LIVING WITH SPIRIT


10 virtues of Ikebana –


10 reasons to love flowers


Dr Shimbo interprets the classic ten virtues of Ikebana from the Zen point of view and considers their aim to achieve inner stillness through meditation.


by Shoso Shimbo The piece above is one of the four works I


WHAT IS IKEBANA? That is the question I have been asked again and again since I started teaching it in Australia 15 years ago. In short, Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. However, when Australian people try to categorise it in their own terms, I have found it hard to give the right answer. Is it contemporary art? – No Craft? – No Folk art? – No It is at least floral art? – Not really Ikebana is also known as Kado, the way of flower. Kado is best


described as a system of aesthetics, philosophy and practice with a focus on personal development as well as artistic achievement.


prepared for a book, International Floral Art 2014- 2015. This was not selected for the publication, but I prefer this to the one selected. To express dynamic energy in the arrival of Spring, the


overall design is simple with a slight irregularity in balance. All materials with different features were


carefully selected and harmoniously arranged. The container by a ceramic master, Mitsuo Shoji, was a challenging but ideal choice. It took almost all day to install this work at the Leslie Kehoe Galleries,


Melbourne. It was like a full day meditation talking with so many beautiful blossom branches at their best, which are available only for a short period in a year. I felt very privileged. I appreciate all


the support I received from the gallery staff, my students and a master photographer, Bronek Kozka from RMIT University.


10 MAY 2015


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