Floral Art as Spiritual Practice with Anthony Ward

This weeks episode is with visionary floral sculptor, Anthony Ward! Most known for his elaborate performances on stage combining his extensive history of dance with his love for floral arrangement, Anthony has shared his art with thousands across the globe. Having had opportunities to collaborate with the likes of Michael Franti, Bobby McFerrin, STS9, Tipper, and a slew of spiritual teachers such as the Dalai Lama, Eckhart Tolle, and Ram Dass; Anthony has secured his spot as one of the world's top contemporary floral artists. 

In this conversation, we discuss his life of working with flowers and the intersections between arrangement and dance. We then explore the lineages of floral arrangement, how we can begin our own practice, and the lessons he's learned from a lifetime of dedicating himself to this artform. 

If this inspires you to begin your own journey into the world of floral art, I'd highly encourage you to check out his book, 'Being With Flowers' (link down below)

Show Topics
- Anthony’s Story of Connecting with the Flowers
- The Intersection of Flower Arrangement and Dancing
- Floral Art as Spiritual Practice
- Impermanence and Flowers
- Ikebana
- How to Start Flower Arranging
- Forming Relationships with Individual Flowers
- Lessons from Flowers for Troubled Times
- The Universal Quality of Flowers
- Weeds and Gathering Materials
- Flowers and Masculinity
- The Enlivening Quality of Passion

Links
Anthony at Envision: https://youtu.be/3efXGXxEoKE?si=jCnQh93KbmmyXibn
Anthony Meeting the Dalai Lama: https://youtu.be/GPQs1lyCS1o?si=w9NUPxPRAFj3sbKK
Being With Flowers: Being With Flowers Amazon Link