Wabi Sabi

Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. ~Wabi-sabi for the Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers  Leonard Koren

Wabi-[sabi] is characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry... ~Introduction: Chanyo, The Art of Tea  Urasenke Seattle Homepage

Emerging from the 15th century as a reaction to the prevailing aesthetic of lavishness, ornamentation, and rich materials, wabi-sabi is the art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in earthiness, of revering authenticity above all. ~Natural Home  Robyn Griggs Lawerence


In Japanese, wabi and sabi are two distinct, different words. Their etymology is fascinating. (see link below) In the interest of brevity, I have given definitions that serve our purpose. That is, to focus and entertain the notion of "imperfect" being beautiful. What a novel concept for those of us in the West. If you seriously dwell on the idea's of beauty and youth that Madison Avenue has perpetuated on our society, and that we have accepted as truth, it is no wonder we are as neurotic a society as we are.

Last year I addressed the reality that most people deal with deep seated impressions of not being "good enough." (10-10-12) There is a pervasive sense that I am not _______. (go ahead, fill in the blank. Tall enough, rich enough, skinny enough, smart enough...ad infinitum) Your inner monologue becomes your reality. You become a slave to other people's concept of what beautiful is, what the meaning of success is, what you are supposed to be! Why?

Wabi-sabi is an appreciation for the way things are. Finding perfection in the imperfect. It is Life's gift to you today.

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/library/articles/beauty-wabi-sabi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3GkSo3ujSY&feature=youtube_gdata