MANILA, Philippines -- The Ikebana way of flower arranging is more complex and sophisticated. Arrangements may be composed of three to five flowers or leaves, and each branch symbolizes a meaning. The word "Ikebana" came from the Japanese word ikeru, which means "to place, to arrange, life and birth." The term bana means "flower" and it also refers to "giving life to flowers" and "arranging flowers."
Ikebana originated from the Buddhist practice of offering flowers during worship and offering flowers to the spirits of the dead. The first students and teachers of Ikebana were Buddhist priests.
Ikebana is a three-dimensional artistic expression composed of flowers and plants. It is up to the aesthetics of the arranger to assemble the materials, choose their most beautiful aspects, and provide meaning to the arrangement. It's more than simply putting flowers in a container, as it is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of multicolored arrangement of blooms, Ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis toward shape, line, and form. Though Ikebana is a creative expression, it has certain rules governing its form. It follows certain color combinations, shapes and graceful lines.
Like most Japanese art forms, this art employs minimalism. An Ikebana arrangement may consist of only a minimal number of blooms interspersed among stalks and leaves, arranged on a scalene triangle delineated by three main points. The three elements symbolize heaven, earth and man and in others, sun, moon and earth. The longest placement is often referred to as "Shin," which means heaven. The medium placement is "Soe," or man. "Hikae," the shortest placement, refers to the earth. The rest of the branches and flowers are called "Jushi." The total number of placements is always odd. Symmetry is never encouraged as it is viewed as stagnation. Asymmetry reflects nature and is viewed as creative.
The act of arranging an Ikebana also has its spiritual aspect. Silence is a must while creating as it is a time to appreciate things in nature. Through this art form, one becomes more patient and tolerant. And one is able identify with the beauty in nature, which provides relaxation for the mind, body and soul.
Containers can be of any type. They should be at least four inches deep. They must be kept clean at all times, as dirty containers may develop bacteria that can reduce the life span of the flowers and foliage.
