Wabi sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection. That statement in itself makes me happy. Observing it is a meditation and a tool for keeping life cool. And whimsicaly creative. I’m playing with it at the moment as I write. It’s proving a nifty little tool!
Wabi stems from the word wa, which refers to harmony, peace, tranquility and balance. Sabi, by itself, means “the bloom of time. Through wabi-sabi we learn to embrace our scars, rust, uneven finishes and the “bloom” of time they represent.
I found this post on eco salon about living a wabi sabi life: “Wabi-sabi is flea markets, not warehouse stores; aged wood, not Pergo; rice paper, not glass. It celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind.”
Ways to get wabi sabi with it today?
- pick some flowers from the side of the road and play with them until you find a nicely discordant arrangment. Stick em in a jam jar.
- take 2 or 3 old toys or heirlooms you’ve hung onto, stored in a box, and arrange them on the mantlepeice.
- make a “still life salad”…
