Saturday, October 26, 2013

The A,B,C's fo Contemplative Photography - O

O is for Open Ended (and also for Observation and Obscure and Objectify and Obverse and...)

Allowing for or adaptable to change.
Not restrained by definite limits, 
strictures, or structure.

   Years ago I taught a workshop for educators on creative teaching methods.  At the end I asked them to take a pledge to remain open ended questions.  The worse thing they could do is to fall prey to psychosclerosis...hardening of the attitudes.

   I think that was good preparation for my pursuit of photography as a contemplative practice.  I don't have, nor do I wish for, all the answers...it is sufficient for me to merely ask the questions.

   When I sit with an image and write about it's meaning to me I mean the meaning to me at that moment.  Meaning changes over time as I grow and change.  I can see a whole different story in a photograph months or even years later.

   Now this shouldn't imply any wishy-washyness on my part.  I simply believe to remain an open ended question and to allow my images to remain so as well is advantageous to my spiritual growth.   I think the truest indicator of emotional maturity is the ability to see another point of view.  I've often found the truth to lie somewhere in between.  Sad that our politicians don't see it that way....there is a severe outbreak of psychosclerosis in Washington these days.  (Sorry, I just needed to vent!)



1 comment:

kimmanleyort said...

This is such an important point about meaning at a point in time. Knowing this keeps us always open to new points of view, a sign of maturity as you say.