Self-Portraiture as Contemplative Practice
Art + Wellness | Available
Traditional self-portraits often center on identity, image, or performance. Contemplative self-portraiture, by contrast, asks: Who am I in this moment of seeing? It explores self not as fixed identity but as presence in relationship to the world.
- Methods:
- Using reflection (mirrors, windows, shadows) to reveal the fluid, impermanent sense of self.
- Photographing oneself in everyday environments as a way of exploring belonging and interconnection.
- Pairing image with writing (poems, fragments, haiku) to deepen reflection.
- Inner Work:
o For many, contemplative self-portraiture surfaces vulnerability, compassion, and acceptance.
o It can soften self-criticism, reveal hidden aspects of identity, and create a visual diary of one’s inner life.
You are welcome to use any camera—from a smartphone to a DSLR—and no prior experience with poetry is required. The emphasis is on openness, playfulness, and attention rather than technical perfection.
Timothy Auman
I am an ordained lay Buddhist, certified mindfulness teacher, and former university chaplain dedicated to the application of Taoist and Zen thought to the issues of everyday life. As a visual artist, my approach to photography focuses on learning (or perhaps we could say re-learning) how to see. My work is influenced by the Miksang (the Tibetan word for “good eye”) movement, having studied with John McQuade and Miriam Hall for many years. In contemplative photography, we focus on taking the time to actually see, to become aware of and present with what is actually happening in the phenomenal world, and then create an equivalent image with our camera. The main difference between Miksang Contemplative Photography and other forms of photography is that Miksang is based on clear perception before an overlay of thoughts, interpretations, preferences, story lines, likes and dislikes, what we think might make a good image and so forth arise. Meditation, dharma teachings and contemplation are woven into all I teach. If you want to know more about contemplative photography, please sign up for a class.