Liberating Art

Saturday October 28, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday October 29, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Chögyam Trungpa described Dharma Art as art that dares to tell the truth that freedom already exists as a possibility within our hearts. Dharma Art touches and expresses that truth.
One key skill to learn on your journey to freedom is calm-abiding meditation. Like a lively horse, your mind brims full with power and possibility. Meditating helps you ride that horse’s energy instead of being dragged around by your thoughts, memories, or feelings.
The Dharma Artist draws on the skills of calm-abiding meditation to open her mind and heart and find the freedom already within.

Brian and Margaret will interweave the Dharma Art principles taught by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche with the principles of Meditation Is Freedom, based on the nine stages of calm-abiding meditation.
 
Brian and Margaret taught for years at the Vancouver Shambhala Centre and have been missed acutely since their move to Nova Scotia. This is a precious opportunity to connect, or reconnect with their clear, compassionate and wakeful teaching.

Brian leads Community Refuge, an on-line, open, Buddhist group that practices taking refuge, exploring the dharma, and focuses on personal growth.
 
Margaret practices Dharma Art and leads open studio groups combining calm-abiding, brush work, and personal growth.
 
Together, they will create an environment to explore calm-abiding in creative expression and meditation practice.
 
Come prepared to play, to sit, to explore the materials, big brushes, ink, and your mind.

Brian completed his 3-year Tibetan Buddhist retreat in 2003. For the past 5 years, Brian had lead the Community Refuge Gathering, an online, open Buddhist group. After a career in non-profit leadership, Brian retired in 2015. Since then, he has published 2 Dharma books and 2 historical novels. He currently teaches Calm-Abiding practice on-line. He will be offering the next Meditation is Freedom course in early January 2024.

Margaret paints and teaches creative process and meditation from Windhorse Studio in Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia. She is interested in mentoring young artists and teachers, has published a guide for Mindfulness Based Art Therapy, and is currently working with themes of the feminine in personal and cultural development. Margaret has completed her 3-year Tibetan Buddhist retreat and studies art at the Desert Art Academy in California. She has practiced art therapy for a long time.