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This week: Wabi Sabi - catching the whispers Edited by: THANKFUL SONALI back on Jan 4  
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What is Wabi Sabi?
Wabi Sabi is a way of seeing the world that is at the heart of Japanese culture. It finds beauty and harmony in what is simple, modest, imperfect, natural and inferior. It can be a little dark but it is warm and comforting as well. It is best described as a feeling rather than an idea. |
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Dear Readers,
I recently attended a workshop based on the Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi. I think the idea is important for writers - it seems to be all about catching the whispers and appreciating the neglected or overlooked. In short, about details and seeing between the lines, something to enrich any type of writing.
I present below some of the exercises we did during the workshop, to give you an idea of what I mean. Those who have a group of writers, or just friends, could try these in the group. If you don't have a group or don't feel like actually doing the exercises, you could simply read through them and imagine the outcomes from a writer's point of view.
BROWN: A CONTEMPLATION, AN EXPLORATION
The workshop started with a colour that usually goes unnoticed - brown.
a. BROWN WORDS
I. Brown and something
Examples: brown bud, brown coffee, brown me
II. Adjective and brown
Examples: rust brown, vivid brown, gooey brown, rich brown.
As participants were speaking in turn, everyone was urged to feel the imagery of the word.
b. MAKE BROWN USING CRAYONS AND BRUSHES
Create your own hue of brown. Play with the materials. Don't use the brown colour directly. Work individually or in pairs or groups. Don't try to make a beautiful painting, just take time to explore. Break the discomfort of formal representation.
c. NATURAL BROWN
Take a quiet stroll in nature and pick up one-to-five things in nature responding to 'brown'. (No plucking!) Upon returning to the room make a big sheet of brown on the floor by arranging the natural objects. As you place an object, try to find a relationship with another object. Don't formally arrange - let its natural beauty come through.
d. HAIKUS
Write a haiku on the theme 'brown'.
INK, WATER AND BRUSH
Take paper, ink, brush and water. Don't try to create a formal painting. Create minimalistic line painting, like the haiku is a minimalistic poem. Explore the line in various ways. Hold the brush in various ways. Create an incomplete circle; create a jagged line; hold the brush in the other hand; draw a cracked pot in three strokes. If the brush goes dry, don't wet it. If you've taken too much water, use the ink in a diluted way. Listen to the music and respond to it in your painting. Hold the paper up to the light to see the effect.
THE OLD AND THE NEW
The workshop leader made up a simple three-line song about the old and the new. The song told of aging and renewal, focusing on old leaves and old clothes. It was in Hindi (I'm in India) but the gist of it was: What is old? What is new? Everything that is new has to get old.
As participants sang this song, they played "pass the parcel" with a sack full of old clothes. The clothes were faded and frayed, but not torn. At the end of each verse, whoever was left holding the sack had to close his or her eyes and pull out a garment. He or she had to then creatively wear the garment. Gender and size were not to be taken into account - the idea was to wear what you got.
CLAY WORK
This is about only you and clay. Let your fingers and hands explore the clay. Have a conversation with clay, meditate with clay - explore clay. There should only be the sound of clay in the room.
PASS A YAWN
The workshop leader noticed that some participants were looking a bit tired. Thus, she had everyone play a 'yawn' game. Participants had to yawn in turn. Each one had a unique style of yawning - some stretched, some made sounds to accompany their yawns, some closed their eyes. In the spirit of Wabi Sabi - all yawns were acceptable!
So go ahead, writers! See, smell, hear, taste and feel the subtle, the un-noticed ... and let your readers experience it with you.
Thanks for listening!
- Sonali |
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Thank you - everyone who responded to "For Authors Newsletter (January 4, 2012)"
Ajay 
It could well be innovative method.Listening-in is not unfair even for creative work of writing.There is nothing wrong with evedropping if you can afford the consequences but its advisable to be fair to the players.
D.L. Fields
These days people are having private conversations on their cell phones in public, so they're not exactly guarding their privacy. A college professor once commented on my characters sounding so real, so convincing. I told him that I eavesdrop. And I do it without guilt.
Zeke 
I like listening in in place of eavesdropping, because I like to do both. Zeke
Mumsy 
Men don't listen to active conversations, eh? That explains a lot!  !! Great newsletter, thanks for giving me something to think about!
MoJo
I recently completed a writing class where one of our assignments was to eavesdrop on different conversations. Not only eavesdrop but describe your surroundings and the persons you are eaves-dropping on, then write a short fiction story around what you heard and perceived to hear. I must say that it was the most creative fun I've had in a long time. I chose to linger in the middle of a busy coffee shop/restaurant at lunch-time. After two hours, I had filled up a notebook chock full of descriptive details and some conversations that weren't meant to be shared. This has become a regular activity for me. |
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For Authors: January 08, 2013 Issue [#5436]
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