The reason everything looks beautiful is because it is out of balance, but its background is always in perfect harmony. http://amzn.to/2iZOLK7
Book: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
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The reason of beautifulness: imbalance on harmony
Shunryu Suzuki offers an aesthetic insight in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. The reason everything looks beautiful is because it is out of balance, but its background is always in perfect harmony. Perfect symmetry can feel lifeless. Slight imbalance, set against a stable background, creates movement, interest and life.
Japanese aesthetics express this through wabi-sabi, an appreciation of imperfection and impermanence. A cracked tea bowl, a weathered wooden beam or an asymmetrical garden can feel more beautiful than flawless objects. The imperfection invites attention and tells a story of time and use.
Seeing the reason of beautifulness in everyday life
Designers know this principle well. Asymmetrical layouts often feel more dynamic than perfectly centred ones. Photographers use the rule of thirds to place subjects off-centre. Therefore, a little imbalance, carefully placed, can make a composition come alive.
The idea applies to people too. Our quirks and imperfections often make us interesting and lovable. Trying to appear perfect can feel cold. On the other hand, authenticity, including flaws, creates connection.
Suzuki’s background of harmony matters as much as the imbalance. Underneath change and imperfection lies something stable. In Zen terms, this might be the stillness of mind. For example, a calm inner foundation lets us handle chaotic days with grace.
Moreover, accepting imbalance reduces pressure to control everything. Life rarely feels perfectly balanced, and that is part of its beauty.
Nature shows this everywhere. Trees grow unevenly, rivers bend and clouds shift, yet landscapes feel harmonious.
In the end, Suzuki teaches us to appreciate imperfection. Beauty lives in the dance between movement and stillness.
