Wabi Sabi offers a whole new way of looking at the world – and your life – inspired by centuries-old Japanese wisdom. Wabi sabi (“wah-bi sah-bi”) is a captivating concept from Japanese aesthetics, which helps us to see beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity and accept the transient nature of all things. With roots in Zen and the Way of Tea, the timeless wisdom of wabi sabi is more relevant than ever for modern life, as we search for new ways to approach life’s challenges and seek meaning beyond materialism. From honouring the rhythm of the seasons to creating a welcoming home, from reframing failure to ageing with grace, Wabi Sabi will teach you find more joy and inspiration throughout your perfectly imperfect life.
The soulful concept of wabi sabi is fundamental to the aesthetic sense, world view and gentle nature of Japanese people and yet, it is an enigma. They instinctively know it but few can explain it. When Westerners have attempted to explain wabi sabi in the past, they have tended to focus on the visual aspect. In the course of my twenty-year love affair with Japan I have come to understand that it runs much deeper than that. The powerful secret of wabi sabi lies in seeing the world not with the logical mind, but through the feeling heart. It’s about acceptance and letting go. It’s an invitation to relax into the beauty of your life in any given moment, and to strip away all that is unnecessary to discover what lies within. I am thrilled to bring this vital ancient wisdom to life, to inspire our modern lives.
A whole new way of looking at the world – and your life – inspired by centuries-old Japanese wisdom. Wabi sabi (“wah-bi sah-bi”) is a captivating concept from Japanese aesthetics, which helps us to see beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity and accept the transient nature of all things. With roots in zen and the way of tea, the timeless wisdom of wabi sabi is more relevant than ever for modern life, as we search for new ways to approach life’s challenges and seek meaning beyond materialism.
Wabi Sabi: Japanese wisdom for a perfectly imperfect life is the definitive guide to applying the principles of wabi sabi to transform every area of your life, and finding happiness right where you are.
Wabi Sabi is stocked in all good independent bookshops as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones and in many museum shops including Tate London and The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
