How do you combine wabi sabi spirituality with Christianity?
For me, truth is truth, no matter where you find it. Beauty is beautiful no matter where you find it. Part of wabi sabi spirituality is being open to that. The tea masters were the first ones to perfect the idea of being a wabi person-they believed someone who was wabi was not a poor person, but rather somebody who is free from attachment to wealth. And four of the first disciples of Rikyu, who created the tea ceremony, were themselves Christian. They recognized that being a wabi person had a lot in common with the gospels-Jesus’ teaching that the poor are blessed, for theirs is the kingdom of God. A lot of Christians would be surprised to learn that there’s a connection. A lot of my Christian friends have asked me about this, and they’re leery at first. They think wabi sabi is some strange Eastern theory. But as soon as you talk to people about it they say, “Oh, I know exactly what you’re talking about.” It’s just that we didn’t have the words or the language to describe that. I was a
