W For Wabi-Sabi, Perfection In Imperfection

In this world, there are two kinds of people. Those who believe in nothing but perfection. They will not accept anything that falls even an ounce short of perfection. Right from the life they lead, to the clothes they wear, to how they look and work, they want everything to be ‘just right’. And then there are those who understand that life cannot always be perfect. There are flaws–in people, in things, in situations and everything else that occupies the universe. They work hard, but understand that sometimes things may go wrong and it is just fine. They don’t give up and though they may appear unlucky at times, they are perfectly fine with their condition.

The mind-set of this second category of people is what the Japanese refer to as Wabi- Sabi. This is not an uncommon word and throws light on the Japanese culture that finds beauty in objects, designs, etc., that are simple and imperfect. Did you know, individually, Wabi and Sabi are two separate concepts:

Wabi implies recognizing beauty in simplicity. It denotes opening up the heart so that we do not hanker for material riches but aim for spiritual richness instead.

Sabi explains how with the passage of time, all things grow, age, and decay, and how it manifests itself beautifully when we look at objects. It suggests that beauty is hidden beneath the surface, sometimes even below what the eye perceives as broken from outside.

Wabi-Sabi is a wonderful concept if we are able to accept and implement it in our life. Of course, it is not easy to accept life as it comes. But with practice, everything is possible. Whenever faced with a challenging situation, the Japanese practice telling, “Uketomo” which means “I accept it with an open heart.” If we try to live a simple life and accept whatever comes our way without complaining, our lives will certainly be enriched. If we stop looking at flaws but look deep, we will certainly find something more beautiful and enriching. I am going to try and stop judging and look beyond what meets the eye…Are you joining me?

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. Join me as I explore the roller-coaster world of emotions the whole of this month. Here’s my previous post on emotions, starting with the letter V, in case you missed it.