Ancient Song Zendo

A Commission for Mindfulness, Song, and Seasonal Light

In spring 2024, Mosaic Memories was commissioned by Carol Hunter, founder of Ancient Song Zendo, to create a mosaic gently welcoming practitioners into the quiet practice of zazen. The brief centred on two deeply symbolic motifs: a Song Thrush—homage to the local singer of ancient song—and the Hawthorn, long associated with the heart, seasonal renewal, and preparation.

Carol contributed a cherished ceramic milk jug to guide the mosaic’s palette—its form and colour subtly blended into the final design. Working closely with John Preston, co-founder of the Zendo, the mosaic was carefully installed into the clay and lime-rendered wall of the roundhouse. Surrounded by mindful, living gardens, the setting shaped a process as much a joyful meditation as an act of making.

The hawthorn is shown in its full cycle—twig, flower, leaf, and berry—echoing the passing seasons and the inward rhythms of practice. Designed to change with the day’s shifting light, the mosaic catches the early Sun, glows with the traversing green reflections of surrounding foliage, and softening into silvery blue hues under moonlight.

Positioned on the path to the Zendo’s entrance, the mosaic offers a quiet moment of encounter—a celebration of presence, place, and the natural world cradling contemplative life. The piece has been warmly received, with Carol reflecting it is more than she imagined, drawing appreciation from all who visit.