Imperfection is the basic principle of Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese philosophy of accepting your imperfections and making the most of life. What is Wabi-Sabi? Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese concept and way of life, and a term created by two separate words. Wabi is mindful simplicity and less-is-more. Sabi is the beauty of imperfection & the acceptance of it as it occurs with the passage of time. When you put them together, simple abundance, serenity and wonder marry transience, impermanence and imperfection. Bringing wabi-sabi into your life ... takes a mind quiet enough to appreciate muted beauty, courage not to fear bareness, willingness to accept things as they are — without ornamentation. It depends on the ability to slow down, to shift the balance from doing to being, to appreciating rather than perfecting. - Robyn Griggs Lawrence, author of Simply Imperfect: Revisiting the Wabi Sabi House.  There's a tranquility offered by the wabi-sabi way of life. Would a little more tranquility sweeten life for you? Wabi-Sabi invites you to relax, slow down, and step away from the frenetic busyness of modern life so that you can experience serenity in your everyday life. But it also invites you to embrace authenticity and a radical acceptance of who you are, warts and all. Embracing wabi-sabi is as easy (or as difficult) as understanding & accepting yourself , imperfections & all. It’s being compassionate with yourself as you are and building on whatever that is — not feverishly trying to rebuild yourself in order to pose as something else entirely. - Mike Sturm The wabi-sabi mindset can reach far and wide because it also can have an impact on the way you see yourself. Its gift can teach you to see yourself through the lenses of compassion and acceptance. And help you know yourself as beautiful, inside and out, despite what you see as flaws and imperfections. Wabi-Sabi has often been tied to the Japanese tea ceremony, a ritual that demonstrates the mindfulness and modesty needed to fully understand this way of living. But wabi-sabi is not just for Zen monks & tea masters. Anyone can exercise this mindset. - Julie Pointer Adams Embracing the Wabi-Sabi Mindset Anyone can develop the wabi-sabi mindset. There is so much we can learn from it and apply to our own lives. Here are just a few possibilities... How to let go of perfection & embrace imperfection. How to be happy with less, instead of focused on the relentless pursuit of more. How to make the most of every moment, big or small & discover the beauty in your daily life. How to accept yourself fully & give yourself permission to be exactly who you are. How to celebrate your life as it is, right now, rather than being distracted by what it isn't yet, but should be. Which of these possibilities resonates most with you today? See you next time! Love, Jeanine
6 Comments
5/8/2019 11:37:19 am
Yes, that would be wonderful, Martha! For a lot of women who are taught to see themselves as valuable only if they are conventionally beautiful, young and flawless. 5/8/2019 08:16:40 am
A lot like the serenity prayer. The issue is that most of us lack the clarity of thought to recognize what or where the line is (between what we can and cannot change). 5/8/2019 11:39:00 am
That's true, Roy. There can be a lot of unhappiness in trying to change what can't be changed. And the serenity prayer can be a powerful antidote to thinking that way. 5/8/2019 11:37:59 am
How to make the most of every moment, big or small & discover the beauty in your daily life. This is the one for me. Leave a Reply. |
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