Lately, I’ve taken a break from reading the fourth book in the “Game of Thrones” series (so good!) in order to read something very different, “Wabi Sabi : the Japanese Art of Impermanence.” I bought this book several months ago, read the beginning, then kind of drifted away from it. I’ve brought myself back, though, because the wabi sabi philosophy is one I’ve always felt connected to, inspired by, and it is time for me to rekindle our relationship.
Wabi sabi is notoriously difficult to explain in English, especially if one is trying to be concise. That being said, I pulled these two quotes from the book because they do a pretty decent job: “the term wabi sabi suggests such qualities as impermanence, humility, asymmetry, and imperfection… Japanese art, infused with the spirit of wabi sabi, seeks beauty in the truths of the natural world, looking toward nature for its inspiration.”
I read the section on wabi sabi flower arranging last night and woke up to a blooming crabapple tree right outside my door. It was pretty clear what I should spend my morning doing…
Ikebana (literally “living flowers”), is the wabi sabi version of flower arranging. Emphasis is placed on flowers gathered from the outdoors, rather than their cultivated, more impressive, counterparts.
The ikebana arrangement should ”allow the flowers to express its own beauty without forcing it to fit [a] man-made construct.” (Though, I must admit, I pinched the leaves off these little flower clusters and am quite happy with the results.) As a side note, in keeping with my favorite things post, this tiny little bowl/cup came home with me, along with a sibling, from a trip to the thrift store. I couldn’t believe it when I saw them. So sweet.
I acquired this sublime ceramic tea cup from a sale that the ceramics department at CCS had one year. They included pieces that had been left on the shelves, unclaimed, and this was one of them. Its quite small and dainty, but has such an earthy presence to it. Oh, and the base is beautifully carved into what look like facets. I love it.
What are your thoughts on wabi sabi? Had you heard of the philosophy before? I plan on talking about it a lot more in the coming weeks/months, as its such a huge part of my design and life inspiration. Until then, head over to Poetic Home and read these posts for some more thoughts.
