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Wabi Sabi Elements

Wabi Sabi is a Buddhist philosophy that emerged in Japan in the 15th century as a reaction to the opulence of that period's tea ceremony. In its fullest expression Wabi Sabi is a way of life, embracing the notion of impermanence, simplicity, and the natural world. Those who practice Wabi Sabi strive to find the beauty in imperfection and aging, and honor authenticity in all its forms. Wabi Sabi Way provides a variety of offerings, which we believe best express the philosophy of Wabi Sabi. We are happy to work with you and your organization to tailor a program that best suits your specific needs.

Wabi Sabi Way will tailor progamming for women's groups, church retreats, corporate events or any other group that would like to get together for a unique and relaxing day or weekend. Wabi Sabi Way welcomes all ages. A typical Wabi Sabi Way retreat or workshop will offer:

ELEMENTS AT A GLANCE

Welcoming Tea - Share a cup of tea. Experience the beauty of the stillness.

Wabi Sabi Wisdom - Learn about the philosophy called Wabi Sabi.

Meditations on Wabi Sabi - Learn how to focus on the present.

Wabi Sabi Moves

Shake Your Soul - Explore mind/body connection through movement & music.

Yoga - Discover the power of the union of breath and movement.Hydro Fit - Experience the energizing and healing qualities of water.

Wabi Sabi Expressions

Words - Chronicle your thoughts and feelings for deeper insights into your life.Wardrobe - Express yourself authentically through the clothes you wear.

Portraiture - Learn how to relax in front of the camera.

Art of Wabi Sabi

Art Expression - Create a work of art after creating space in your mind.Art Installations - Create temporary art, in groups or singly.

Art in Motion - Create a visual experience using art and movement.

Photography as Exploration - Explore your surroundings through the lens.

Portraiture in Nature - Make a connection to nature through portraiture.

 

ELEMENTS OF WABI SABI WAY

WELCOMING TEA

All Wabi Sabi Way workshops and retreats begin with a welcoming Tea Ceremony to begin to embrace the spirit of Wabi Sabi. We engage in an exploration of what it means to pay attention to the moment, to truly be here now. We savor the tastes, smells, sights, and sounds of our surroundings.

MEDITATIONS ON WABI SABI

An integral aspect of Wabi Sabi in our programs is the practice of meditation. Our lives are already filled with everything we need to be happy but we need to make time for hushing-time when we're not engaged in what the Taoists refer to as "the ten thousand things." Rather than look for opportunities to be distracted, we encourage a slowing down, patience, and looking very closely.

Meditation is the practice of calming the mind and becoming aware of when the mind moves off a chosen point of focus or out of the present moment. We teach this practice in different ways that help ground us in the present, and that awaken us to our lives.

Meditation

We practice silent meditations and guided meditations based on various themes. Relaxation, stress reduction, and clarity of the mind are all benefits of meditation.

Moving Meditation

Walking in silence is a peaceful practice that brings a deeper awareness to our senses and our connection to all things. We learn to maintain an inner stillness even when active.

WABI SABI MOVES

Wabi Sabi is more than an intellectual construct. Our programs reflect Wabi Sabi's fundamental connection between mind and body as a means of living mindfully and intentionally. We offer several movement segments in our programs.

Shake Your Soul

Shake Your Soul is a fitness art form developed in the 1980s, also known as Kripalu DansKinetics. It is a free and spontaneous movement experience that operates at the cellular fluid level to help release the body into a natural state of aliveness and integration. The class is fun, freeing, meditative, graceful, and empowering. Shake Your Soul calls for moderate levels of exertion, providing maximal level of energy return. We begin to access our own power, joy, freedom, vitality and connection to others through movement and music. This is a powerful tool for team-building and stress reduction.

Yoga

Yoga is the union of breath and movement. Our gentle to moderate classes focus on flexibility and strength of the mind and body. We also incorporate yoga as a warm up to our movement and meditation exercises.

Hydro-Fit

The Hydro-Fit exercise class uses the healing qualities of water to help sustain functional health and heighten awareness of our bodies. Water's natural buoyancy reduces weight-bearing stress allowing greater ease of movement with less impact on joints and muscles. The increased density of water creates even and fluid resistance, toning and strengthening muscles with greater balance and efficiency. Energy in moving water generates negative ions which ease tension and leave us energized.

 

WABI SABI EXPRESSIONS

A key aspect of the Wabi Sabi Way program is the examination of the importance we place on looking good, and to shift that emphasis on personal and idiosyncratic expression. How you dress is where authenticity becomes most visible. Through discussions of what you wear and how you present yourself, you begin to see new possibilities beyond our culture's expectations.Wabi Sabi WardrobeThis is an opportunity to discover and discuss whether or not your outer self as defined by your wardrobe authentically expresses your inner self. Is your closet filled with clothing that energizes you, flatters you, fulfills you? Is it functional? Or is it filled with clothing that fit 10 years ago and reminds of you a time gone by? The contents of your closet can drain you of energy or provide a boost. Which would you prefer?

Wabi Sabi Portraiture

Being photographed for a corporate headshot, personal sitting, or even a casual group shot can be uncomfortable. Your wedding or class photo may have been the last time you had a formal portrait taken and the image you now see may be surprising. We discuss the idea of documenting time while learning some techniques that can help you become more relaxed in front of the camera.

Wabi Sabi Words

Journaling is a powerful tool for self-expression and reflection. By chronicling your insights, ideas, thoughts, and feelings, you honor them. The act of writing down the words allows you to go deeper into yourself, developing profound insights from the simple act of writing.

ART OF WABI SABI

Creativity can be applied to everything we do in life and feeling free to try something new or unexpected can open up our minds to new ways of doing even ordinary things. Art of Wabi Sabi is designed to bring out hidden or blocked talents and to awaken our senses through a series of exercises.

Art Expression

Through meditation, movement, and sound, we create space in our minds for new ideas, and a clearer awareness of what is around us. Using mixed media such as paints, pastels, pencils, and found objects, a final work is created that expresses what has been discovered through these processes.

Art Installations

Using only objects found in nature we create temporary sculptures that support the notion of the impermanence of all things. This speaks to the philosophy that being in the moment and enjoying the process is more important than the outcome. This could be a group or individual exercise and should take place in a natural setting such as a beach, a cliff top, a bird sanctuary or nature preserve...

Art in Motion

Art in Motion is about the joy of making and being in the moment. Using movement and elements in nature such as leaves, twigs, and sand we move as a group to create a visual experience that, again, is not lasting. We document this event through photography and each guests leaves with a personal photo - a record of the moment.

Photography as Exploration

The medium of photography helps awaken our eyes and mind to look more closely at our surroundings. In Photography as Exploration we practice looking from different angles at what is less obvious and paying more attention to details and light. By so doing we become more present and attentive to the moment that only photography allows us to capture. Guests should bring their own camera - of any kind. Portraiture in NatureThis workshop allows our guests to explore the natural elements they feel most connected to and have their picture taken in their chosen setting. This is a fun exercise that helps us break away from traditional portraiture and how we usually see ourselves in relation to our surroundings.

 

 

EXAMPLE WORKSHOP FORMATS

Wabi Sabi Way offers the following workshops, or a workshop customized for you.

WORKSHOP (1-2 HOURS) - WELCOMING TEA, WABI SABI MOVES, MEDITATION

WORKSHOP (3-4 HOURS) - WELCOMING TEA, WABI SABI MOVES, ART EXPRESSION,

MEDITATION.

WORKSHOP (4-6 HOURS) - WELCOMING TEA, WABI SABI MOVES, LUNCH, ART OF WABI SABI,

MEDITATION.