Search A Light In The Darkness
The Beauty of Imperfection
The mossy, knotted roots of an old tree. A winding road only partially paved. The deeply lined face of an elder. Much of the beauty around us is neither symmetrical nor intricate. It is naturally radiant and uniquely striking. According to Japanese aesthetic tradition, the appreciation of beauty that is impermanent, imperfect and incomplete is called Wabi Sabi. Wabi is the kind of perfect beauty that is paradoxically caused by just the right kind of imperfection. Sabi is the kind of attractiveness that can come only with age. Blending harmoniously, these two concepts provide a path to a definition of beauty that values humanity over flawlessness. Learning to appreciate the Wabi Sabi in your surroundings, you will open your eyes to beauty in all its diversity. The concepts of Wabi-Sabi correlate with the principles of Zen Buddhism, as the first Japanese involved with its practice were tea masters, priests, and monks who also practiced Zen. Upon noticing the unique beauty of a roof tile, a mid sixteenth century Master of the Tea Ceremony, Sen no Rikyu, asked the tile maker to produce some pieces for the tea ceremony using the same materials and firing technique. The result was pottery with bold colors, great freedom of form and a simplicity that seemed to embody the essence of Zen. Today, many painters, potters and writers continue to create art in this tradition. Their Wabi Sabi art, which reflects humble soulfulness instead of machine-like precision, challenges the eye, asking us to transcend our usual ways of evaluating life. You can begin to perceive beauty in this way by simply looking around. Surrounding you at all times is nature's earthy, unpretentious magnificence. Nature's imperfect loveliness will remind you to love your authentic self. Wabi Sabi teaches us that it is our flaws that make us beautiful. So embrace your uniqueness and learn to see beauty in all its forms.
The mossy, knotted roots of an old tree. A winding road only partially paved. The deeply lined face of an elder. Much of the beauty around us is neither symmetrical nor intricate. It is naturally radiant and uniquely striking. According to Japanese aesthetic tradition, the appreciation of beauty that is impermanent, imperfect and incomplete is called Wabi Sabi. Wabi is the kind of perfect beauty that is paradoxically caused by just the right kind of imperfection. Sabi is the kind of attractiveness that can come only with age. Blending harmoniously, these two concepts provide a path to a definition of beauty that values humanity over flawlessness. Learning to appreciate the Wabi Sabi in your surroundings, you will open your eyes to beauty in all its diversity. The concepts of Wabi-Sabi correlate with the principles of Zen Buddhism, as the first Japanese involved with its practice were tea masters, priests, and monks who also practiced Zen. Upon noticing the unique beauty of a roof tile, a mid sixteenth century Master of the Tea Ceremony, Sen no Rikyu, asked the tile maker to produce some pieces for the tea ceremony using the same materials and firing technique. The result was pottery with bold colors, great freedom of form and a simplicity that seemed to embody the essence of Zen. Today, many painters, potters and writers continue to create art in this tradition. Their Wabi Sabi art, which reflects humble soulfulness instead of machine-like precision, challenges the eye, asking us to transcend our usual ways of evaluating life. You can begin to perceive beauty in this way by simply looking around. Surrounding you at all times is nature's earthy, unpretentious magnificence. Nature's imperfect loveliness will remind you to love your authentic self. Wabi Sabi teaches us that it is our flaws that make us beautiful. So embrace your uniqueness and learn to see beauty in all its forms. 