Zen & the Arts

We work on the assumption that art is a spiritual practice. We are also interested in the idea that spiritual practice is an art.

 painting by Allison Atwill

PZI is unique in that we have the position of Art Sensei, which is filled by a teacher who is an artist in any medium and who holds up the teachings through her art. We have always cared about the arts. We have music with our sutras and an art studio is available at long retreats. There are some fine writers associated with PZI too.

painting by Allison Atwill inspired by the koan "Chien and her soul are separated, which is the true Chien?"

Our current Art Sensei is Allison Atwill. Her work is based on an intense and embodied interaction with koans. The way she describes it is that a koan chooses her and begins to show her the images as she paints. The placement of the image in the painting and even the size of the piece are also part of her conversation with the koan. Also included are birds, canyons, snakes, people, anything in the world that comes to meet her when she is in the field of the koan. The way her work makes itself through her is an illustration of the way a koan can open your life when you keep company with it.

Watch videos of talks given by Allison at PZI sesshin.

Allison leads a Small Koan Group that meets once a week in six-week series. The title of this program is "The Next Thing That Happens Might Be Wonderful."