Finding Peace in Ikebana: Workshop Outcomes

Finding Peace in Ikebana: Workshop Outcomes

The Living Peace Museum Society presented Finding Peace in Ikebana: The Art of Flower Arranging on May 25th at Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. This workshop intended to cultivate inner peace and harmony among participants through practicing the art of ikebana. 

The tradition of ikebana began in the 6th century when Buddhist monks from China introduced the religion and the art of flower arranging to Japan. They created flower arrangements on the temple altars to express their appreciation of nature's beauty and for worship.

The Zen philosophy profoundly impacted ikebana aesthetics, which emphasizes simplicity, mindfulness, and the transient beauty of nature. This philosophy led to the development of minimalist styles that aimed to capture the essence of nature. Zen monks continue to practice ikebana in their monasteries. 

When the general population became interested in mastering the aesthetics of Japanese flower arranging, ikebana schools were established. The three best-known schools are Ikenobo, Ohara and Sogetsu. Today, there are over 3,000 ikebana schools throughout Japan. 

The workshop's instructor, Hidemi Nishibata, is a level 7 teacher who studied at the Raukyo Mishiryo Ikebana School in Kyoto, Japan. She demonstrated making Japanese flowering arrangements to twenty community members. Hidemi introduced three key elements: environment, season, and the creator. She expressed, "When these elements fuse, harmony emerges, which is the essence of Ikebana." The participants enjoyed a serene afternoon delving into creating unique Japanese style flower arrangements in containers supplied by Hidemi.  

The Living Peace Museum Society acknowledges with great appreciation to Hidemi Nishibata for sharing her creativity, knowledge and teachings, and Tim Nishibata for supplying the foliage and flowers for the workshop. Our appreciation also extends to the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site of Canada for collaborating with us for this Asian Heritage Month program.