Art is very much like Life.  Just as the circumstances of our life is in a constant state of flux, so too art is constantly experiencing waves of change and expansion, development. It is always moving, never static, emerging and creating the new from old.  And perhaps exactly for this reason it is so hard to define what Art and Life is.  We could say that, instead of a concept, art is a medium to express our emotions, to capture an experience, convey a message and stake claim to our Truth.  Recently we received a very welcome letter from a peace agent in Hong Kong, Emma Lau, about her art exhibition called, “a quiet mind” and how Peace Revolution and her meditation practice influenced her most recent showcase.

Emma Lau is a British Chinese artist born in London, England, 1979, and relocated to Hong Kong in 2006. Like many others, she has always searched for greater meaning, and through a fateful series of events and coincidences, she was invited to join Peace Revolution’s fellowship in Thailand, where she was taught how to meditate in the Dhammakaya tradition.

“I was e-mailed some information from Peace Revolution through my membership with Teachers Without Borders. After reading this information, I decided that the message Peace Revolution is sending out resonates quite well with my personal beliefs and it is an organization that I would like to support and work with if possible.”

On a very deep and profound level, meditation is a way to know ourselves, to know our True Self.   Through meditation one can learn the answer to life’s oldest question: “who am I?   This is the question that drove Emma to start searching within, “On another level, I am searching for answers. Who am I really? Why am I here? Why are things the way they are? I have many ideas or “hunches” or feelings about the possible answers and I hope meditation can help me find the truth of everything.”

Emma joined peace revolution’s Fellowship in Global Peace on the Move 2 (February 2010) and Global Peace on the Move 3 (June 2010).  These fellowships were a major turning point in her life, and in her expression of art.  Under the guidance of Buddhist teaching monks, and alongside participants from 29 other countries, she meditated for around four to six hours per day.

 

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“I followed Luang Phi Somsak’s meditation session. When it came time to be in the center of the sun, I felt this knowing sensation clearly. I felt myself floating in the center of the sun. I also had this curious sensation of having a pyramid or triangle over me, within the sun sphere.”

Through this experience, her life and mode of thinking began to shift and change in significant ways. Emma’s art is an investigation into the spaces and experiences revealed within the meditative mind, and the gap between them as a state of liminality.

This is how her exhibition, “a quiet mind” was created.  It is an expression of a still mind, and concepts of eastern philosophy, such as observation, awareness, and the intuition arising from ‘a quiet mind’.  The contrast of the thought processes within the mind is also investigated, and visual counterparts represented in the art.  “my work functions as a visual research to explore how the space between perceived dualities can be opened up within a fine art context.”

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“On a practical level, I meditate because it calms my mind and gives me emotional fulfillment, rather than needing to look for it elsewhere. It is as though I am a glass or other vessel and meditating fills me up and I feel better in my waking life. It helps all other areas of my life including relationships, work, security, clarity and peace of mind.”  But meditation does not only affect Emma alone, a meditative mind exudes peace energy, to all those around, this in itself is an act of peace.  A mind at peace, is an act of peace, “If we feel inner peace through our meditation, we will exude peace outside of ourselves to our surroundings. This will affect those around us – even if they themselves do not currently practice meditation – and the increase of peace energy will lead to a ‘breaking point’ where sustainable world peace naturally occurs.”

Inner peace is a gift Emma gives to herself, but to others too.  Her wish stems from a pure and open mind.  Because once one has had a taste of true inner peace, one cannot help but feel the compelling desire to share it with others, “I would like to grow personally, and find more inner peace within myself. To help others. To see new places and meet new people. To grow as a person so that I may be of better help and influence to those around me, whether they be loved friends and family, students, or even a stranger I might deal with in a shop. If I can gain more inner peace within myself this would be a wonderful thing.”

Emma says, “I hope that I can do more art exhibitions and maybe help to bring more awareness to meditation.  A teenager who viewed my work a few days ago asked me how he could also learn to meditate.”

Emma describes herself as a “practicing artist, art educator, meditation practitioner, and peace activist”. Emma is not only sharing her inner light and wisdom, through the canvasses of acrylic paint and the installations of video projections.  She is also a living model of peace in the life of a thoughtful, dynamic young woman.  Only goodness can come from a pure and quiet mind.

To see more of Emma’s work and insights please visit www.EmmaLauArt.com