Wabi-sabi is a Japanese term that, in simplest terms, means “imperfect beauty.” It’s a philosophy that celebrates raw beauty and all that makes it unique – cracks, chips, wrinkles and all.
It also has roots in Zen Buddhism, which means there is a spiritual aspect to it.
My favorite way to explain wabi-sabi is by using the example of Kintsugi (meaning “golden repair”). With this form of Japanese art, when a piece of pottery breaks it will be repaired with a special lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Instead of “fixing” the broken pottery so you never knew it was broken, this technique almost emphasizes the imperfections and at the same time turns it into something even more unique and beautiful.
(See some examples of Kintsugi here.)
One of my favorite quotes I’ve seen regarding Wabi-Sabi is by Richard Powell:
Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.
To me, wabi-sabi means being present. Appreciating simplicity. Slowing down. Embracing the impermanence of life. Accepting things as they are. Finding balance in whatever way you can. Being in nature. Authenticity. Intuition. Love.
Whenever I get too caught up in what life is “supposed” to look like, I whisper to myself, “wabi-sabi, wabi-sabi.”
Life is full of endless to-do lists, constant comparisons, social media facades, and chasing more and more stuff instead of experiences. Have you ever reached a goal that you set because it’s what others expected of you, only to reach it and still feel incomplete?
Maybe you could use a little wabi-sabi in your life.
Since wabi-sabi can really be applied to any aspect of life – whether it be wellness, design, travel, relationships, self-care, energy – all these life topics (and more) will be discussed here. But they will all have a similar theme – finding happiness, telling one of a kind stories, and sharing all the things that help make life perfectly imperfect.