WABI-SABI

 

WABI-SABI IS A COMPLEX AESTHETIC WITH ROOTS IN ZEN BUDDHISM. IT TEACHES US TO SEE BEAUTY IN THE NATURAL DEGRADATION OF THE WORLD AROUND US. THIS PHILOSOPHY DOES NOT JUST APPLY TO PHYSICAL OBJECTS BUT ALSO EXTENDS TO OUR OWN EXPERIENCES AND INTERACTIONS. IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT NOTHING LASTS, NOTHING IS FINISHED, AND NOTHING IS PERFECT.

THIS MINDSET IS INCREDIBLY LIBERATING. IT ALLOWS US TO EMBRACE LIFE AS IT COMES, WITH ALL ITS FLAWS AND SCARS. IT TEACHES US TO APPRECIATE THE PRESENT MOMENT WITHOUT THE CONSTANT PURSUIT OF PERFECTION, WHICH CAN OFTEN FEEL LIKE AN EXHAUSTING AND UNATTAINABLE GOAL. IN WABI-SABI, THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE MODEST AND HUMBLE, THE RUSTIC, AND THE MELANCHOLIC. IT IS ABOUT BEING MORE WITH LESS.

KINTSUGI: WABI-SABI IN PRACTICE

A TANGIBLE MANIFESTATION OF WABI-SABI IS SEEN IN THE ART OF KINTSUGI, WHERE BROKEN POTTERY PIECES ARE MENDED WITH GOLD OR SILVER LACQUER, HIGHLIGHTING THE CRACKS INSTEAD OF HIDING THEM. THIS PROCESS REPAIRS THE OBJECT AND TRANSFORMS IT, GIVING IT A NEW LEASE OF LIFE WITH ITS HISTORY PROUDLY DISPLAYED RATHER THAN CONCEALED.

KINTSUGI IS A BEAUTIFUL METAPHOR FOR LIFE. IT TEACHES US THAT OUR BREAKS, OUR FLAWS, AND OUR EXPERIENCES ARE NOT TO BE HIDDEN. THEY ARE TO BE CELEBRATED AND REVERED. THEY MAKE US WHO WE ARE. THE GOLD-FILLED CRACKS IN A KINTSUGI BOWL REFLECT HOW OUR CHALLENGES AND REPAIRS MAKE US MORE UNIQUE, BEAUTIFUL, AND RESILIENT, REMINDING US OF OUR OWN STRENGTH AND WORTH.

THE LESSON OF SURRENDER AND ACCEPTANCE

AT THE HEART OF WABI-SABI LIES THE ESSENTIAL VIRTUES OF SURRENDER AND ACCEPTANCE—SURRENDER TO THE NATURAL COURSE OF LIFE AND ACCEPTANCE OF OUR IMPERFECTIONS. BY EMBRACING THESE PRINCIPLES, WE FIND PEACE IN THE CHAOS AND LEARN TO FIND JOY IN THE IMPERFECTIONS THAT DEFINE OUR UNIQUE STORIES. WE LEARN THAT OUR CRACKS ARE NOT SIGNS OF DEFEAT BUT SYMBOLS OF OUR STRENGTH AND SURVIVAL, BRINGING US A SENSE OF CALM AND CONTENTMENT.

A LOVE FOR NEW YORK’S OLD SOUL

MY MAGNETIC DRAW TO NEW YORK CITY MIRRORS THIS PHILOSOPHY. THE CITY, OFTEN DUBBED A CONCRETE JUNGLE, IS A LIVING, BREATHING EXHIBIT OF WABI-SABI. AS MUCH AS IT EVOLVES WITH TOWERING, SLEEK SKYSCRAPERS, I AM DRAWN TO ITS DECAY—THE OLD YELLOW AND RED BRICK BUILDINGS WITH WOODEN WATER TANKS AND TAR ROOFTOPS. THESE FEATURES SPEAK OF A NEW YORK THAT RESPECTS ITS PAST, ACKNOWLEDGES ITS WEAR, AND PROUDLY SHOWS ITS AGE. WHILE I ACCEPT THE RISE OF NEW STRUCTURES, I TRULY FIND SOLACE IN THE PEACE OF THE OLD AND WORN.

TRUST IN GOD,

CHRIS HOBBICK

June 14, 2024 0 comments