There is no mistaking the overwhelming feeling of joy that comes from receiving a gift of beautifully arranged fresh-cut flowers. The moment they enter your space, the entire atmosphere takes on a new higher vibration of beauty and joy. If you’re like most people, this feeling can trigger desires to want to surround yourself with fresh flowers more often, and you may even begin to have fantasies of starting your own flower garden, or at the very least, taking a class on arranging fresh cut flowers that you can get at the market.

Taking the time to learn a new artistic skill like this can not only be very beneficial for your mind, body, and spirit, it can open you up creatively to a whole new level of connectivity with your creative side. In fact, in Japan, arranging flowers is taken quite seriously. Ikebana, or Japanese flower arranging, is more than just putting flowers in a container. Ikebana is a disciplined art form in which the arrangement is a living thing, where nature and humanity are brought together.

In the book titled “The Japanese Art of Flower Arranging,” written by renowned Ikebana expert Shozo Sato, you can learn the same styles and techniques used in the 16th century under the influence of Buddhist tea masters that have grown over the centuries.

This book will not only show you what Ikebana looks like, but it will also educate you on the tools and specific techniques for this art form, the cultural background behind the art, and the thought process behind Ikebana designs. With its numerous color photographs of the many different styles of Ikebana and helpful line drawings of Ikebana arrangements with labels that break down the very specific parts of the arrangements, you will be basking in the beauty of your own floral artistry in no time.