One more little zen thing before I move on. You may know the story of the zen master who, while pouring tea, kept pouring into the student's cup until it was overflowing on the floor. The lesson was that in order to receive the teaching, an empty cup was required.

Psychologists coined the term, “undifferentiated consciousness” to describe the state of both the newborn infant and the student of meditation. The state of undifferentiated consciousness is one in which no beliefs expressed in the form of internal dialog intrude to frame and control the experience of reality. The infant stares at the light, without an interpretive foundation to hide or distort its meaning. The student of Zen strives to attain that state, but most often while in safe retreat from society where there is no opportunity for truth to intrude.

To see truth for oneself requires the suspension of belief and a constant vigil to avoid illusion and self-deception. There are those whose meddlesome concerns about your beliefs you may find disconcerting. There are those who believe belief to be more important that acts or attitudes. Suspend belief, look freely at all, and act with love. You may learn to see the world, its mysteries and miracles with the wide-eyed wonder of a child.

There is a great deal more to tell about all this, which I will probably reserve for a Saw Zen blog which is in the works. I love the photo of Lucy shown above, so I just had to share it again. Wide eyes, open hands and heart full.

I always stick my neck out and then wonder afterwards why I've done it. It is the same with writing as with woodworking. Now, I've stated I would talk about Saw Zen, but it is such a deep committment. I am going to change my mind and offer it a bit at a time, rather than over several days. So, if you are interested, you will have to read between the lines and look more closely for it. It will be described over the course of months rather than days.

For the moment, I'll offer one thing. The sound of one hand clapping. Place your left hand in your lap. Hold your right hand out to your side. Move your right hand in quickly to a stopping point right in front of your chest. Were you listening? Do it again, and this time listen more closely. Can you hear it? It is far less mysterious than you imagined.

Most of what we believe is based on what we have been told. Most of what we see is based on what we believe. You have to go deeper into things to have real knowledge. It comes from the hand. Now that you know the sound of one hand clapping, we will go into something much more important. It is called, "the sound of one hand sawing." It is the start of a movement. It leads to many hands sawing and hammering, stepping outside comfort zones to make, create and serve. I call it the wisdom of the hands. The photo above is Arlo at work.

You might also be interested in a short story written by E.M. Forster in 1909. It describes a world of fabricated belief in which hands-on experience and engagement are no longer required or desired. The Machine Stops (link) presents a frightening view of a future society in which comfort, entertainment and distraction have become more important than the hands-on experience of reality.

I know that if you have been a regular reader of this blog, you may be suspicious that I've gone off the deep end. "Hey, Doug's talking about religion! He wants to go into zen!" But, I'm not really interested in religion here, but in how the hands shape belief. Are our beliefs shaped by experience in our own hands or are they implanted or imposed through the will, direction and insistence of others? There is an interesting text from the zen tradition called the Hsin Hsin Ming that I have found influential in my own thoughts. An often quoted line is as follows:

The Great Way is neither easy nor difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undisguised. Make the smallest distinction, however, and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.

To state things more simply, "the devil is in the details." We take a thing apart for intellectual examination and promptly forget the whole of it and its greater significance. The worst of it comes when "heaven and earth" or the worlds of practicality and spirit are seen as divergent and separate from each other as is seemingly agreed upon by many modern religions.

There is another line in the Hsin Hsin Ming in which the reader is given a prescription for making the world whole.

To come directly into harmony with this reality just simply say when doubt arises, 'Not two.'
In this 'not two' nothing is separate, nothing is excluded.
No matter when or where, enlightenment means entering this truth.

Here, I am attempting in my own feeble way to explain the difference between zazen and saw zen. Zazen is built upon withdrawal from the world, retreat into spiritual meditation as distinct from the practical qualities of life. Saw zen is built upon the direct engagement in the world through the use of the hands in creating, making and serving. I know there are those who would point out that what I am describing are the two distinct yet traditional forms of Buddhism. If you are reading and want to interject, please feel free to leave a comment.

As I suggested in yesterday's post, this may be a slow process. Even one that will drive you from this blog for a short time. Don't forget to come back later. The table shown above is one I made of walnut in 1979 or 1980. It was made with through-wedged mortise and tenon joints and was designed to reflect my own interest in Japanese culture.

