In an age where we’re increasingly busy, it’s important to slow down, pause and allow ourselves time to process our lives, values and setbacks.
Buddhist wellness practices can offer us valuable insight into our inner world, and what really makes us happy.
Aspects of Buddhism have been incorporated into the West over the past century for their wellness benefits, and there’s a good reason they’re so popular.
You may be familiar with yoga, meditation and breathwork, but there are a few lesser-known nuggets of gold that Buddhism has to offer.
Shinto and Buddhism are two of the most practised religions in Japan.
Before the arrival of Buddhism in the 6th century, the many local religions that were practiced are now collectively referred to simply as ‘Shinto’.
Shinto celebrates how the land and seasons affect our lives and our mental wellbeing.
The divine spirit (kami) can be found in old trees, large mountains, and tall waterfalls.[1]
Zen Buddhism teaches that wisdom and compassion should be practiced in our everyday life. This includes compassion for ourselves, other people, and nature.[2]
Today, the majority of Japanese people practice a mix of Shintoism and Buddhism, although for many, Shinto is more of a way of life than a religion.
Zen Buddhism is simply the most fundamental, straightforward and direct teachings of Buddhism.
Over time, with Shinto and Buddhist principles at its heart, Japan developed a way of life that values transience, imperfection and peace.
A more recent term that has been born out of these principles is ‘wabi-sabi’.
Wabi-sabi is rooted in seven aesthetic principles:
Wabi-sabi is the idea that nothing in this world is perfect or lasts forever, and that this is part of the nature of life.
This idea has been expressed as a philosophy, an art form, and even in ceremony.
This thought can be quite freeing. Instead of trying tirelessly to make ourselves and our lives fit a false notion of perfection, maybe we can accept that true perfection doesn’t exist.
Instead, wabi-sabi teaches us to find beauty in imperfection.
Hurdles in life are all part of life’s rich tapestry, so rather than fighting them, we should appreciate the obstacles, and find strength in the process of healing.[3]
The term ‘wabi-sabi’ was coined within roughly the past hundred years, but its roots stretch back much further into Japan’s past.
The first seeds of wabi-sabi were sown in Japanese tea ceremonies.
From the serving of the tea to the décor in the tea rooms, these extravagant tea parties were all about simplicity and naturalness.
Sixteenth-century poet and tea master Takeno Joo began a new way of drinking tea, in an attempt to take it to a deeper level and reflect Zen principles.
He arranged his small tearoom with natural materials and unadorned utensils.
Over the following centuries, wabi-sabi further developed into a mindset that achieves tranquillity by embracing being humble, simple and frugal.[4]
Nobody is perfect. We all have flaws, and that’s what makes us human.
We could even go so far as to argue that perfection doesn’t exist, and maybe even if it did, we shouldn’t be aspiring to it anyway.
Finding value in our imperfections can transform our thoughts, and stop us from feeling negative.
If we can stop seeing these aspects of ourselves as bad or something to be fixed, we can accept them, find peace in them and even embrace them.
Wabi-sabi can help us to make peace with:
If we can accept or better yet, celebrate our authentic selves, we can begin to feel more peaceful, more self-confident and more positive.
Wabi-sabi reminds us of the impermanence of everything.
As everything in this world is fleeting, our problems often are too.
Accepting the passage of time can also give us a better perspective on our own lives.
While the concept of death may seem like a negative, it can be a useful reminder to not sweat the small things.
Psychologist Tomás Navarro uses Buddhist principles in his wellbeing practices to explain that suffering is an unavoidable part of the human experience.
He explains that accepting our fragility is key to healing in therapy.[[5]]
This can help us to move forward after experiencing a tragic life event or mental crisis, and begin to rebuild our lives.
Filling your home with Japanese aesthetics that celebrates these values can act as a daily reminder to view yourself and your life through the wabi-sabi perspective.
Why not try making some art yourself? Remember that it’s not about achieving a faultless piece – anything you create which has your mark on it is a perfect piece of wabi-sabi art.
Wabi-sabi art draws inspiration from nature and seasonal rhythms. It seeks to demonstrate a sense of harmony and interconnectedness in the environment.
This is a good visual reminder that we’re products of nature too, and maybe we can learn to appreciate ourselves in the same way.
Wabi-sabi art uses highlights the beauty of imperfection in cracked bowls and weathered pieces of wood.
