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A Taste Of Ikebana "When you feel there are a dozen things you have to do before you can relax, it may be time to take a cue from the principles of Ikebana, which suggest that it isn't necessary or even desirable to have everything in perfect order." The whole concept of perfection as we think of it does not exist in the Buddhist mind. Ikebana
can be small, simple and exquisite or massive, bold and very theatrical.
The challenge is to use the materials, the flowers and branches,
and of course the containers to express your ideas fully within
the space available. It can grace a tiny place, on the table or
desk, or fill a huge hall, combining light and sound in addition
to the mass and form of the flowers and plants that makes the spatial
composition. This module you will explain to you the basic concept
of Ikebana The history of Japan has seen a gradual development of floral offerings to the art of Ikebana. The second part of the module traces the history of Ikebana. We will then go on to see what exactly Ikebana is. And
finally we will have a look at the different
"Heaven, Earth, Man" Zen Buddhists see symmetry (the western ideal of perfection) as being fatal to the imagination and fatal to individual experience. When something is asymmetrical, you have to involve the SELF - you have to complete the picture in your own mind! Sometimes it may be more interesting to leave things as they are, and appreciate the potential in something incomplete or look at it in a new way, rather than finish it right now. Nature itself grows in an asymmetrical way. The word Ikebana means "living flowers" or "bringing flowers to life". It symbolically means to make the flowers active. The Japanese have a saying, that "if we take the life of a flower, we have an obligation to make it look more beautiful." The aim of Ikebana is to recreate nature in a container by giving it the same vitality and energy as found in nature. Ikebana is a Philosophy, its essence is a way of life. As is true of all other arts, Ikebana is creative expression within certain rules of construction. Its materials are living branches, leaves, grasses, and blossoms. Its heart is the beauty resulting from colour combinations, natural shapes, graceful lines, and the meaning latent in the total form of the arrangement. Ikebana is, therefore, much more than mere floral decoration. In the history of Japan, it is evident that the Japanese share a special relationship with flowers. So even when it comes to just arranging flowers in a vase, the arrangement has a much deeper meaning. The practice of Ikebana, also called kado, or The Way of Flowers, has been pursued as a form of meditation on the passage of the seasons, time and change. Its religious origins and strong connection to the natural cycle of birth, growth, decay and rebirth can give Ikebana a deep spiritual meaning. The growing appreciation of Japanese art and architecture in the West has extended to the Japanese way with flowers. Ikebana is an art, in the same sense that painting and sculpture are arts. It has a recorded history; it is backed up by articulate theories; and it is concerned with creativity. In Japan, flower arrangements are used as decorations on a level with paintings and other art objects. The art of Ikebana originated in the ancient Buddhist ritual of offering flowers to the spirits of the dead. It still continues to have religious essence. Over the centuries, the Japanese have mastered the art of arranging flowers beautifully and each style is called a 'school' of Ikebana. The art of Ikebana lies in the way the stems; leaves and flowers are arranged in vases. These are called the techniques of Ikebana. Although layer after layer of flowers are used in Western floral arrangements, in Ikebana, the key consideration is to use as few stems and leaves as possible in composing elegant contours that highlight the flowers' beauty. To arrange the stems and flowers exactly as one wishes, a familiarity with many different ways of fastening and positioning them is necessary. The choice of what flowers to arrange is guided by the desire to create harmony between flower and container and to find flowers that blend in well with its surroundings. These techniques are what people attend Ikebana classes to learn. Ikebana is the art of arranging flowers aesthetically. One tries to represent the three elements sky, earth, and mankind in a well balanced relation. One of the principles of Japanese garden designs and Ikebana is that man plays a small part in the overall design. Heaven, Earth and man combine together to make an asymmetrical triangle. Heaven is the most important element; Earth, the second most important element and man - the smallest part of the asymmetrical triangle - but also the most beautiful.
(Ike-Bana), which literally means 'arranging flowers' in Japanese, traces its history to the origin of Zen Buddhism. This religious philosophy directed the ancient Japanese mind toward nature - taking nature's beauty (flowers in this case) into their living space, in return, giving it a new environment (often containers and walls as a background) and yet preserving the natural traits of the materials. By arranging the plant materials, each part plays a role representing Heaven, Earth and Human. This highly complex and skilled art form has been passed down many generations and is now taught worldwide by many different chapters of Ikebana schools. Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement is said to have originated
with Ikenobo in the middle of the 6th century. Japan had a diverse
natural landscape coupled with ancient agricultural way of life.
