Feb 8

Feb 8 Ikebana for a Peaceful Mind ✨

Terry Furuta

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WHAT IS

IKEBANA?
(an intro)

Ikebana (生け花, 活け花,) is defined as the Japanese art of flower arranging.

Ikebana has been practiced for more than 600 years, originating during the 6th century in Japan with the introduction of Buddhism from China.

Ikebana is seen as more than just decorative, it is a spiritual process that helps one develop a closeness with nature and merge the indoors and outdoors.

This idea of spiritual enlightenment through concentration and practice is central to the Zen Buddhist philosophy.

For many Ikebana practitioners, it is a life long lesson that helps one achieve a little inner stillness in which to work towards a richer spiritual understanding of the world.

There are ten virtues of an "Ikebana Master" originating from the text of Rikka-Imayo-Sugata (1688).

1. No discrimination
Nature does not discriminate; neither should the Ikebana practitioner. Through contemplating the capacity of nature to just exist, we learn to interact with all people and all things equally.

2. Selfless mind.
When we face flowers, we are free from any concerns and we can clear our minds. The first goal of Zen meditation is to achieve such a clear mind, free from the chattering self. This is often a difficult part of the process, and many Ikebana students come to experience this state of mind without even realizing it.

3. Making friends without words.
Facing flowers, we feel a joy beyond words. When we share this joy with other people, we can form a bond that transcends language. Through our arrangements, we can communicate on a deeper level with people no matter what language they speak.

4. Learn plants.
Ikebana helps us learn about many kinds of flowers and trees with very little effort. We learn their names and we become in tune with nature of each plant and its cycle.

5. Gain respect.
Through meditation, no discrimination and working towards the selfless mind, Ikebana helps us develop our best character. As a result, many people respect Ikebana artists. If you visit Japan, you will find how well respected Ikebana teachers are in their communities.

6. Scents all the time.
We can be always surrounded by the nice scents of flowers. As any Aromatherapist will tell you, scents can affect our moods and feelings. Even when we feel a bit sad, the scent of flowers always cheer us up. Ikebana artists know which flowers work best for him/her and his/her family and friends.

7. Departing from any harmful thoughts.
We may sometimes have negative thoughts. When we face flowers, however, these thoughts disappear instantly. Ikebana can help keep our minds calm - a true bonus in today's world!

8. Peaceful mind.
As we acquire peace of mind through Ikebana, we can nourish ourselves and live longer. In fact, statistics show that even today Ikebana teachers are one of the occupation groups that live the longest in Japan, a country with some of the oldest people in the world.

9. Graceful mind.
Maintaining a peaceful mind from morning to evening, we can develop an understanding of the elegance of the natural world. We can nurture our gentleness and come closer to feeling at one with the universe.

10. Close to the Divine.
We have more and more divine experiences in which we feel close to Buddha, or Gods or the Divine Spirit, depending on our own personal philosophy, All of us could use more divine experiences in our lives, and Ikebana is one way to help us make contact with the elements of nature and the laws of the universe.

Ikebana can be practiced by anyone. Just like anything else, practicing it is the basic fundamental element of perfecting it.

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Terry Furuta is a certified Professor of the Ikenobo School of Ikebana with 25+ years experience studying under Senei Ikenobo.

Terry fuses the exotic and the sustainable into imaginative and long lasting arrangements of orchids, mosses, air plants and other locally sourced accent plants. These inspired creations honor principles grounded in Japanese Ikebana design and sustainability.

We offer inspirational Ikebana arrangements & Ikebana classes where one can practice creating their own arrangements locally in Atlanta, GA. Available virtually or socially distanced and safe in person.

Call Terry Furuta Designs at 404.641.9996 for more information.

Email Terry here.

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