On Wabi-Sabi Weekends, I post excerpts from my book, Simply Imperfect: Revisiting the Wabi-Sabi House. 

Sitting quietly, doing nothing

Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself.

—Zenrin, The Gospel According to Zen

Wabi stems from the root wa, which means harmony, peace, tranquility, and balance. In early Japanese poetry, wabi meant sad, desolate and lonely, but also simple, humble by choice and in tune with nature.

Until Zen Buddhism became widespread in the 14th century, wabi was a … Continue reading →