Saw zen...I want to spend a few days exploring a concept I call "saw zen". This may be a bit much for some of you, so you may want to check out for about a week or so and spend your time reading other things. Before I got so involved in exploring the Wisdom of the Hands concept through teaching at Clear Spring School, I was working on a book proposal I called "Saw-Zen, A Craftsman's Guide to Practicality and Spirit." Perhaps at some point, given time, I will be able to complete it and have it published. For now, it is enough to share a few of the concepts as they relate to the hands, woodworking, learning and growth.

A number of readers of sidebar materials in my how-to books and students in my classes have noted a similarity between my approach to woodworking and their understanding of Zen Buddist meditation. There is a concept in Zen called "zazen" which can be found in any number of internet sites through a Google search or in the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Before I spend a few days outlining what is meant by "saw zen," I would like to point out that while "zazen" is practiced as sitting meditation, in withdrawal from practical affairs, "saw zen" is practiced while in full 100 percent immersion in the practical and creative affairs of daily life.

I plan to go slowly with this, so either check in for more or check out for awhile depending on your interests. The image above is of zazen. If you want to know what saw zen looks like, you will see evidence of it in nearly every other photograph in this blog. Believe me, the two are not to be confused or mistaken for each other.

Let's develop a strategy...that puts the hands back at the center of learning. How do we do what needs to be done? If you are a parent, (or a grandparent) it may be easy and fun. Do things with your kids. Provide them with some tools and materials and the place and opportunity to work. Scissors and paper can be enough to get you started. Your children will need your hands-on involvment. Don't sit at the sidelines. Become a creative role model. Cook, make stuff, play in the garden, get out the art supplies. Get your own hands dirty and make a mess...not as a bystander, but as a full fledged, enthusiastic participant in creative messy-art making. If you don't have a child, but are interested in creating meaningful hands-on learning opportunities for the children (or adults) in your community, go out and get acquainted with the members of your local school board. Tell them about the Wisdom of the Hands and point them to this blog if they seem to show the slightest interest. Taking American education into our own hands is a concept way past due. It's subversive, but subversive can be a very good thing.

When my daughter was 2 or 3 my wife and I made a small table and chair set which we painted and decorated with stenciling. It's stored in the attic now, being saved for when Lucy has children of her own. We spent long hours sitting in the tiny chairs modeling things from clay, from pipe cleaners, folded from paper or cut out with scissors. If you want to give your child the opportunity for growth most appropriate to becoming a creative and responsible human being, a place to be creative and make messes with craft work is a far better contribution than a computer or laptop. Children will grow to sensibly engage in high technology later, after the real world provides a sensible foundation for their experience. Make certain that the television is off. My most creative students at Clear Spring School have been the ones who grew up without television and did more interesting things. Instead of searching for idle entertainments, they made things of their own invention and worked in service of the needs of their families. In other words, plan your child's life to engage in real experience instead of distraction and escape.

The photo above is of my daughter Lucy at her play table. Do you think she was having fun?

The chart below is from BB Hoffman's book The Sloyd System of Woodworking published in 1892, and was designed to point out the educational value of Sloyd Woodworking in comparison to other crafts. If you click on it, it will enlarge and you may be able to read it.

I live in a community of artists, and would be hesitant to proclaim woodworking as being of greater artistic merit than other crafts. The point that BB Hoffman and others made about education was that since few schools have the economic resources to teach all crafts, the unique educational values in woodworking make it the craft of choice for implementation in all schools, whether in 1892, or 2007.

I don't agree with everything on the chart, but given my experience, I can't argue with Hoffman's logic. If you have read a bit of this blog and have seen what the kids at Clear Spring do in our woodshop, I suspect you will agree.

Unfortunately, we have a very long way to go to get people in education to begin to understand the role our children's hands must play in their learning.

Today in the woodshop, 7th grader Rachel, wearing a Valentines Day Tutu began making a foot stool using hand tools. I wish I had had the chance for such things when I was in 7th grade. In the photo below, Rachel is using a rip saw, and sawing in the rather unconventional Sloyd style. The 5th and 6th grade students finished their pyramid boxes.Shown in the photo are Ryan, Brendan, Killian and Tanner.

Today in the woodshop at Clear Spring School, the 3rd and 4th grade students made models of the Solar System as part of their study of space.

