Ikebana

One of my very favorite days of the month was yesterday, my monthly Ikebana class. There are about 6 American wives and 2 Japanese instructors, Fusako is the Ikebana sensei and Chikako is the translator (but is also very well versed in Ikebana).

I love working with flowers and having the opportunity to learn each time about the style, about symbolism and technical aspects like how to handle a deep vase. Yesterdays lesson resulted in the arrangement to the right - we have to consider space (between the flowers), height differences to make the arrangement more dynamic. There's also awareness of the elements pushing forward and backward. I totally get it, and it brings me so much peace working with the flowers. There's also the symbolism - 3/5/7 are considered lucky numbers in Japan. Fusako, our sensei guided me in adding an additional white flower at the bottom, explaining that the yellow gerber daisy's are the dominant and they are three (goooooood), the palm fronds (I think they are technically something else) are two (2+3=5, very gooooood), with the addition of the second white flower I now have seven. 3 daisies, 5 flowers, 7 elements. All very good. In my beautiful Daisei-Gama vase. Inspiring.