Calligratherapy-Conscious Chinese Calligraphy

Calligratherapy, Conscious Chinese Calligraphy, uses soft brush to write Chinese Character. It is a useful practice on several levels, first and foremost, as a tool for reducing stress. This is why Leah and I call it ‘calligratherapy’.

It is a new field of therapy which is being used already in places like the UK as an alternative to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; another activity that is available to you to help with stress.

Different things work for different people to help them to relax and control anxious thoughts. We hope that the method we will demonstrate today is useful to you.

To give some very brief context: Chinese calligraphy, a form of written pictures, has been practiced for thousands of years for its artistic and healing properties.  Calligraphy in the orient is a meditative practice that encourages the integration of body and mind. Calli-meditation has been a Zen-buddhism practice for a long time in Asia.  As the calligrapher draws/writes, their breathing becomes even, their heart beat slows, and a sense of focus and clarity develops. It brings about a state of calm awareness. Everything that you see in front of you, the brushes, the ink and the inkstones, the paper (which we collectively refer to as the Four Treasures of the Study) can be considered an extension of yourself. Grinding the ink will help to settle your breathing, for example, which will regulate your heart beat and consequently your cortisol levels. As you draw, what comes out on paper is partly a picture of what is going on inside of you. We have different breathing exercises for different parts of calligraphy practice.  This is what we will show you today.

But there is more, over time, and this is the deeper level which I will touch on very briefly for those of you who are interested in exploring further. The Chinese calligrapher refines their temperament through the artistic representation of thought and consciousness. There are seven levels of calligratherapy practice:

  • Level 1:  Be present

  • Level 2:  Ground yourself

  • Level 3: Focus your mind

  • Level 4: Open up

  • Level 5: Exploration

  • Level 6: Seeking

  • Level 7: visualisation

 

The non-native speaker can develop the same level but the effect for them is very different to someone who can read Chinese. Whilst some will appreciate the brush technique and meaning behind the words, and the symbolism of the various styles used, others will appreciate the characters as pure art forms and project their own style and technique onto them. Just as it is not necessary to fully understand Buddhism in order to reap the benefits of mindfulness meditation, so it is not necessary for you to learn all this just yet. Today we’ve pre-selected some motivational phrases intended to help you experience a sense of calm…

Xin selfie

黄欣 Xin (Alice Huang)

Xin (Alice) is a certified Master of Chinese calligraphy with the Chinese Calligraphy and Literature Association.

Xin has had a fascination for calligraphy since childhood and loves not only the creativity of this art form but also the peace of mind from the preparation of the ink using a traditional inkstone and the sound of the brush on rice paper.

Xin’ journey with calligraphy started at age five under the influence of her grandfather living in Shanghai. Learning calligraphy wasn’t her intention, she was following her grandfather to grind ink and prepare brush and paper for him.

But as her observed, her heart was drawn into this ink game more and more, and soon she started learning calligraphy. After years of practicing, Xin finds calligraphy is an interesting art to learn, it is a process almost like philosophy that trains people’s attention, trains us to focus on the moment, to find our own inner peace.

Without having great control of our own emotion, our body, even our attention, it is less likely to do Chinese calligraphy well. But by learning how to do calligraphy we could also find our own inner peace. We can find ourselves in the process at the same time. It is a beneficial process in general to improve breathing and reduce stress  breathing.

Xin started Calligratherapy in 2018 in New Zealand, it is a combination of calligraphy and Shui-Mo/Sumi-E practice in New Zealand.

It is a meditative practice that encourages the integration of body and mind to reduce stress and restore calmness.

Xin runs regular calligratherapy workshop for both adults and children in New Zealand.

Our team

Calligratherapist in Vancouver Cassie Cao

Cassie Cao is a passionate data analyst with a deep-rooted interest in Chinese calligraphy. Since her early childhood, she has been inspired to pick up the art and when she moved to New Zealand, she began taking lessons with Alice and eventually became a facilitator for the practice. In 2022, Cassie will be relocating to Vancouver where she plans to lead both workshops with a focus on using calligratherapy as a tool to manage stress and promote overall well-being.

Yan Li

Yan Li is an incredibly talented artist, with over a decade of experience in acrylic painting, oil painting, watercolor painting and clay sculpting. Not only this, but she has years of teaching art to children! She will be leading both workshops with a focus on the Calli-paint ‘n’ bond strand, an opportunity you don’t want to miss!