LIVING WITH S PIRIT No discrimination –


the first of Ikebana’s ten virtues Ikebana masters say that it is one of the best ways to cultivate your spirituality and it would make it possible for you to mix with those who are similarly spiritual, regardless of their social status.


by Shoso Shimbo, PhD


IKEBANA MAKES IT possible for people of different classes to meet. This was quite unusual in feudal times where there were few opportunities for ordinary people to meet people in the upper echelons of society, such as samurai, monks or aristocrats. The virtue of ‘no discrimination’


may not be so relevant for the majority of people today. Social classes are not as obvious as they were in the Japan of 17th century. If we look at the core of the experience, however, we can realise that this virtue is still valid in our society. In essence the virtue means that


Ikebana brings high and low into spiritual relationship. When Ikebana artists in the Edo period interpreted such an experience, they came up with the idea of no discrimination. Regardless of social, racial or cultural differences, we can share spiritual experiences though flowers.


Focused work Artistic achievement was synonymous


with personal development in many Japanese traditional arts including Ikebana. Since Ikebana is supposed to be a spiritual training, our level of spirituality is expected to advance as we make progress in flower arrangement. Ikebana work is a reflection of the artist’s spirituality. Great Ikebana works can be created


only by those who have acquired skills to make flowers look more natural, based on deep understanding of nature, which is regarded as inspirational sources for the norms or goals of personal development. Such advanced Ikebana artists


certainly deserve some respect. This aspect will be discussed further in a future issue. In this tiny Ikebana work, I wanted to


emphasise the ethereal white colours of ormithogalum.


The flower is one of massed flowers in one stem. If we focus on a single flower, we notice that it is not just simple white, but various shades of white from pale green, gentle yellow to pure white. To show such delicate features I chose green chrysanthemums as a background.


Observing a flower becomes a meditation. My meditation deepened when I was able to create the fascinating balance among the two flowers and a small ceramic container from Japan. n


Dr Shoso Shimbo is a sculptor and Ikebana artist. He is a director of the International Society of Ikebana Studies and teaches


Japanese aesthetics short courses at RMIT University.


JULY 2015 17


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52