“If life gives you rocks, you balance them.”
I learned about Leandro Inocencio early on in my rock balancing experience.. The connection he draws between nature and balance have always resonated with my own practice… As you may see in some of the following pictures, Leandro is doing BIG things to promote and teach “balance”, while working with community to bring awareness toward nature… Together with co-founder Ildefonso Bandoma Vista, Leandro plays a crucial role in an NGO called Rock Balancing Philippines. Check them out and explore all the great things they are doing!
***Please note that all photos in this post are under ownership/copyright of Leandro, Rock Balancing Philippines, or direct media support. Please be respectful. Permission required for use.***
More of Leandro’s work and photos can be found here:
Rock Balancing Philippines on Facebook
Q&A
GG: How long have you been practicing stone balance? Where do you normally practice?
I started rock balancing in 2009. It was just an accident. I accidentally balanced a rock in our garden when I do landscaping that was after typhoon Ketsana (ondoy). many people died in our country. I normally practice everywhere when there’s a rock.
GG: Please describe your first experience rock balancing. How did you first discover the art?
My first experience in rock balancing is that I was super amazed with it…. I really love the feeling of doing it.
My first performance is when there was a medical mission near my place… Someone told me that there are so many people in-line waiting for their turn for medical check up and they are so bored… At first it was hard because they might think I’m crazy … but it’s another way around… they are so amazed by the stones…
Then I formed the group Rock Balancing Philippines with the help of my co-founder Ildefonso Vista. We decided to take it out by teaching the community about balance in life and nature to reconstruct and protect the environment… that we need to balance ourselves to help others and always think positively
GG: Please identify one or more stone balance artists (if any) that inspired you initially and/or along your journey, and have contributed to your own style/interest/development with the art.
I searched online and I found Bill Dan… We talked and he gave me some information and put my work on his blog… Andy Goldsworthy I think influenced my work so much…
GG: Do you think stone balance has therapeutic and/or academic applications? please explain.
For us, we believe that rock balancing and balanced rocks has therapeutic effect in the balancer and also effect the audience because of meditation and curiosity… It relieves stress, depression, normal blood circulation, breathing etc…. but important thing that we want people to learn and realize the MEANING of this art form…. our principle is that, ROCKS represent nature… BALANCE represent responsibility… GRAVITY represent our connection. that we are one with nature… We want people to be an advocate…
GG: Lastly, please offer any comments/advice (if any) for beginners.
Practicing Rock balancing develops patience, focus, concentration, stability, and discipline… and we need that very much in this life… so if life gives you rocks, you balance them.
GG: What is Rock Balancing Philippines?
Rock Balancing Philippines was founded in September 2010 at Tanay, Rizal by me, Leandro Tamayo Inocencio and Ildefonso Bandoma Vista who were brought concurrently by common zeal for arts and nature.
Then, the “The Journey for the Trees” was formed and became our first project. This venture aims to motivate the community to be an advocate of a greener and cleaner environment. We encourage them to participate through sponsorship and volunteering. Further, the said project was also our act in response to the Municipality of Tanay’s Commemorative Activities for Typhoon Ondoy, United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), The Billion Tree Campaign, and the 350.org’s 10-10-10 Global Work Party, wherein a great number of sponsors and volunteers participated. Consequently, it was a success.
The enthusiasm became our advocacy of promoting environmental awareness and life conservation by means of conducting performance art exhibition, tree planting activities, environmental awareness lectures, rock balancing workshops, environmental art interaction, mountaineering, river trekking, Men’s Responsibility in Gender and Development Lectures (MR GAD), product and event promotion, landscaping services, clean up drive, Eco-tour, and medical missions with the help of Franciscan Medical Missionaries.
Rock Balancing Philippines plays an imperative role in inculcating our advocacy to the community. The RBP upholds our endeavor, this new performance art enthralled some organizations and TV networks. In fact, the RBP was featured in Yahoo News (twice), NBN4 (She Ka show), Net25 (Landmarks and Homepage), GMA7(GMA News and Unang Hirit), ABS-CBN (Umagang Kay Ganda), World News (Reuters News India/UK/US), Fox News, CNN, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Chicago Tribune, Washington post, Arirang TV Korea, China Daily News, New York Post, CNTV Channel, GMA news live). We were invited to hold some environmental symposiums and rock balancing exhibitions and tutorials. Currently, the RBP became the front liner of GMA Kapuso Foundation “Kapuso ng Kalikasan” in conducting environmental symposium, rock balancing workshop and providing the trees for the project….