These demonstrate the natural cycle of decay and renewal.
Wabi-sabi values simplicity over extravagance. Unadorned, earthy pots that show the marks of the maker’s hands emphasise how the artist’s input is to be treasured and not hidden.
The randomness and unpredictability of nature can help us find harmony with the unpredictability of life.
Beauty doesn’t need to be extravagant – there’s a charm to be found in ordinary, understated pieces.
Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of mending broken ceramics with a gold or silver seal.
Today, the broken pieces are sealed with a glue generally made from powdered gold colouring and hardener like epoxy resin.
The art is centuries old, and seeks to highlight the beauty in the cracks.
By highlighting these imperfections, kintsugi reminds us that flaws tell a story, and that our personal growth is something to be proud of.[6]
This philosophy is a useful metaphor for life, as just like ceramics, life can be rough with us and we can develop mental and physical wounds.
Kintsugi is a good reminder that when this happens, all is not lost, and that these scars can make us shine brighter than ever before.
The story goes that a fifteenth-century military ruler named Ashikaga Yoshimasa sent a beloved broken tea bowl back to China in the hope it could be mended.
However, he wasn’t impressed with the staples used to repair it, as he felt it looked ugly.
Disappointed, he asked a local Japanese craftsman to come up with a method of repair that looked more sightly.
The craftsman decided that instead of hiding the cracks, he’d embrace them.
Ashikaga Yoshimasa was impressed with the final look, and the rest is history.[7]
The parts of you that may seem imperfect are a measure of your time on this earth and the lessons you’ve learned.
Imagine your scars as seams of gold and wear them like a badge of honour.
Kintsigi is about mending the broken.
When something goes wrong, don’t write off your whole life.
Your adverse life events, mental health problems or trauma don’t mean that you’re ruined.
You can still create a beautiful life for yourself.
Have hope that your heart and mind can recover from losses and setbacks.
You have the strength to heal.
Know that what you’ve been through in life doesn’t define you.
No matter how painful they may feel, you’re strong, and you can mend the wounds.
There are so many aspects of Zen Buddhism can help you to manage your emotions, gain clarity of mind and experience a deeper sense of inner peace.
Zen meditation traditionally involves sitting up straight on a cushion in a quiet room,[8] but you can meditate lying down if it’s easier, or listen to an audio guide.
Sitting in meditation requires you to introspect. As we turn our attention inwards, we can more easily pay attention to our thoughts, feelings and beliefs without the distraction of the external world.[9]
Being aware of thought patterns, emotions and the stories we tell ourselves can help us examine how helpful these are, whether they’re true and if we want to change them.
When we challenge negative beliefs, we change our thought patterns, and make it easier to spot unhelpful thoughts and behaviours in everyday life.
Peaceful breathing during meditation activates your brain’s left prefrontal cortex, and suppresses activity in the right.
This can counteract stress and reduce panic attacks, depression, and headaches.[10]
There are twelve techniques in zen breathing:
Zen Buddhism teaches yoga not just as an exercise, but a philosophy.
In yoga, mind and body come together, and the movements are designed to improve your mental wellbeing.
Zen yoga can help you find oneness and let go of the boundaries of your ego.
This can bring mental clarity and emotional calm.[12]
Zen Buddhism aims to promote gratitude and compassion.[13]
Research has shown that practicing gratitude has positive effects on mental wellbeing.[14]
Try:
Ikigai is about creating a meaningful life by finding joy in the day-to-day.
The word stems from ‘iki’ meaning life and ‘gai’ meaning value. Simply put, it’s finding value in life.
There’s a common phrase ‘how you spend your day is how you spend your life’, so finding happiness in mundane moments is vital to having a fulfilled life.[15]
As you incorporate wabi-sabi and kintsugi into your life, you’ll begin to find transience, simplicity and peace in everyday moments.
Look for the beauty in yourself, and find the silver lining in all of life’s cracks.
[2] https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-zen/ https://www.carnegielibrary.org/staff-picks/wabi-sabi-the-japanese-art-of-finding-the-beauty-in-imperfections/
[5] Kintsugi: Embrace Your Imperfections and Find Happiness – The Japanese Way – 27 May 2021 Tomás Navarro
[6] https://www.britannica.com/art/porcelain
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429199/
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9667109/
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429199/#CR10
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429199/
[12] https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1155374
[14] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-015-0877-x
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
