Eight Verses for Transforming the Artist Mind – V1

Being dedicated to training my mind in compassion and wisdom and expressing that in everything I do leads me to find tools to help me work with the challenges life presents. The Eight Verses of Mind Training are just that, tools that I can use to change my thinking. Even if my thinking changes just a little, sometimes that is enough to let a crack of light shine in to soften whatever dissatisfied thought is there.

The Eight Verses were written by a Buddhist master named Geshe Langri Thangpa in the 11^th century. He wrote them for his own use, to work with his own mind and heart. Because they are so inspiring, practitioners ever since have found them invaluable for training the mind. I first learned of the Eight Verses at a Loving Kindness retreat in Boston with Sogyal Rinpoche's student Andrew Warr. After that I read Transforming the Mind by H.H. the Dalai Lama which brought me deeper understanding into the "two wings" of compassion and wisdom. A recommended read!

Training the mind as the Dalai Lama notes in chapter one is an inner discipline. It is a choice I make because I believe that all of us want to be happy. In order to do that I have to start with myself first. Choosing to work with my mind and heart, to develop peace and contentment within myself, that is my commitment so that I may be a cause of good for others. This keeps me pretty busy, my mind is a full-time job. (There are many tools for inner discipline from every culture and spiritual path to fit each person's disposition.)

So what are the verses and how do they relate to art? Well, I thought we could start with Verse 1 and see how it goes. There are a few translations of the Verses and in this article I will be using a Ripga translation by Patrick Gafney.

Verse 1:

By thinking of all sentient beings

As more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel

For accomplishing the highest aim,

I will always hold them dear.

Here's how I interpret this verse . . . If my aim is bodhichitta (enlightenment for the benefit of others); then the reason I am training my mind and heart is for all of us to attain enlightenment; so every sentient being (bugs, animals, trees, flowers, and people) are my purpose and therefore very precious. To hold them dear is to be grateful for and wish the best for them.

I still haven’t gotten to the art part. What comes to mind is what it is to be a working artist. In a day I can be painting, contacting galleries or venues for teaching, writing, bookkeeping, corresponding with students, any of which can involve ups and downs. So when things go wonkie what do I do to keep myself from spinning out? I check my attitude. If I can remember a verse, how precious this life is and the wonder-full-ness of the simplest things, a shift in my consciousness takes place. This helps me to respond with kindness to my stressed self first and then extend that outwards.

For example, I recently submitted a series of pieces to a show in Berkeley. I got an email saying my work wasn't accepted. It was a standard sort of rejection email which is often short in length without much feeling of personal connection. I've mentioned before how I don't really like rejection. So, I took a few breaths and decided I'd email back asking for more information about why my work was not accepted. I did this believing that the gallery director is like me and doesn't want to hurt anyone, just trying to work efficiently. I also felt that it would be helpful for me to know particulars so that I could apply what I learned to future submissions. I got an email back that same day. It was very helpful. First the director explained what she was trying to create as a whole with the show and then that they liked my work but it didn't fit with the overall flow. I felt grateful for the rejection email, my willingness to stretch, and the other person's kind and informative reply. A much better way for me to work with the situation instead of feeling bad.

Helpful hint: I've found it helpful to have visual reminders around my studio and office to keep me on track. Being a visual learner I wanted to create something that would help me remember the verses. I associated characteristics that we attribute to certain animals with aspects of each verse. The first verse has the word "dear" in the last line. This was easy to associate with the grace and gentleness of a deer. The image above is very small, created with gouache and colored pencil. I had bookmarks printed with the root version of the verses and corresponding animal image. The pith or root version (by Geshe Langri Thangpa) for Verse 1 is:

Cultivate the view that all beings are extremely kind.

I keep my study-bookmarks around here and there as reminders when I need to regain my focus.

Stay tuned next week for Verse 2.

Be well,

Susan