Mindfulness, Art, and The Last Samurai
June 3rd, 2009What is art? Sometimes it’s harder to define art than to simply name it when you see it. We’ve all seen something random and thought to ourselves “That is so beautiful!”, it’s almost self defining and self evident. I used to believe that “real” art was only found in places like art galleries for the enjoyment of creative types: musicians, painters, and poets were the only artists among us, looking back I think I was wrong. Like August Rush who believed that music was all around us, if only we’d have the ears to hear it, I now believe that art is everywhere if only we’d have the eyes to see it. Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying everything is art, there are certainly ugly and unartistic things in this world. However, I believe there are also more masterpieces around us then we recognize.
One of the turning points in my perspective on this came while watching a particular scene in the movie The Last Samurai. A few months into his winter stay in the mountains Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) describes the samurai culture he’s stumbled upon in this way, “They are an intriguing people. From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue.” The camera scans the landscape showing people occupied in their daily tasks: farming, sparring, cooking, sewing, etc. What struck me is that from one perspective these were mundane tasks, but viewed from another they were an art form.
I’m certainly no expert on eastern culture or religion but one value I’ve picked up on is the concept of mindfulness. It’s the idea of paying attention to the moment. Whatever you’re doing right now, just do that thing and maintain focus on it. I think that’s the key to the scene I described above. Everyone was mindful of their task and this elevated their work to the level of art.
Viewed through this lens I believe our everyday tasks can become a deep devotion to creating a masterpiece. Parenting can be art if you give yourself fully to the task. Web programming can be art if you’ll pay attention and pour love and passion into every keystroke. Selling, plumbing, coffee making, managing, and friendships can all be works of art if we’ll practice them with mindfulness.
So let’s hear from you. What is the everyday task that is your masterpiece?
4 comments Click to reply »
June 12th, 2009
Wow, this is surprisingly difficult.
June 12th, 2009
I spent so much time creating my bedroom I lived in last year. I thought about the environment, how it would look, the vines of it’s atmosphere. I spent so much time picking my bed, sheets and organic bamboo yarn comforter. I created a space at the foot of my bed with throw blankets and pillows as a place to rest my mind, to meditate, pray, nap, and just chill. These r just a few examples. It was truly a retreat for me. And so cool, bc it started in my head and over time, with each small purchase, became a reality
Great post bro! thanks man
June 18th, 2009
Mindfulness is a very difficult task. I’m unable to concentrate in one task only, my mind is always thinking about posts waiting to be readed in google reader, or in ‘Read it Later’. Even trying to stop thinking about that, my mind always go to other places when something difficult to be solved appears in a program.
June 18th, 2009
@josh so cool that you took the time to make that space in your room. It’s so important to have spaces like that to open up creativity and encourage relaxation. I think our best ideas come from times in spaces like that.
@Leon I agree that mindfulness is very difficult, it seems like one of those things that’s simple to grasp but tough to implement. We all know we’ll make great stuff if we just focused in and paid attention but that’s hard to do.