perfection – A Value Creating Life

In search of perfection

April 25, 2017 Creative BuddhaLeave a comment

Many artists like to produce perfect artworks- that is understandable. They see beautiful works of art before them in museums, cities and in homes; and now in the media. So the quest for perfection is ‘even more in your face’- if your work is not perfect, perhaps you are not perfect. I have now heard from two artists who are suffering from depression and exhaustion, trying to be perfect, and trying to produce perfect pieces of art. There is a Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi, which actually elevates imperfection

But there is a Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi, which actually elevates imperfection. So cracks in pottery are filled with gold, literally emphasizing and embellishing the imperfection, instead of hiding it. The Wabi-Sabi aesthetic is a beauty that is ‘imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete’. It is quite like our physical selves- our bodies are not perfect but using clothes, shoes and make-up we make them look perfect. But the most memorable faces are those that highlight imperfection- such as David Bowie’s mismatched eyes. The actress Jennifer Grey who had her nose done, regretted it- she felt she had lost herself or her unique character.

These are two pieces of pottery that I found destined for the skip. The creator had discarded them in this bin in a pottery workshop.

I took them home and I have used them regularly for the last three years. They have not broken or cracked (and I have washed them in the dishwasher) and were perfect the way I have used them. As I use them, I thank the creator of these two pieces and sometimes feel sorry that in the quest for perfection, the artist threw away two little gems. I am pleased they came my way- each time I look at them, I think about the imperfection of life and how we can create value of each imperfection through acceptance, patience and love.

On being wrong

January 31, 2016 Creative BuddhaLeave a comment

Being wrong is human, being perfect is the quality of gods. The reason we humans make mistakes is because we need to learn, we need to polish our lives and we need to grow. All these reasons are valid and yet often we are ashamed of admitting our wrongs- mostly because of our ego and also because society is not accepting of wrongdoing. Of course, reckless or deliberate wrongdoing is criminal but unintentional wrongs are right. I have been reading a lot about ‘wrongness’ (for example, see the book below) and it has made me reflect on things I have done wrong and how I tried to conceal my mistakes instead of learning from them.

Earlier this week, I went to a great presentation on medical mistakes and these are some of the six points I noted which made the most impact on me-

Best people can make worst mistakes
Systems will never be perfect
Humans will never be perfect
Acknowledge mistakes and learn from them
Consider a way of working that is not wholly reliant on individuals
Share your stories widely

Unless we learn that personally and collectively as a society that failures and wrongs are good for us, we will never grow as empathetic and creative human beings. That is why sharing our ‘wrong’ stories are good too- hope you will share some of yours and what you learnt from them.

We are all Quasimodos

November 29, 2015 Creative BuddhaLeave a comment

There is a Buddhist story about a simple man called ‘Never disparaging’ who seeks the good in all but people chase him away, throwing rocks and sticks at him. However, he continues and in the end, becomes the Buddha, an enlightened soul. In the novel ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ by Victor Hugo is Quasimodo, a deformed ugly man with a heart of gold, who is reviled by all yet comes out as the best of all. Quasimodo is also a simple soul but his generosity and bravery make him worthy of praise. Both Never disparaging and Quasimodo are not clever but good. What they teach us is goodness is better than cleverness. Also, they are not good looking on the outside but from the inside, they are good. So they teach us that it is better to be good inside than outside. Nature makes sure that no one is perfect, even the most beautiful person has some physical defect, one side of our body is slightly different from the other. Quasimodo’s hunch signifies the baggage we all carry- whether inside or outside. So we are all Quasimodos in that respect but just like him, we also have that goodness. To recognise that quality in ourselves and others all the time is the most difficult part. And that is the struggle of everyday- to be kind, compassionate and good, not matter what.