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 patient and tolerant of differences, not only in nature, but also in general. "Kadō" can inspire one to identify with beauty in all art forms. This is also a time when one feels close to nature, which provides relaxation for the mind, body, and soul. Patterns and styles evolved, and by the late 15thcentury arrangements were common enough to be appreciated by ordinary people and not only by the imperial family and its retainers. "Ikebana" in the beginning was very simple, constructed from only a very few stems of flowers and evergreen branches. This first form of ikebana is called