We have all been broken in some way. Things have happened in your life. You have suffered. You have experienced impermanence. You have endured heartache. You may have broken bones and most likely, you have some scars. You may have known damage to your psyche. You may be worn, wrinkled and weathered. You have healed. You, like every thing and every one, are imperfect.
Have you ever considered that your imperfections are what make you special? Your imperfections reflect your authenticity and uniqueness as a human being. Your imperfections have stood the test of time and become more valuable over your lifetime. You now reflect the unique experiences of your own life. You are a perfect imperfect individual.
Perhaps in your brokenness, you have felt that you weren’t good enough. You may believe that you don’t deserve it (whatever “it” is). Maybe you don’t accept yourself. Perhaps you can learn something from the concept of wabi-sabi, which is centered on the idea of radical acceptance of imperfection. It is beauty that is imperfect or incomplete. Based on the Buddhist teachings of impermanence and suffering, wabi roughly translates as rustic simplicity; sabi is described as graceful serenity, which is something that often only comes with age.
Wabi-sabi is something you can practice in many areas of your life. In your relationships, acceptance of another’s faults allows you to enjoy the person rather than try to “fix” them. As singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen put it, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” A wabi-sabi relationship is one where you accept each other as you are – imperfect, incomplete and mortal. Embracing the truth that change is the only constant in life, wabi-sabi allows you to appreciate the process of aging and seeing the true beauty of yourself and others. Your story lies in your imperfections. Not aging is stagnation.
You can also benefit from the principle of wabi-sabi when you apply it your food and how you chose to nourish your body. A lumpy, imperfect heirloom tomato picked from the garden is far more flavorful and satisfying than a perfectly formed hothouse version. Natural, simple food served on cherished, cracked and worn platters deepen the sensory experience.
When you appreciate the charm of things that are uniquely yours, you can appreciate growing old together. Wabi-sabi celebrates what is handmade, unique and what has been used and enjoyed. Things become beautiful because they have been loved. Your home is a reflection of your subconscious mind. Every object in it should be beautiful, useful or both. This can create an atmosphere of tranquility and peaceful harmony. Appreciating what you have creates a sense of gratitude and abundance.
Every thing has a lifetime. It eventually wears out and is discarded. When you know this and understand it, you can find beauty in the entropy. That is wabi-sabi.
“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.” ~ L.R.Knost
#wabi-sabi #impermanence #acceptance #abundance #gratitude #authenticity