Japanese Art of Balance

Japanese Art of Balance

In Japanese culture there is a balancing act taking place. There is a definite ebb and flow, wax and wane to life. Here several aspects of the culture will be considered and addressed in an effort to show how the art of balance is created and how significant it is in the Japanese culture and lifestyle. It is not just art, not just food, not "just" anything when it comes to where the balance is seen and how much it has to offer to the Japanese people. It seems as though balance has always been part of their culture, from the earliest times right up until the present day. People who are not part of that culture, or who do not focus on the many ways in which balance can be achieved in life, may not realize the significance of some of the things Japanese people create. For those who are part of it, and for those who are interested in the art of balance and what it brings to the quality of their lives, studying what is being done in Japan and what has been done throughout hundreds and thousands of years of history in that country can provide not only understanding but peace of mind and a new way in which people can feel more in tune with themselves and their surroundings.

Overall, there will be several specific issues addressed here. These will include ikebana, haiku, origami, sushi, swords, and architecture. While there are many others ways in which a person can study Japanese culture and Japanese balance, these are some of the most common ways in which these kinds of studies can be undertaken. They also provide all types of options when it comes to thinking about ways in which balance can be added to one's own life, which is an important consideration in a time where there is so much strife and difficulty taking place throughout the world. By studying what is being done in Japan and the way in which it has been traditionally done for many years in the past, those who are part of the culture and those who are not can both benefit from all that the art of balance in Japan has to offer. Life in general is a delicate balancing act of happy and sad, joy and pain, and many other emotions people go through each day, as their lives take them through where they have been to where they are now to where they want some day to be. The more balance a person can put into his or her life, the better that person will feel and the more likely that person will be to live long and find much joy in the simple things.

Ikebana

Ikebana is about beauty, symmetry and art (which is sometimes asymmetric). It is the art of arranging flowers (Cwiertka, 2007; Dale, 1990). However, ikebana is often much more than just that. It is not the same thing as would be seen in the U.S. Or other countries, where people put cut flowers in a vase to make something to put on the table as a centerpiece. There are many beautiful flower arrangements created in many countries around the world, but ikebana is about the beauty of the plants and flowers as they currently exist, and not as much about cutting them and making them into something else (Cwiertka, 2007; Sugimoto, 2003). There is also a spiritual, peaceful aspect to ikebana, because those who create it focus their time, talents, and gentle efforts on creating something natural and beautiful. When they take the time to do this, they provide more than just plants and more than just beauty. They provide art in its highest and most pure form (Kato, 1997; Kuitert, 1988). They also provide a way to express what they are feeling that may not be able to be conveyed with words or pictures. Ikebana can be placed in dishes or vases, or it can also be designed in a way that can be hung on the wall. There are many acceptable ways of creating ikebana.

Like much of Japanese culture, there is a certain way a thing should be done but there is also room for interpretation so that each person has a chance to be an individual while still creating something that goes along with the traditions that are seen throughout history (Jansen, 2000; Kato, 1997). Often, ikebana is used for a single flower or plant that is growing in a dish of carefully scattered and placed rocks and gravel (Sugimoto, 2003). Producing something so simplistic and beautiful takes a great deal of time, and when something of that nature is produced all those who see it realize the work and the thought that went into what was created. That is part of the art of balance. Ikebana involves making something beautiful, but it also involves making something that allows a person to think about what he or she is doing and feel the oneness with nature during that time. It is just as much about the creator as it is about the creation, and that is much of what provides it with a strong sense of balance for the person creating it and all who see it (Diamond, 1998). Any time a person can create something that speaks to him or her but that also speaks to others, that creation will have a lasting impact on hearts and minds, and bring balance and beauty to the world.

