Strokes of Stillness

Growing up, I hated writing. Absolutely dreaded it. While most people thought English or Social Science were the scoring subjects, I ironically did better in Math —simply because it didn’t involve writing long answers.

It’s funny now, considering I’ve chosen calligraphy as a full-time career. My mother finds it even funnier. She says it’s karma's way of coming back for all those years I refused to pick up a pen (and I can’t blame her, because she had to do my homework and endure countless complaints from teachers).

What changed? One workshop with a brush pen. That’s all it took. I walked in as someone curious, and walked out feeling unexpectedly focused and calm. I started practicing more, and soon I was hooked.

From there, it grew.

I practiced alone. Then under a teacher who taught cursive to children— and it was during this journey that I truly began to understand the intricate relationship between strokes, posture, and breath—and how each of these elements can influence not just our writing, but our emotional state and overall well-being.

So let’s dive in.

Calligraphy, simply put, is the art of beautiful writing. But it’s also the art of presence. Each stroke demands your attention. You can't rush. You can’t multitask. When paired with mindful breathing—inhale on the upstroke, exhale on the down—you create rhythm, calm, and clarity.

I invite you to try this yourself. You don’t need fancy tools, just a pencil and ruled paper.

1. Find a quiet corner and sit comfortably. Keep your back straight.

2. Place your pencil on the paper. As you draw an upward stroke, inhale slowly through your nose.

3. As you draw a downward stroke, exhale through your mouth. You can try feeling the weight of the downward stroke and apply a little pressure if it feels natural.

4. Keep going—inhale on the way up, exhale on the way down. Your strokes will automatically come out equidistant if you work with breath, so no need to worry about where to start the next one from.

5. Refer to the arrows in the photograph. Recreate the strokes for 10 minutes.

(Feel free to pause or rest if you feel sudden lethargy—your body always knows best.)

Thank you for being patient and hearing me out. If you do try this, drop a message as I’d genuinely love to hear your experience. :)

Love,

Mahak