I used to think that wabi sabi refers to the natural beauty of worn-out or decaying things. But after reading this book by Beth Kempton, I realised that I have gotten it all wrong. Wabi sabi is a feeling that wells up within you after you experience some kind of transcendental beauty.

Sounds like a philosophy too abstract for me to fathom. Beth unpacks it by saying how it is the appreciation of the impermanent, imperfect and incomplete nature of things. Because perfection is an impossible ideal, all we can do at this moment in time is to try our best and embrace the perfectly imperfect.

With this grounding, she discusses how one can seek wabi sabi by seeking refuge in nature, treating failures as learning opportunities, as well as remaining true to his inquisitive spirit by embracing a career philosophy (not goals). Sounds antithetical to the Singaporean mindset of needing to achieve by strategic milestones as a manifestation of how he has “arrived” in life.

With wabi sabi, there is no thought of success vs failure, only the desire to create beauty in the here and now.

This book made me want to read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius because her words remind me of the Stoic philosophy, and I’m motivated to explore for myself whether there are similarities between being Stoic and appreciating wabi sabi. Did Marcus say about immersing oneself in the lightness of nature?