With the Labor Day weekend behind us, it’s back to work/school, goodbye to summer, and it seems we’re all feeling a little discombobulated. What better time to attend a calligraphy demonstration with Zen master, Shodo Harada Roshi at the Washington Park Arboretum?

From the Arboretum events calendar description:

Shodo Harada Roshi, esteemed Zen Master in the Rinsai tradition, has trained with Zen Master and Calligrapher Yamada Mumon Roshi. For the past 24 years he has served as the Abbot of Songenji, a Rinsai Zen Monastery in Okayama, Japan. Callligraphy has a long and rich history within Japan as an art form and a Zen teaching device. With its emphasis on immediate, unhesitating, and spontaneous expression, it is an art form well suited to Zen. During the demonstration, Harada Roshi will paint a number of scrolls and discuss their content. Afterwards, he will entertain questions from the audience. These scrolls will be available for sale.

This free class is from 4-7pm this Thursday, 9/4, at the Graham Visitors Center (directions.)

Harada Roshi photo via Philna on Flickr.