Shodo

SHO: writing, writing, calligraphy. DO: the path, the path or the Tao, the path of life. Shodo ("the way of writing") is the art of traditional Japanese calligraphy, one of the oldest artistic expressions in this country. Combined with mindfulness, shodo calligraphy becomes a powerful practice that allows us to experience such subtle aspects of Zen as the direct experience of the present or the transcendence of being. In the gesture of sliding the brush across the paper, the body and mind are in harmony, free of thoughts and disturbances, a connection that enhances the flow of energy while benefiting our physical and cognitive abilities. The artist and calligrapher Rie Takeda beautifully introduces us to the path of shodo, from introductory aspects such as preparing the space or the necessary materials to drawing step by step, first of the basic strokes and then of complete words. An elegant work, decorated with the author's beautiful designs, ideal for getting started in the philosophy and practice of meditative calligraphy.