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I’m cheating  a little bit today with writing and calligraphy the focus at once: the day is packed with weekend activities coming back after months of lockdown, and I will likely not have the time to write later.

Regardless of the style of handwriting, the foundational elements are identical. The mind’s ability to perceive the shape, the muscles of the fingers, arm and shoulders working in tandem to execute the shape, and the eye’s ability to identify the difference between the two shapes, while the rest of the body supports a seamless flow of energy and stability.

The drills today have been a combination of trying out different postures to pull off the ovals and shapes. Using the little finger as the support  while the muscles of the lower arm use the table’s edge as a fulcrum to move smoothly across the page was the attempt. The first few attempts at speed turn to scrawls. Slowing down a little but keeping the posture improved things a tiny bit. Keeping the pace and adjusting how I sat. Increasing the pace with the change in posture. There are so many nuanced variables to try out here to find the right combination for me that I cannot see how I can stop this extraordinarily satisfying hobby.