Wabi-Sabi – the Japanese aesthetic of beauty

We live in a world where new is good – perfection is strived for – and young is beauty.  We thought however that we would share with you today a beautiful aesthetic that the Japanese believe in – it is the principal of Wabi-Sabi.  In a nutshell, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and accepting the natural cycle of growth.  It is simple, uncluttered and it values authenticity above all else.  Wabi-Sabi is about flea markets, instead of big box stores and malls; it’s about ageing wood, not laminate.  The principles of wabi-sabi celebrate cracks and crevices and believes that it is a sign that loving has left behind.

It is so easy to discard what isn’t new and forget what has aged – but stop and look closely next time at a pot that isn’t perfect – a flower that isn’t fully standing tall – or the aged face of the people around you – they all have a story to tell.