Reflecting on the beauty of Blossom trees.

Few images evoke the essence of beauty, transience, and renewal quite like the blossoming of Sakura, or cherry blossom trees. These delicate pink and white blooms have been woven into the fabric of Japanese art, literature, and tradition for centuries and have been the inspiration of many of my own designs over the years. 

Sakura are stunning, offering a fleeting burst of colour in Spring. They are swift in coming, often appearing as if by magic overnight, and are gone before you know it. Perfectly termed “Wabi Sabi" in Japanese, meaning a profound appreciation for the impermanence of things, the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms serves as a reminder to cherish each beautiful yet brief moment in life. 

Japanese culture is one I have embraced since my childhood, hence the beautiful Japanese Brocades I use to create pieces such as my  Massaging Slippers. But the Cherry blossoms that hold deep cultural significance in Japan, symbolizing renewal, hope, and the arrival of spring have to be one of my favourite parts of this beautifully gentle culture and Hanami, or flower gazing, is a cherished Japanese tradition.  At this time families and friends celebrate the blooming of the cherry blossoms together, gathering to picnic beneath the blossoms, revelling in their beauty and the camaraderie of the moment.

As Cherry Blossom has inspired me during my Holistic Silk journey from designing my first products all those years ago to a new, soon to be released, Silk Sleep Mask design, many others have dedicated a whole host of poems, haikus, and literature dedicated to them. A muse to classical and contemporary writers, Sakura evokes themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. And beyond its cultural and artistic significance, Sakura continues to inspire people the world over through its symbolism of the beauty and resilience of the human spirit.

 So as cherry blossoms blanket my garden in their fleeting display of beauty, I feel invited to stretch out on my Yoga Rug Mat  underneath the boughs and take time to pause, reflect and embrace the preciousness of even the most fleeting moments. The delicate petals of Sakura allowing me to renew my love for the Japanese culture and serving as a reminder that the beauty that surrounds me can sometimes be fleeting and so should always be cherished and celebrated; even in times of adversity, because like the cherry trees, we can bloom anew, even in the face of challenges. 

Cherry blossoms scatter–
snap! the buck’s antlers
come off

without regret
they fall and scatter…
cherry blossoms

cherry blossoms
fall! fall!
enough to fill my belly

cherry trees in bloom–
warmed by a brazier
blossom-gazing

Kobayashi Issa