Both of these were conducive to the growth of Ikebana. The most
important influence, the introduction of Buddhism from China in
the 6th century bought with it the custom of floral offerings to
the Buddha and the souls of the dead. This custom was called Coming to the Kamakura Period (1192-1333) we find lotus flowers offered in vases as seen in the Honen-Shonin-Picture-Scroll and in the gilded bronze flower vases of the Kasnshin-ji Temple. In the itabi of the Fusai-ji Temple dated the first year of Koan (1278) lotus flowers are depicted in a vase. Here the main lotus stem stands at the center, with similar flowers arranged symmetrically on either side, resembling a pattern of design. The itabi was a form of kuge, which was most popular among the ordinary people of the time. Gradually flower arrangement, which were primarily of religious origin, came to be arranged for the appreciation of people. When this tendency became a custom, arranging flowers began to develop as an art. The origins of Ikenobo Ikebana date back nearly 500 years and are deeply entwined with the social and artistic history of Japan. The headquarters of Ikenobo remains at the place of it's founding, the Rokkakudo Temple in Kyoto, Japan. The temple, reported in legend to have been founded by Prince Shotoku, an important figure in Japan's early history, has served as the home for successive generations of a family of priests whose name, "Ikenobo", means "living near a pond." The priests of this family have served as the hereditary headmasters of Ikenobo, masters who remain a central and guiding force in the world of Ikebana. There are now chapters throughout Japan and the world. The practitioners of Ikebana continue to believe in the importance of a thorough training in the basic principles of classical Ikebana. Such training establishes a sound foundation for a truly creative expression by each artist in the most modern styles. Though Ikenobo Ikebana continues to draw upon the richness of it's long tradition, it also continues to evolve, embracing both classical and the most modern styles. Their principles allow the use of a wide variety of flowers and branches, and are thus adaptable to the flowers of all countries. As with many of the enduring traditional Japanese arts, the basic principles of Ikebana were first formulated nearly 500 years ago in Japan's Muromachi period. The teachings of the headmasters of that time, Ikenobo Senkei and Ikenobo Senno, contributed to a fundamental awareness of the meaning of Ikebana which continues to be taught and appreciated today. Ikenobo starts from depiction of nature. But it is not simply an imitation of nature. The moment a flower is cut, it severs all ties with nature. The time when that flower is about to be placed in a vase, there comes a moment when the soul of the flower and the soul of the Ikebana-lover merge into one full being set aflame. That is the moment when the life of Ikebana makes it's new birth. I'd like to call that moment "Kiwa." During my 30 years of training in Ikebana art, it has been my sole aim to grasp this Kiwa with the clarity of my whole being in search for beauty in Ikebana. In the long history of Ikenobo, our masters have taught us to seek "the beauty of waterline and make it sparkle ...". This is not the beauty that simply is attractive to our eyes but the beauty of our very soul that seeks the moment of Kiwa. Our search for that very "moment" - that is important to me. - Sen'ei Ikenobo
Kuge refers to the ancient custom brought to Japan with the introduction of Buddhism in the sixth century. It is said that that Prince Shotuku (574-662) who helped Buddhism to establish itself as an influential religion in Japan, originated the art of flower arrangement. In the late seventh century, the custom of kuge became prevalent at temples. People felt Buddha's all saving power in the grand beauty of the floral offerings. In the tenth century, as the Jodo sect of Buddhism became prevalent, kuge began to play a decorative role. In the Jodo sect, the ideal place was the Gokuraru-Jodo (the land of perfect bliss), which was imagined to be full of flowers. If we look at the ancient picture "Shojuraijo" (paradise) of the eleventh century, we see the grand gorgeousness of kuge well represented. In the offering scene, some heavenly maidens hold in both hands lotus flowers arranged in a keban. In Itsukushima-Heike-Nokyo, an illustrated sutra of the late-twelfth century, some peony-like flowers with leaves are depicted arranged in a vase.
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