In today’s over-competitive world, where everyone is trying to be the best, there is a quest for perfection. But, the ancient Japanese tradition teaches something exactly opposite and more reliable: The Wabi-Sabi style. This is all about embracing the beauty of imperfection and transience. Let’s learn more about it.
Wabi-Sabi is derived from Buddhism. Its main aspect is to accept and make peace with the imperfection and transience. The teachings of the wabi-sabi style inspire a lot of interior design. It is prevalent in many forms of Japanese art.
Wabi-Sabi is comprised of two words. Wabi refers to loneliness while Sabi refers to the transient nature of life.
The term “wabi-sabi” comes from the Buddhist notion of the three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering, and emptiness or absence of self-nature. Originally, though, the two were considered to be separate ideas.
You can search for perfection in imperfection. It is very realistic to understand that whatever you get in life may not always be perfect, but there is something good in that too.
The Wabi-Sabi style of living makes your life easier and simpler. It shows that when you accept imperfection, you can live your life more smoothly. In today’s blog, we will learn more about this philosophy and see how you can implement it in your daily life.
Wabi-Sabi Style: 9 Simple Ways to Adopt it in Your Daily Life
Let us dive into the teachings of the wabi-sabi style and learn how they can be implemented in your everyday life.
1. Wabi-Sabi Style and Self-Acceptance
A lot of times, you may find yourself striving for perfection in your friends, family, or partner. The Wabi-Sabi style teaches you to be happy with whatever you have and accept people the way they are. Don’t strive to change them to have them fit your standards. Don’t try to make them perfect when it is only natural and normal to be flawed. After all, that is what makes you human above all: being flawed.
Acceptance also gives you freedom from problems that are only in your mind. It pushes you towards growth in the most natural ways.
Personally, when I accepted my flaws, I became more calm and peaceful. I felt better and I stopped being hard on myself to be a certain way or to “be perfect” to fit in. This gave me the courage to break free from societal standards and embrace who I am.
2. Wabi-Sabi Style and Kintsugi
Kintsugi is a Japanese art in which broken objects are joined by gold. It signifies that broken pieces can be mended and made more beautiful than before.
In my life, broken hearts are a big deal. Not just because they break you inside out but also because of the transformation they bring.
The person who gets their heart broken and the one who lets it go to come out of it are never the same people. It’s the same individual with a different mindset and perspective altogether. This is one of those storms of life that leaves you with many lessons.
When I went through my heartbreak, I lost the will to live. It felt as if the world had come down crashing. I will always remember how I handled myself through it all. It was when I joined my heart pieces, mended them, and transformed myself into a more beautiful person than I was earlier.
The new me knew how to be in control of her emotions and most importantly, how to not let anybody take advantage of being a person who loves with all her heart and soul. That incident made me stronger in ways that nothing could have ever done.
3. Wabi-Sabi Style in Home Decor
You can apply the Wabi-Sabi style to your home decor ideas too. It can be reflected in home decor by using natural materials, and minimalist design. You can choose items that have a history and asymmetry. You can create home decor pieces that appreciate and embrace imperfection.
At my home, I created a space that was simple, minimalistic, and without any clutter. By adopting the wabi-sabi style, your home exudes more calmness and positivity.
It is no hidden truth that your surroundings affect your mindset. With the implementation of the wabi-sabi style in my home, my mind is also aligned to live a more simpler and minimal lifestyle.
4. Wabi-Sabi Style in Relationships
Every relationship has its ups and downs. The Wabi-Sabi style embraces the downs and trains your mind to love your partner even during those times to strengthen your relationship.
When I went through the worst phase of my relationship with my partner, it made it extremely difficult for me to stay through it. But, I decided to stay and heal our broken relationship because I didn’t want to regret it later in life.
The truth is everyone wishes to find the perfect partner. But, you don’t get perfect that easily. A perfect relationship is something you build together as a couple, one moment at a time.
The very definition of perfection is flawed in itself because it sets unrealistic expectations. The reality is that people are imperfect. You don’t turn them into “perfect partners” to spend your lives together, you learn to accept their flaws and love them despite them.
The Wabi-Sabi style teaches you to embrace and accept your partner’s imperfections wholeheartedly, this acceptance leads to stronger emotional bonds and a successful relationship in the long run. It is what makes your relationship more beautiful.
5. Nature Inspired Living
The Wabi-Sabi style pushes you to draw inspiration from nature in your daily life.
I have a niece and she is an aspiring artist. (Here’s her YouTube Channel if you wish to check her out). Her curiosity in trying new art pieces has been a great catalyst for me to embrace mother nature in my surroundings.
We have so many of her art pieces in our home now. They don’t just add to the overall vibe of our home but also allow us to embrace the beauty of hand-crafted materials in our surroundings.
This environment helps us feel closer to nature and appreciate the gifts we are presented with. This also cultivates a sense of gratitude both for the natural resources and the natural art supplies.
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Here is one of her recent creations that was made on a piece of wood we found around us.
6. Wabi-Sabi Style in Culinary Arts
In the kitchen, the wabi-sabi style encourages you to recognize the beauty in the asymmetry of a home-cooked meal or the asymmetrical shapes of handcrafted pottery.
Embrace the imperfections in the presentation and savor the distinct tastes in every dish you eat.
This will not only make you feel good and grateful for the meals in front of you but it will also make your cook happy, whether it’s your mom or anybody else.
If you’re living alone and you cook your meals yourself, this will also let you appreciate the process of cooking even more.
7. Wabi-Sabi Style and Seasonal Living
The changing seasons are the most beautiful gifts of nature. The refreshing spring, the hot summer, or the cold winter, each of them has its pros and cons.
The Wabi-Sabi style makes you adapt your way of living to these varying seasons. It lets you adopt a seasonal lifestyle by adjusting your daily routine, furnishings, and hobbies to suit the shifts in your natural surroundings.
This practice highlights the short-lived splendor seen in each season and promotes a connection to life’s cycles.
8. Timeless Beauty In Aging
The Wabi-Sabi style encourages you to appreciate the beauty of aging sensibly. This includes learning to value the fine lines on your face, the gray hair, and the experience gained from growing older.
One of the harsh truths about life is not everyone has the blessing of getting old. If you are given the time to grow old on this earth, it is indeed a blessing and you must be grateful for it. Every mark bears witness to a life well lived and experiences acquired.
9. Appreciating Handcrafted Items
Items made by hand naturally capture the spirit of the Wabi-Sabi Style. The flaws in handcrafted items, such as ceramics, knitted scarves, or handwritten notes, offer depth and personality to the things we use daily.
Recently, on my birthday, my niece made these beautiful handcrafted earrings and my mom crocheted this beautiful cover for my Amazon Kindle. These will always stay with me and remind me of their love for me.
These works convey a story of a person’s touch and craftsmanship.
Conclusion
I hope this blog will help you to embrace imperfections and adopt the Wabi-Sabi style in your daily life.
You may have been in a race in this modern world to attain perfection in everything you do. But the Wabi-Sabi style is a respite in the rat race for perfection.
When I embraced my imperfections, I felt at ease and more connected to a higher power. It brought in a sense of spirituality in me which has been a life-changing experience.
I hope you find the same serenity and calmness with your imperfections.
