The Haiku Path
with Stanford M. Forrester
meditation hall . . .
an ant carries away
my concentration
— Stanford M. Forrester
According to one common definition, a haiku is a short poem that records the essence of a moment keenly perceived, in which nature is linked to human nature. For some, writing haiku is also a spiritual path. Many haiku poets have practiced Zen, so it is no surprise to find that these two paths have much in common. For students in the Mountains and Rivers Order, haiku provides a wonderful way to take up the gate of art practice, and to directly experience the intimate connection between moment-to-moment awareness and one’s inherent creativity.
During this workshop, which will show how haiku can help to reveal the radiance of “ordinary” moments, Stanford M. Forrester will introduce and discuss the many aspects of writing haiku, including how this art can be integrated into one’s spiritual practice. Each participant will learn the skills necessary to approach a haiku as well as compose, revise, and recite haiku through various exercises and methods. Everyone is welcome. No experience is necessary.
About the Instructor
Stanford M. Forrester is a past president of the Haiku Society of America and founder and editor of bottle rockets: a collection of short verse. His work can be found in over a dozen anthologies, including American Zen: A Gathering of Poets (Bottom Dog Press) and in Haiku, edited by Peter Washington in the Everyman’s Library Pocket Poet Series. He is one of the leading poets in the American spiritual haiku movement and has been a Buddhist practitioner for over twenty years.
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