The wabi sabi bowl.

The wabi sabi bowl

Wabi sabi.... don't those words delight? Do you know what it is? I'm not sure that I do, but I do know that it is a Japanese aesthetic. It seems to mean finding beauty in wear and tear, rust, in junk, in decay, in hand made... these words are often used to describe it - imperfect, impermanent, incomplete. 


When I stumbled upon those words I just loved them. I took pleasure in saying them. I felt I'd found a concept that celebrates something that I love and have few words for. It seems a perfect match for simple living. 

 Last night I made the bowl in the photo - my wabi sabi bowl. Absolutely imperfect, impermanent and incomplete - made from free dried grass and old clothes. Something in me thrilled at its creation.

I placed it on our sparse chest of drawers, and it became an offering and a prayer.

The impulse to impress.

I am slowly working through Jan L Richardson's retreat for Women's Christmas - what an awesome concept, what a lovely journey. (http://sanctuaryofwomen.com/womenschristmasretreat2012.html)

Jan writes of an artist-in-residence at a gathering of clergy. This woman is a potter and caught Jan's attention because, as she watched her and listened to her, it became obvious that they were 'encountering a woman whose life and creative work had worn away the impulse to impress, to prove, to convince. In her years of working with clay, the clay had also worked on her.' Jan goes on to write, 'Shed of pretense the potter held out to us what she had to give. It was more than sufficient.'  She held out a small piece of pottery cupped in her hand, like a humble offering.

This made me think about what I have to offer from deep down within me. If I drop my need to please, to manipulate, to hide behind my appearance what will be left if it is simply me that stands there with my hands cupped and held out in front of me? Is simply being me sufficient?

Quite sometime ago I stopped hiding behind my hair when I cut almost all of it off and stopped colouring it. More  recently I stopped wearing make up, and I am still finding this a little difficult at times, but mostly I feel freer. Everyday I wonder what I am to do with my clothing. As I journey along on The Simple Living Challenge perhaps the biggest challenge will be to learn how to be me - simply Asta and to know that I am enough.