Wabi Sabi, the beauty of imperfection

Wabi Sabi is a Zen concept that refers to the ability to see beauty in imperfection. It is an Eastern philosophy that breaks into the West as a tool not only for personal development, but also for the search for a full and happy existence.

Wabi Sabi is the art of harmony and well-being in imperfection, It is the ability to find beauty even in simple things. Leonard Koren, author of Wabi-sabi for artists, designers, poets and philosophers, states that it is about everything that refers to traditional Japanese beauty and that looks for imperfect and incomplete things. Wabi Sabi is, in short, the acceptance of unconventional things.

Now, it is important to mention that Wabi Sabi not only refers to external factors, but also to deeper concepts. such as humility, simplicity, loneliness or even abandonment. It defines a way of living in peace with oneself and with the environment, from the simplicity of the daily routine.

Origin of the Wabi Sabi concept

Wabi Sabi has its origin related to the Buddhist concept of Tri Laksanawhich affirms that everything that happens in nature is subject to three fundamental characteristics: the insubstantiality of the self, impermanence and suffering.

In this way, it is valid to highlight that Wabi Sabi is an oriental aesthetic pattern comparable to the canons of beauty for Westerners, but which nevertheless have nothing to do with each other.

The etymological origin of the word Wabi refers to frugality or moderation that prevents ostentation and luxury. Precisely, it is the complete opposite of extravagance and waste. While the word Sabi refers to the serenity and tranquility that come with age or intellectual maturity.

Therefore, Wabi Sabi highlights the beauty in the imperfectthe greatness presented by the simple, but without dismissing the decadence of the world, where sadness and desolation merge into absolute melancholy.

Kintsukuroi a rupture makes the object stronger and more beautiful

A relationship can be established between the Wabi Sabi concept and the Japanese technique called Kintsukuroi., which consists of repairing broken objects by joining their cracks with gold. In this way, the object is beautified and becomes much stronger than before.

Furthermore, it is constructive to relate it to the soul that has suffered some injury or an affront so great that it felt its disintegration. I. However, what the Kintsukuroi philosophy teaches is that Adversity can be an opportunity to transform into a much stronger and more beautiful person, The marks of adversity being a way of remembering that despite suffering and misfortune, the individual has the ability to restore himself comprehensively thanks to his power of resilience.

From psychology, resilience refers to the ability to face an adverse situation and emerge stronger from it. The person discovers resources within themselves that they did not know about and that help them to recover after experiencing a traumatic event.

Thus, For the resilient individual, a problem or crisis is a challenge, an opportunity to grow and promote personal development. You use pain as a driving force to achieve new goals, move forward and achieve balance again.

Find the way out of every labyrinth of life, Returning to being completely in harmony with oneself and with the other is one of the best capabilities that human beings have. The one in which limits only exist if you really believe in them and the way to achieve everything that seemed impossible is simply by working daily. And above all, having the ability not to be overwhelmed by problems, establishing clear goals, believing that they can be achieved even though the path is not easy and trusting in your strength.

Definitely, Having the ability to recognize that you are in a chaotic, finite and complex world, and despite everything, being happy, is essential to enjoying life; without anticipating the loss that existence itself means.

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