Have you heard the newfangled expression wabi-sabi? This funny word does not mean the hero of any anime, but a very serious approach to a new philosophy, aesthetics and lifestyle. And it was born from the ancient Japanese art (you can’t call it in any other way) to exist in harmony with the outside world, which is far from perfect.
"Wabi" from Japanese means modesty or even poverty, and "sabi" means - serenity, the beauty of silence and old age (oh, these Japanese — know how to beautifully wrap the meaning of any hieroglyph in their language!). So the name wabi-sabi can be translated from Japanese as a modest beauty. And this translation perfectly reflects the essence of the phenomenon.
Want to know where to look for wabi-sabi and what it is eaten with, and also why wabi-sabi style is not worse than hyped hygge? Then read the article estet-portal.com.
Instead of hygge: wabi-sabi — lifestyle and new philosophy
Just as the entire Western world learned to get high from a measured life in the style of a cozy Scandinavian hygge, a new philosophy of life came into fashion, which is also aimed precisely at concentrating on a feeling of happiness even in our far from ideal world. True, wabi-sabi can be called a new philosophy only for the Western world, because Japan has been living according to its basic canons for many centuries. Believe me, it would be good for each of us to become an adherent of wabi-sabi, because in the harsh realities of our modern life this is the surest and shortest path to happiness.
So, what do we have today? Turned on beautiful «licked» photo from Instagram a society that is almost completely ready to spend the whole day building a good composition for a shot for the sake of a good shot, depriving itself of real life for the sake of ephemeral “likes”. As a result, the hard-won "likes" (or, even worse, their absence) hit on self-esteem, nerves and (what a sin to hide) wallet, leading to a nervous tic and eternal dissatisfaction with oneself. Khrushchev without repair is much more real for us than elegant decor from social networks, no matter how afraid we are to admit it frankly. So it doesn’t make sense to hide behind beautiful plates from which we eat only when we are guests or for a shot on Instagram.
Have you noticed that gradually the world has become interested in simplicity and naturalness? Body-positive, plus-size models, beautifully aging models with wrinkles on glossy covers, not ironed shirts, a minimum of furniture in apartments, bare brick walls and furniture made of rough, unpolished wood — it's all on trend!
And all this can be considered wabi-sabi, the main feature of which is the search for beauty in imperfection.
Basic facts of Japanese philosophy that make it easier to understand the deep meaning of wabi-sabi:- Nothing lasts forever, so it makes no sense to hold on to things (even beautiful and beloved ones). - Nothing has a truly finished look and it makes no sense to try to achieve completion.
- Beauty is in imperfection: a gap between teeth, for example, can charm more than long, slender legs.
About the beauty that lies in imperfection: now you can safely tell everyone that you have become an adherent of the wabi-sabi philosophy, and without a twinge of conscience use your favorite cup with cracks and scratches, refuse tablecloths, sleep on wrinkled sheets, stop hiding a crack on the wall or worry about a slight mess in the apartment (and even more so - because of your supposedly too long nose or small chest). That is, we are sure, of course, that you did all this anyway, but now you can completely calm down.
Actually, the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi is, of course, much deeper than the thrill of using chipped plates and coarse linen sheets. This is a philosophy that has been formed over the centuries, and today has taken shape as a contradiction to world mass culture.
All this, according to the philosophy of wabi-sabi, leads to an understanding of the value and beauty of the fleeting life, as well as respect for the fast-running time. Appreciate the moment now! After all, the ideal does not exist, so why chase after mirages and illusions?
So stop comparing yourself to "phytonies" forever. from social networks or more busty girlfriends. Learn to love your "roughness" and "irregularities" and present them as your personal highlight. Remember Vanessa Paradis, Madonna and Alla Pugacheva with a gap between her teeth, Sarah Jessica Parker with a long nose, Nicki Minaj with a huge booty or Julia Roberts with a smile stretched all over her face. They all turned the disadvantage into a business card and became happy and loved.
And stop looking for your perfect soul mate and stop trying to build the perfect relationship! Just accept that this only happens in movies and romance novels — in this way you will save yourself from many disappointments.
Unlike themega-popular hygge
, wabi-sabi doesn't tolerate clutter of cute but useless trinkets. It’s better to cut off everything superfluous, leaving only the really important things, and enjoy blissful minimalism (bonus: it will also take less time to clean up, by the way). And this is how you will be able to experience the state of being in love with everything that surrounds you — a key moment of Japanese philosophy.
What can inspire fans of the wabi-sabi philosophy:- Quiet ancient places.- Nature.
- Unpainted walls and cracks.
- Asymmetry and bumps.
- Handmade.
- Simple but beautifully served food.
Why did the austerity of the Eastern way of life suddenly appeal to the spoiled, well-fed Western society? Modern thinkers explain this simply: the modern victims of the consumer society are too tired of the daily changing trends and high-speed pursuit of illusory success in megacities. After all, it rarely ends with something else, except for nervous breakdowns and chronic dissatisfaction with yourself and your life. And wabi-sabi is a real chance to learn to slow down and listen to yourself in search of comfort in the surrounding things and relationships with people. We wish this to all readers!
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