IMAGINE if beauty was not about being flawless but about celebrating life’s inevitable cracks and quirks. This is not just a fleeting Instagram trend or idealistic notion; it is the heart of Japan’s wabi-sabi philosophy.
Rooted in accepting impermanence and imperfection, wabi-sabi shows us that beauty is found in the worn, the broken, and the transformed. For us in the Philippines, where Western ideals often shape our ideas of success and appearance, wabi-sabi could offer a refreshing perspective.
In Japan, wabi-sabi is a lifestyle. It combines “wabi,” or simplicity, with “sabi,” which finds beauty in the old and worn. Instead of discarding a chipped mug, wabi-sabi encourages repairing it with gold, a process known as kintsugi.
This practice highlights transformation over flawlessness and creates beauty from what others might toss aside. In our local setting, this philosophy resonates in a society where our own cracks—be they personal, political, or social—are often visible.
The pressure to conform to perfect ideals is everywhere in the country. We see it in the constant emphasis on fair skin, ideal family life, and career success, leading many of us to chase illusions that can feel alien to our reality.
Social media amplifies this, presenting highly curated lives that are difficult, if not impossible, to match. Yet, wabi-sabi teaches that true worth lies not in hiding imperfections but embracing them. Imagine how liberating it could be to simply be real, flaws and all.
Consider our grit-filled teachers, especially those adapting post-pandemic. Many transitioned overnight from in-person classes to online learning, often with little support or resources. They had to learn new technologies, improvise lessons, and juggle challenges at home. In doing so, they became living examples of wabi-sabi — resourceful, resilient, and beautifully imperfect. Their dedication, despite setbacks, is not a failure but a testament to their strength. This adaptability deserves to be valued, not overshadowed by expectations of flawless execution.
UNESCO reports that our teachers experience some of the highest stress levels globally. The wabi-sabi perspective suggests viewing their struggles not as shortcomings but as proof of their resilience.
When we stop measuring success by impossible standards, we can appreciate teachers’ efforts for what they are — sincere acts of dedication. Embracing this approach helps shift the focus from perfection to genuine progress, which, if applied widely, could transform not only teaching but also how we evaluate ourselves and each other.
Beyond careers, our obsession with perfection invades our personal lives as well. Many of us struggle with self-image, feeling pressured to fit a mold they never chose. Wabi-sabi invites us to ask who benefits from our pursuit of perfection. Finding worth in our natural selves can lead to inner peace, freeing us from the need to prove ourselves to anyone. Self-acceptance brings calm, especially in a culture where people often feel they must prove their value through visible achievements. (To be continued)/PN
