Ikebana

Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It tries to represent the three elements sky, earth, and mankind in a well balanced relation. Ikebana developed in the 16 century. Traditional Ikebana is called Kado.

The materials of ikebana can include freshly cut branches, vines, leaves, grasses, berries, fruit, seeds, and flowers, as well as wilted and dried plants. In fact, any natural substance may be used, and in contemporary ikebana, glass, metal, and plastic are also employed. As one of the traditional arts of Japan, ikebana has developed a symbolic language as well as decorative concepts, and the use of natural, ephemeral flowers and branches makes the dimension of time an integral part of the creation. The relationship between the materials; the style of the arrangement; the size, shape, texture, volume, and color of the container; and the place and occasion for its display are all vitally important factors.

The diversity of Japan’s natural landscape and ancient, agricultural way of life set the scene for the development of ikebana. A decisive influence was the introduction of Buddhism from China in the 6th century, and with it, the custom of floral offerings (kuge) to the Buddha and the souls of the dead. The offering took the form of a simple, symmetrical composition of three stems, but by the early 17th century it had evolved into a style called rikka, literally “standing flowers,” created by Buddhist monks of the Ikenobo school. This elaborate art form was done in tall bronze vases, and required a high degree of technical skill. The main branch, symbolizing heaven or truth, was usually asymmetrical, bending out to the right or left before its upper tip returned to the central vertical axis. Numerous other branches, each with its own symbolic meaning and decorative function, emerged from the central mass, the core of an imaginary sphere. As a whole, a work of rikka was a microcosm that represented the entire universe through the image of a landscape. The chief characteristics—asymmetry, symbolism, and spatial depth—were to exert a strong influence on later developments.

Ikebana has a spiritual aspect to it. One becomes quiet when one practices Ikebana. It helps you to live "in the moment" and to appreciate things in nature that previously had seemed insignificant. One becomes more patient and tolerant of differences, not only in nature, but more generally in other people. Ikebana can inspire you to identify with beauty in all art forms -- painting, music, etc., and to always expect the best in yourself.

What distinguishes Ikebana from other approaches such as "flower arrangement" is its asymmetrical form and the use of empty space as an essential feature of the composition. A sense of harmony among the materials, the container, and the setting is also crucial.

These are some books written on Ikebana

Ikebana: Step by Step Japanese Flower Arrangement by Reiko Takenaka

Ikebana With Living Plants by Ichiba Ashida

Ikebana: A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Flower Arranging by Jacqueline Palmer

http://www.ikebanahq.org/