Zen Garden Principles
The Buddhist monks created the first zen gardens in the sixth century ago for to aid in meditation. For this reason, the majority of authentic Japanese rock gardens are found within the confines of Buddhist monasteries, their beauty in simplicity having survived for centuries. Their very reason for being was to radiate silence, calm and tranquility to anyone contemplating them.
There are seven principles when we create a zen garden.
Asymmetry equals movement, there is balance and harmony, though. The center is empty and things are not equal on all sides. Nature itself is full of beauty and harmonious relationships that are asymmetrical yet balanced. This is a dynamic beauty that attracts and engages.
Simplicity suggests that beauty and usefulness should not be expressed excessively, any unnecessary elements are removed. Reminds us to think not in terms of decoration but in terms of clarity, a kind of clarity that may be achieved through omission or exclusion of the non-essential.
naturalness in design seeks the equilibrium between being a part of nature and at the same time, different architecture that adapts to its environment also incarnates simultaneously artistic intention and no pretense or artificiality.
A Japanese garden, can be said to be a collection of subtleties and symbolic elements. Leaving something to the imagination piques our curiosity and can move us to action.
Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon. The term is sometimes used today to describe something cool but beautifully minimalist.
6. Stillness, Tranquility
Energized calm (quite), solitude. The principle of seijaku takes the properties of meditation, to achieve calm, concentration and encourages states of great alert and creativity and transports them into design. This is related to the feeling you may have when in a Japanese garden.
7. Freedom from habit
This principle describes the feeling of surprise and a bit of amazement when one realizes they can have freedom from the conventional.
Modern life is creating stress and we all react the same way. The causes of stress in modern life emerge from the many obligations we have to handle everyday to the modern way of negative thinking. A Zen garden can be the perfect place for the specialized meditative activities that many of us need in our days. If you are looking for a serene, calming activity to balance your lifestyle, think about how a Zen garden could help.