The first and second grade students made toy cats. The cats weren't planned as part of an integrated curriculum. They were just a project that the students decided they wanted to do, and it is hard to say no to such enthusiasm. The cats were designed to be cut from a single block of 4 1/2 inch long 2 x 4. A tablesaw cut along one edge and a scroll saw cut forming the shape of the cat's head were made before class so that the legs and head could be liberated from the cat's body with two simple straight cuts.

Both of these projects have direct relevance to our children's needs for the development of spatial visualization, an important building block that will come into play when the students learn geometry and algebra.

Metaphors express the depth of human experience in relation to the hands. When we talk about opinions, we frame our discussion using the words related to the eye. We say, "this is my view," and we know it is only a perspective. We say in examining someone else's opinion, "Oh, I see." But it doesn't mean we agree. When we talk about deeper things, core beliefs, we say, "these are the beliefs I hold." When we want a complete understanding, we may say, "I want to get a 'handle" on things." "These are the facts in hand." We say, "I want to get a grasp of the issues." If our lives are falling apart, we don't just go for a "look-see." We try to "get a grip on things."

You can see from the language the importance of the hands. While the eyes and their view may lead to cursory involvement, the true depth of involvement in learning and life arrives with the touch of the hands.

If there was a conspiracy to turn human beings toward incompetance and conformity, there would be no better tool toward that end than to still the human hands in idleness and the human heart to complaisance. Perhaps that is the true meaning of the old saying, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

At this point, I urge you to get a grip on things. Teach your hands a few tricks. Let them inform you of your power. You will find them in service to others, shaping the world and our beliefs toward greater purpose. Give your children the hands-on experience that will make their lives rich in competency and enthusiasm.

A friend yesterday was describing his son-in-law's complete lack of prowess in anything that might be regarded as "mechanical" or require hand skills. This is becoming an all-too-common phenomenon. Young men and women develop themselves in all kinds of ways, while overlooking the kinds of development that lead to basic competency in dealing with the simple technologies of life. In The Sloyd System of Wood Working (1892) by BB Hoffman, Superintendent of the Baron De Hirsch Fund Trade Schools in New York City, Hoffman quoted an unidentified writer’s view,

“As the development of the motor centers in the brain hinges, in a great degree upon the movements and exercises of youth, it will be readily understood how important is the nature of the part played by the early exercise of the hand. There can be no doubt that the most active epoch in the development of these motor centers is from the fourth to fifteenth year, after which they become comparatively fixed and stubborn. Hence it can be understood that boys and girls whose hands have been left altogether untrained up to the fifteenth year are practically incapable of high manual efficiency thereafter.”

In essence, use it and develop it early or you will either never have it, or will develop it only through great effort. If children are not encouraged to explore and develop their use of their hands, as adults they will be deprived of their highest use of them.

I have older friends that have had incredible life adventures based on leadership skills and academic intelligence, who still feel deprived when they engage the physical world and the basic competancies it can require. Those rich enough can hire others to do for them the things they cannot do for themselves, but I would like to inform them of the simple joy that comes from feeling one's competence. One time many years ago my Toyota pick-up quit on the side of the road. I used my Swiss Army knife to dismantle the carberator, adjust the float level to get it running again, and drove along to complete my journey. I would have difficulties performing any similar maneuver on my fuel injected Subaru. Most things these days are designed to deny the competency of the consumer. I can tell you, however, that change is not always good. Technology is best where the individual is led to a sense of mastery and not helpless dependence. In the Wisdom of the Hands program, it is clear that not every child has the same mechanical inclinations or abilities, but that all children benefit from learning the basics of technology and the confidence that hands-on intellect and experience can bring to life.

This is the time of year in which thousands of Cub Scouts all across America are preparing their Pinewood Derby racers. John Grossbohlin sent me photos of his son Joshua working on his chess inspired pinewood racer. The photo at left is of Joshua with the finished work. The checkerboard pattern and the pawn driver were made by Joshua with hand tools. If you would like to know more about the Pinewood Derby racing program, Randy Worcester's Pinewood Derby website or the The Pinewood Derby Supersite are great places to start.

Good Luck Joshua! It looks like a fast car. I like that it brought your love of chess into the race. And thanks John for the photos.

