Ikebanaism

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“Be genuine, serene, and attentive at the practice.”

– Sōfu Teshigahara, founder of the Sōgetsu school of ikebana

I took my first Ikebana class from the Buddhist Study Center in Honolulu when I was an undergrad studying business at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As a Japanese-American, Ikebana was a way for me to connect with my culture through practicing the traditional past times of my ancestors.

Twelve years later, I began taking monthly classes in the Sōgetsu School style as a key part of my postpartum recovery plan. As a first-time mother I went through ALL THE FEELS, physiological and psychological. I craved something outside of motherhood to help me cope with a major identity transition from a self-indulgent, YOLO-ing 30-something-year old into a selfless, motherly caregiver. I didn’t quite understand that what I was going through at the time was postpartum depression (PPD) but I knew that immersing myself in the study of Ikebana with a group of curious, kind, and generous people helped pull me through it (along with a Zoloft Rx, let’s be real).

What’s more is that Ikebana gives me time and space to reflect and appreciate perspectives outside of my own. A large segment of class time is dedicated to sharing our arrangements and engaging in a constructive critique. There are no strict rules when building an arrangement. We all start with similar plant materials but end up with vastly different interpretations in what we create. This process has made me a better listener and a champion for feedback loops.