Drawing

Supplies:

Drawing paper, pencil, eraser.

Choose a small familiar object found in your immediate environment. A stone, a coffee cup, a seashell or a set of keys or a branch… Hold it in your hands if you are able with your eyes closed for a moment, exploring its shape, weight and texture. Place it before you and examine it thoroughly with your eyes as if you have never seen it before. Using an ordinary pencil, draw exactly what you see rather than what you think the item looks like. Don't let your critical thinking get between you and the object, this is an exercise in intimacy. No separation. Any time your attention drifts, bring it back to the object as you would bring your mind back to your breath during zazen.