Repeat the Master-symbol study with a slower checked practice and a simple comparison record.
Why this matters
One careful study pass is a start, not a finish. A second practice helps you recognise the form without guessing. It also shows you which detail still needs work.
This is an optional lesson. Use it when you want a slower repetition, not when you feel you must earn a result. The aim is a checked copy, not perfect calligraphy.
A slower checked practice
Set out the manual drawing on page 11, a pencil and two sheets of paper. Give yourself about fifteen minutes. Stop earlier if your hand or eyes are tired.
- Minutes 0–2: Settle at a table. Look at the whole form. Name the three characters you can recognise. Keep the reference open.
- Minutes 2–7: Copy the form slowly while looking. Do not try to remember it yet. Choose one detail to check, such as the space between two characters.
- Minutes 7–12: Turn the reference face down. Draw the form once from memory. Then turn the page back and compare.
- Minutes 12–15: Circle one difference. Write one sentence about what you will check next time. Put the reference away.
A worked example
Imagine that your first copy looks close, but the bottom character is pressed flat. You circle that detail. On the second copy you leave more space below the middle character. The result is not beautiful, but it is easier to compare with the source.
That is a successful practice. You found one checkable difference and made one correction. You did not need a strong sensation, a vision or a new spiritual experience.
Sources and further reading
- Level 3 manual, page 11 — The reference drawing and the Master-symbol introduction.
- Level 3 manual, page 13 — General drawing guidance and discussion of variations.
- Dai Ko Myo: a lineage-aware guide — First-party discussion of forms, meanings, and related symbols.