Haiku

Haiku is an exquisite example of art and linguistic balance. Each haiku has to be written to specifics when it comes to lines and syllables. There is no "cheating" to make a poem that is free-form (Jansen, 2000; Kato, 1997). While there is certainly nothing wrong with free-form poetry for those who enjoy it, haiku is a very structured way of conveying something. Because there is little space with which to convey a message, it is very important that the writer of the haiku thinks carefully about the message that will be offered to others. Some write love poems this way, but many haikus are about nature and its beauty (Kuitert, 1988; Martin, 1995). It is easy to see why people write about nature in their haikus, because Japan is very rich both from a culture and from a natural perspective. There is so much beauty to take in that some of it has to come out and poetry is a great way to express feelings. Many haikus are very deep and meaningful, and they offer the writer and the reader something about which to carefully think (Dale, 1990). Haikus can also be lighthearted and funny, but that is not their traditional or most common usage or intention. The feelings and meanings conveyed by haikus are generally quieter, and designed to be something that would stay with a person for a length of time after the haiku has been read.

Not everyone sees the written word as a form of art or a thing of beauty. Many people are hung up on the idea that art must be a painting or a sculpture, but art can take a variety of forms. The decision to deem something as "art" is generally in the mind and heart of the person who sees it, but also in the mind and heart of the person who has created it. Writing and expressing oneself is just one of the forms that can be taken by art, and haikus are but one of the options for artists when they want to express themselves and provide deep insight for themselves and for others (Diamond, 1998). Reading haikus often inspires the reader to write his or her own haikus in an effort to express the feelings created by the reading of the original haiku. As long as they follow the length and syllable requirements, there are no "right" or "wrong" haikus, technically. They can be about anything, but they have to follow the form and structure that has been used since the beginning of their creation. That is the only requirement for creating them. Those who are deeply committed to haikus will often work to keep their own haikus along lines that indicate they understand the original nature and purpose of them, and they will ensure their haikus remain about subjects that matter deeply to them. These subjects can include nature, religion, philosophy, family, or anything the person writing the haiku feels has great and important value to his or her life.

Origami

The art of paper folding is one area of Japanese culture about which most people have heard (Goldstein-Gidoni, 1999; Henshall, 2001). Even in the United States, origami can be a popular pastime and has been done in schools and in workshops where people learn to do it for themselves. The number of things that can be done with origami is staggering, and so many animals and shapes can be made. There is a lot of work that goes into the creation of origami, though, and it is not for everyone (Henshall, 2001). One of the areas of balance that is cultivated when creating origami is patience. If the folds are not just right and in the correct order, or if one gets in a hurry and is sloppy, the origami will not come out correctly. Sometimes it will not look quite right. Other times, it becomes impossible to create it at all because of the incorrect pattern that has been created (Henshall, 2001). The important thing with origami is not to give up. Even if things sometimes go wrong, there is always another opportunity to correct the problem or to make something else. There is no need to give up on the entire idea of origami because one design failed to work. The same thing is true with life, and this is one way origami teaches balance.

No matter what the problem, a lack of patience with the origami is usually at the root of the difficulty. Cultivating patience is a good life lesson for providing balance, and can be done through the creation of origami either for oneself or for others. Small children can be taught origami, although they need to work with simpler shape and designs. As a person gets older and manual dexterity improves, it becomes easier to create the more complex shapes and designs of those who have been using origami for a long time (Henshall, 2001; Sugimoto, 2003) Age is no barrier to any kind of origami creation, however, as long as the understanding of the directions and the manual dexterity to fold the shapes are there. The very young and the very old sometimes have trouble with these areas. Whether a person can successfully create origami, however, has no effect on how much that person may enjoy watching others create it or looking at the finished product. Origami is about balance and patience, but it is also about the joy that can come from focusing on something simple and the enjoyment that can be provided to others when one creates something of beauty.