Today we had the Clear Spring School Chocolate Festival, which is one of our largest and best school fundraisers. All the parents and kids are involved in helping, both to make and serve chocolates, and to promote the school. You have to know that our helpful and thoughtful students are our best promotion. To see them in action makes us very proud. We had a couple tables for the Wisdom of the Hands Program to display student work and to serve strawberries, pretzels and other food items for dipping in a small chocolate fountain. The cupcake tree shown in the photo above was one of two designed and made by High School students in the Clear Spring woodshop. The photo below is of some of the student work on display. The Chocolate Festival has become a major regional event with people driving in from quite a distance to attend.

Making geometric solids...One of the things we do on occasion in the woodshop is make geometric solids for the study of geometry. At left is a worksheet showing the method used for determining cut angles for making a pyramidal nonagon, or what could be called a nine sided pyramid. Below is the completed pyramid after being cut upside down on the bandsaw and liberated from the surrounding matrix. This project was done by Kyle Hunnicutt and Zach Gates in spring, 2005.

Dylan Seneca, Clear Spring High School Junior, wanted to make a "battle board" for tops. The idea is that a concave shaped board would lead tops to the center where they could battle each other for the longest spin. The battle board is made of 1/4" thick masonite, depressed at the center and glued to 3/4" thick particle board. Pretty trim around the edges will come later.

The 9th and 10th grade boys have taken a great interest in turning tops for competition. Shown in the photo above are two tops. The one at right named Mahammad Ali is designed for heavy-weight contention. At left is a top designed and made by Dylan which he calls "the wall," due to its flat side designed to keep other tops from tipping it over.

Making tops is really a study of physics. The students have been working to refine various elements of top design: the diameter of the handle, the mass and where it is placed in the design, choice of wood, shape at the bottom, various kinds of tip designs. Some are turned from octagonal stock so that their flat edges will engage other tops (with hopes of defeat). Then there is work to do on the beauty of it and the quality of finish. It adds interest that the tops can also be spun upside down, bringing new opportunities for refinement, competition and fun.

A couple quick items. I got copies of the new Woodcraft Magazine in the mail today and there are two items of special interest (to me anyway). The first is a one page article I wrote about integrating a study of economics with a woodworking activity in 3rd and 4th grades at Clear Spring School. You can download a copy of the article from my website. They also published a review of my new book, Basic Box Making. You can download that page from my website as well.

Today in the Clear Spring School Wood Shop, the 1st and 2nd graders did Paper Sloyd, from the original book by Ednah Anne Rich. This was the 4th project done from that book, making folded paper scissor cases for their school scissors. They also did knot tying, and to help with a classroom project, we sawed open a coconut, tasted coconut milk and ate coconut meat.

Third and 4th graders made fraction blocks for their study of fractions. Photos of both projects are shown above.

My improved bench hook is featured in the new Woodwork Magazine (April 07 number 104) It gives small children better accuracy in cutting parts to exact lengths. It has magnets to help guide the saw, giving the students a boost on keeping cuts square to the stock while also keeping their hands safe. This bench hook is the third generation of bench hooks in the Clear Spring School woodshop. No doubt it will be further refined. If you are not a subscriber to Woodwork, you can get a free trial issue by following the link above. Look for a very brief article about the Clear Spring School woodshop in the next issue of Woodcraft Magazine, too.

When a student asked her art teacher, Laura Waters, whether woodworking was really art or PE, it was a good question, and one that has come up before. The student's question arose from the amount of pysical effort required, but as we all know, PE is about much more than the expenditure of physical effort. The drawings at left are illustrations showing proper forms for Educational Sloyd published by Otto Salomon at Nääs in 1894. Woodworking, done with attention, builds a sense of form within the body and a relationship between the body and the earth even as objects are made. In order to cut a straight line, or plane a square edge, the student has to pay attention to posture and the movement of his or her limbs, hands and body, and study their relationships to the tools, the material and to the gravitational forces of the earth. It seems like a simple thing. When teaching my students to plane wood, I ask them to pay attention to their stance, the angles that they hold their hands as they grip the ball and tote (handle) of the plane, and their alignment with gravity. Woodworking builds self-awareness, and students can assess their own alignment by measuring the results with a square on the edge of the wood.