Creating Haiku is simply to be in the now and express what we see, feel the season we are in, as to connect with nature, objects and ourselves, creating consciousness moment.

 

What is Haiku?

What Haiku brings us?

What is Haiku moment?

 

I am going to explore the answers deeper in this article.

 

 

7th July - Tanabata festival.

One of my favourite Japanese traditional festivals and ancient rituals since I was a little girl. 

It's romantic, exciting, creative and intimate.

We connect to nature, season and universe. 

 

Today is the day to make wishes.

Write your wishes on nice coloured papers (origami) , it can be a poem (Haiku) and decorate the bamboo trees with your own creation. 

 

Go wild and be with your wildest dream.

Let your thoughts out.

Let your dreams out.

Let your wishes seen by the shining stars in the fresh summer sky, 

 

Well, I am going to share the story behind this romantic rituals and Tanabata festival today.

 

"What is the art of attention in Japanese?"

 asked, my client, MPG, Amstelveen/New York based marketing company, a publisher for Rituals Magazine.

 

The word I chose was KIKUBARI

 

気　“KI” :  energy of our life force

配り “KUBARI” : distribute

  

KIKUBARI is a Japanese word that describes the act of paying appreciative attention to the people around you without expecting anything in return.

KIKUBARI brings a subtle smile to the hearts of both the giver and the receiver.

It is a thoughtful gesture of giving and sharing the energy of love and kindness.

This is one of the beautiful values that I cherish and practice. It is all about love and kindness to people around yourself as well as ourselves. The Japanese Tea ceremony is one of the finest examples of KIKUBARI.

This gesture comes from our pure self and not from our mind. It is only possible when we have space in our mind and when we are not clouded by our thoughts.

 

Stillness - Inner Peace - Present.

When the mind is empty, we are fully in the now.

 

We can create these moments not only when we are meditating, but also any time, anywhere.

It is a practice that creates as much of these moments throughout our day.

It takes dedication and focus to master this practise and create "KIKUBARI" - distribution of loving energy, give appreciative attention during even the mosted heated meeting or arguments.  It is all about awareness and you will find amazing results to transform any situations. 

 

Now, back to Rituals Magazine, it was beautifully designed and I was very satisfied with how my calligraphy came out. Making Calligraphy is one of my favourite practices to create Inner Peace and to be in the now. It is with great gratitude that I have the freedom of sharing the beauty of KIKUBARI to the collective world.

 

The magazine is now available through Rituals stores internationally, KIKUBARI from my Japanese SALON in Bussum to the world :-) 

 

Calligraphy + Meditaion courses and Tea Ceremony workshops are availble in my Salon, as well as your location internationally.

 

Let us create Inner-Peace together.

 

With Love, 

 

 Azumi

 

 "Japanese art"  -  I guess the first thing comes to your mind would be the famous woodblock prints of "Ukiyoe" "Painting of Floating World" of Hokusai or Hiroshige. Van Gogh and Monet were those who were mesmerised by the woodblock prints. There are incredible collectors and researchers in Europe. 

 

On the other hands, more traditional form, Byobu - Japanese Screens are less widely known but these are the art where the Japanese love affair with the nature can be seen and felt....