Bowing to Beauty

The photography class that I am taking had an interesting exercise to try this week. I call it

Bowing to Beauty

The suggested practice starts with finding connection with your photographic subject.

Finding connection with our subject starts with finding connection within ourselves.

   — Douglas Beasley, Permission & Gratitude, part of Touching the Divine  photography class

Basically, the practice consists of several easy steps:

1) Ask permission to enter a physical space

2) Bow in recognition of your subject

3) Ask permission from your subject or scene to be photographed

4) Make (rather than take) your photograph

5) Bow in gratitude for your subject lending it’s likeness to you

   — Douglas Beasley, Permission & Gratitude, part of Touching the Divine photography class

As I headed out for a walk at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum this morning with my camera, I had every intention of following this practice with every photo I made. But I was humbled after the first photograph I made, thinking, “I forgot to ask permission to enter the physical space.” Or I got so excited about what I was seeing that I forgot to bow. It was really really difficult for me to slow down and follow these steps for every subject that I photographed. In fact I if this was a pass/fail assignment I failed. But it wasn’t and I learned greatly from the experience.

When I finally slowed down and followed the entire practice I felt a deep connection to the earth and the flowers and plants that I was photographing. Deep reverence, presence, mindfulness, and gratitude were a few of the feelings that I experienced in a short hour of photography. I felt as if I was entering a different kind of relationship with the earth, one of partnership instead of entitlement. I was not taught to view all things as worthy of respect and gratitude. But I am slowly learning to interact with love and compassion with myself and all of creation.

Every rock, blade of grass, pebble, and plant has a purpose. When I recognize and honor each thing I encounter, I feel I am connecting to something old and sacred. It is deeply satisfying to express respect and gratitude to all that I encounter.

I plan to work on this practice each time I go out with my camera this week. It may mean that I make fewer images. But I hope that it also means that I become a little more mindful and connected to myself as I do the work.

How can you apply some of these ideas to your creative endeavors? May you find bowing to beauty as deep and meaningful as I do.

May you walk in beauty.