Creating a Sense of Space and Order
Many years ago I accompanied my Mom to the country of my ancestors, Japan. One of the remarkable discoveries I made was on the grounds of Ryoanji Temple, location of the famous Zen rock garden. I noticed that there were no leaves under the trees and bushes. The result was pristine, unmarred in its living beauty. Dead leaves were picked up by workers early in the morning to create this presentation of the Japanese gardens.
In traditional Japanese homes, there is a place of honor and focus called tokonoma. Large or small, this space is reserved for a display of a treasure or most often a flower arrangement, ikebana. I was told that to create a proper arrangement, a person needed to first quiet her mind-heart-soul. When such stillness is achieved, the arrangement reflects that spiritual state of the arranger. Thereby, the tokonoma and ikebana bless the space around it as well as all those who come in contact with that stillness.
To me, both these stories speak of a certain quality or spirit of the Japanese people. Whether they continue to be retained today I don’t know. In a similar vein when I see Zen paintings, the sense of space and minimal form to give expression to kanji (Japanese pictographic characters) or figures create a delightful kind of beauty.
These stories describe the deep roots of my sense of space and order. On a practical level today, this expresses itself by a tendency to being minimalist in what is in my home. As I look around, I can see where I managed to preserve this. In contrast, I also see where things that we’ve acquired through the years are invading the space.
This sense of space and order also informs what I see as beauty. To me one aspect of beauty is about a suggestion of peace and serenity. It’s an expression of spaciousness and living spirit. It’s a choice for Nature and simplicity as a priority.
Wherever I am, especially in my home, my choice is for sufficient space and for enough order. However, my partner’s background is very different from mine in many respects. He doesn’t appear to have these priorities. Consequently, it’s my responsibility to create what I want if I’m to have a context of peace, space and order in my home.
This is where a cordless sweeper comes in. When I want to “clean” in a hurry, I pick up this light weight swivel sweeper g2, turn on the battery powered motor, and zip around the traffic areas. In a few minutes, I have order on the floors. Leaves, dirt from outside, bits of food under the dining table and from the kitchen counters all disappear in a hurry. For more information, go to www.swivelsweeperg2reviews.com.
This is how a modern person like me honors the spirit of order and space that comes to me from my ancestral background. I realize that the example of creating something whether it’s a space or something concrete with a spirit of stillness is a gift. To everyone coming in contact with this creation, stillness may be transmitted.
Anne K. Uemura, Ph.D.
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