Food and Sushi

Food (and specifically sushi) are both examples of balance in Japanese culture. For example, receiving wasabi with one's sushi is not just for taste, but for the fact that it helps keep digestion neutral. Acid plus alkaline equals neutral, so the person eating the sushi stays in balance. Not all Japanese food is like that, but the majority of it is when it is eaten as it is intended (Cwiertka, 2007). When Japanese food becomes "Westernized" in America and other countries it is no longer the same as it was when it was traditionally made. That does not mean it is bad in either taste or value, but only that there are differences between the sushi purchased in a restaurant or grocery store in America and the sushi that would be eaten in Japan. These differences may be subtle, and some of the sushi found in Westernized countries may be more similar to the traditional sushi than other options. The value of sushi - and most other Japanese foods - is that there is so much balance in the food that is provided (Cwiertka, 2007; Sugimoto, 2003). The taste is generally well-balanced, but so are things like spicy and band, sweet and sour, and other aspects of taste.

Texture achieves a good balance in Japanese cuisine, as well (Cwiertka, 2007). There is much more to balance in food than how something tastes. There is also the texture and the ingredients, along with the portion size and the way the food looks on the plate or in the bowl. Sushi is a very balanced food because of the rice, seaweed, and fish that is usually incorporated into it. There are several food groups all in one dish, and the wasabi that is generally served with it provides a unique flavor, a spiciness, and a way in which proper balance and digestion can be more easily achieved (Cwiertka, 2007). The look of the sushi is also important. Often, it is rolled - sometimes with the rice on the outside, and sometimes with the seaweed on the outside. The fish is either placed in the middle or placed on top, depending on the particular type of sushi the person is eating. There are many different types, which allows for people who have varied tastes and opinions of what they like to still get their sushi (Cwiertka, 2007). Not all sushi contains fish, and vegetable sushi is a popular option for those who do not eat meat or those who do not like fish.

Other foods that are also popular in Japan and in Japanese cooking have careful balance, too. Dumplings are often stuffed with mixtures of meat and vegetables, and tempura is used to give a crispy coating to both meats and vegetables (Cwiertka, 2007). The flavors are important, but so are the textures and the look of the food. While traditional Japanese food is much different from what is provided in America and other Western nations, many Japanese people get a much better diet that has a lot more balance of nutrients to it than what Westerners receive. The Japanese diet is full of proteins and healthy benefits, and that allows many Japanese people to remain healthy well into their latter years (Cwiertka, 2007). There are also lower rates of obesity in Japan than there are in Western countries, partially because of the lack of greasy, fatty foods in the Japanese diet (Cwiertka, 2007). Because Japanese people have a better balance in what they eat, they are often able to avoid many of the illnesses that plague those in countries where the diet is out of balance. Balance is not just about how something looks, but can also be a serious matter of health.

Japanese Swords

Japanese swords, the katana and wakazashi, are beautiful examples of art and physical balance. A sword is a thing of beauty, but swords were not originally designed to be only ornamental. They were designed to be used by the samurai and other Japanese warriors in order to protect and defend their land (Diamond, 1998). If the sword was not sharp, and if it did not do the job for which it was designed, it was of no use to the warrior. Additionally, the sword had to be comfortable to swing. That meant that it needed a literal balance based on the weight of the handle vs. The weight of the blade, as well as what kinds of metals were used to make the sword. Strength was important. Sword that chipped, cracked, and broke did no one any good (Diamond, 1998). It took some time to get the makeup of the sword just right, of course, but once it was done it was also important that the balance was retained and that future sword makers did not change what they were doing in order to ensure that the sword was properly created and could be effectively utilized.

Each and every sword was handmade, which meant there would be differences in them (Diamond, 1998). That is only natural when something is created by hand instead of being made on an assembly line. Still, it is necessary to make each sword to specifications so that each warrior can use them properly. Additionally, many swords are ornamental in nature, or they are designed to be both useful and ornamental (Diamond, 1998). With that in mind, the balance between form and function takes on a new level of importance. Each sword that is created for a dual purpose must be able to serve each one of those purposes equally. Sword makers know how to make swords that work, but do they know how to make them works of art, as well? In Japan, they know how to do both - and that is important both from a cultural and from an artistic standpoint.