5 ways of finding inner balance with the practice of Japanese ink painting

Talia LeHavi
May 22
4 min read

Updated: Jun 1

Learn how to enhance the quality and radiance of your painting

'balance comes before form' - The Earth Goblin

Japanese ink painting of wild orchids by artist Talia Lehavi

Like diamonds, we are made of many facets of light and structure. All these many parts of our heart-mind-body, strive on balance. The more we are able to maintain balance within our many facets, the greater the light we emanate, inside and out. For the artist to create an insightful image, the practice of finding ongoing inner balance is essential.

If you consider the yin yang symbol, it is all hanging there on the eternal balance and movement of two seemingly opposite forces. Yet together they complete a whole circle which maintain its harmonious stability.

Consider another analogy, imagine a beautiful circular stone water fountain, where the water constantly rising up from its centre and flowing evenly in all direction, and whilst doing so, creating a wonderful dome like shape. The flow is constant, keeping the shape of the dome itself, made of water. It is within the moving, flowing balance of the water, that this shape is maintained and therefore offer a balanced harmony.

ink painting is like this.

Here are five aspects of exploring inner balance within the practice of ink painting.

Attune with the seasons

Each of the seasons, with its rise, peak, and fall, offers a particular wave of rhythm, lights and colours. It is in this continuous movement of life force that we can find balance to our soul and heart.

Painting the way plants and animal appear in each particular season, connect us with nature and the natural cycle of life. This continuum cycle is a healing path, offering well being and stability that are generously provided by mother earth.

Within the discipline training of ink painting, the student needs to practice each painting subject in various stages of its growth. If it is a plant like the wild orchid, you will learn to paint it from the emerging leaves and buds to the opening flower, to the full flower and the weathering petals. Same practice will be needed with any living being, be it a rock, a plant, an animal or a human depiction.

Go with the flow of the brush

Japanese ink painting of wild orchid leaves by artist Talia Lehavi

Holding the brush is like holding a magic wand with which you can give expression. Practicing your brush strokes lines will teach you of the coming together of mind, heart and hand with an inner balance of flow. When this flow is established within you, it is then, that you make your beautiful paintings. As you find the balance inside, it is reflected in your painting.

Use your sumi - Black ink

Japanese ink painting of wild orchid by artist Talia Lehavi

Withdrawing the use of colours, and submitting your expression to the one black ink, allows a deeper focus on shapes, forms and spaces that enhances the artistic images that are personal and yet may touch the viewer with a fresh intake of the world as you view it.

Finding your inner balance, regardless of colour, gives your artistic journey a skeleton like strength and power that can then be enhanced with colour, but not before.

Practice the art of giving and receiving

Japanese ink painting of a wild orchid stem by artist Talia Lehavi

Learn the art of how much water to give out and use in your painting and how much ink. Find balance between light and dark shades of ink. Explore the delicate coming and going of the brush on the paper, and the pressure of your brush strokes as it dance its journey on the paper.

How many details do you give away of your painted story? And how much do you allow of the story of your painting to be received by the viewer dreaming completion.

Experience the splendor of solitude

The time you are making for yourself to paint, is you creating a clear space for your inner wisdom to guide you and facilitate your quiet, yet powerful dialogue with the creative path of your choice.

Allow yourself to expand the scope of the 'YES' realms, as your chi, your life force, directs you. where you can dwell in. It is limitless.

Consider your practice time as your splendid solitude. It is not time wasted, it is time to be cherished as it create a something from a nothing.

In conclusion

The wild orchid flowers, grow humbly on the faraway hidden mountains. They are not easy to reach and are mostly hidden from site, shying away in their splendid solitude. Perhaps this is why they are one of the four foundation lessons of the ink painting practitioners. Their depiction is a learning practice in exploring both inner and outer flow and balance.

Finding this balance inside us, with the many layers and positions of ourselves, comes before giving expression to form and shapes on paper. As you practice your brush, you may discover how these fine balances, organizes themselves to increase the quality and radiance of your artistic journey.