Art & Beauty
Appreciation of Nature’s Beauty and the Creative Arts uplifts the human spirit and expands our consciousness. We encourage this through our Sangetsu School of Flower Arranging where we teach the art of harmonizing human creativity with nature’s beauty.
This art form is based on Mokichi Okada’s philosophy of raising one’s spiritual level through cultivating appreciation of natural beauty.
A Remark on Art
The true significance of art in general is this: to deepen a person’s intelligence and lead his or her soul to a higher level by conveying the artist’s spirit through the senses. If it is purpose is only to amuse, then it cannot be called art. The same thing can be applicable to literature, drama, dance, etc. To appeal to the popular mind through art, eliminate brutality from a person’s character, and to make one more civilized in the true sense, these are the raison d’etre of art.
~ Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama)
On the Importance of Art
By coming in contact with something beautiful, we can be inspired by the loveliness of the form and this is important. But far more important than the physical beauty is that which is within. When we can sense the spirituality of the creator of a lovely art form we can receive true inspiration.This contributes to our spiritual elevation and expanding consciousness in every way. Interest and visual appreciation of physical beauty can fade. But when we can feel the loveliness of nature we become more aware of the beauty of the creator, and we begin to develop our inner beauty, that of the spirit, and so receive greater inspiration.
~ Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama)
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Museums created by Mokichi Okada
Atami, Japan
On flowers
We believe it is vitally important to raise the consciousness of everyone through beauty. We wish to encourage people to cultivate flowers and to distribute them as the best method for the popularization of beauty. This begins with decorating the rooms in our individual homes and in other buildings. It is true that we see flowers placed in many middle- and upper-class homes, but we feel this is not enough. Our aim is to encourage everyone to place arrangements in every place of every kind, so wherever people go they will see flowers and enjoy them.I don’t have to tell you what a refreshing atmosphere it would add to an office or study to have a single flower displayed in a vase. Ideally speaking, I would also like to see arrangements placed in every jail and in each prison cell. I believe the good effect these would have on the inmates’ consciousness would be immeasurable. In this way, when the time comes that wherever there are people there are flowers, the negativity of today’s world will be considerably alleviated.
~ Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama)
Contact sangetsu.org