow your blog. Glad we’ve met.

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16 03 2012
napkinwriter (04:20:47) :

I was attracted to “The Zen of Creativity” Cultivating Your Artistic Life, by John Daido Loori; such a rich book, been away from it for awhile; maybe I will take it on my trip to Catherine’s workshop. I am so blessed to be making these contacts in Internet-SPIRIT. 🙂

I, too, realize, the paradox, looks easy, is extremely hard. And on we go!

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16 03 2012
Louise (06:14:24) :

Fantastic! I’m glad it has brought it back to your attention. I’ll look up the book too, sounds great. Thanks!

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15 05 2012
erranttranscendentalist (09:28:59) :

I am new to your marvelous blog, and really look forward to viewing your Miksang creations in future posts!! Thanks for the explanations of Miksang and Wabi-sabi.

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15 05 2012
Louise (17:59:52) :

Nice to meet you Angela. Thanks for the visit. I do a Miksang ‘Monday’ post each week, so stop by again some time!

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