Ikebana arranged as to express peace. All gifts of flowers must be in bud, so that the person to whom they are sent may have the pleasure of seeing them openquite a contrast to the present Western idea of everything being forced to perfection before leaving the florist. The spiritual aspect of "kadō" is considered very important to its practitioners. Some practitioners feel silence is needed while making "ikebana" while others feel this is not necessary. It is a time to appreciate things in nature that people often overlook because of their busy lives. It is believed that one becomes more
Ikebana Ikebana "Kadō" is counted as one of the three classical Japanese arts of refinement, along with "kōdō" for incense appreciation and "chadō" for tea and the tea ceremony. "Ikebana" is from the Japanese and . Possible translations include "giving life to flowers" and "arranging flowers". Plants play an important role in the native Shinto religion. "Yorishiro" are objects that divine spirits are summoned to. Evergreen plants such as "kadomatsu" are a traditional decoration of the New Year placed in pairs in front of homes to welcome ancestral spirits or "kami" of the harvest. The pastime of viewing plants and appreciating