At one with the flower | Bangkok Post: lifestyle

FLORAL JOURNEY

I have recently developed a brief ceremony to mark the beginning of my workshops on flower arrangement. I call it "The Floral Ceremony." The purpose of The Floral Ceremony is to awaken all the senses of the participants in order to prepare them for the arrangement of flowers. A rose with sweet perfume is set on the table for every participant.

I told the participants that so often when people look they do not see, listen but do not hear, inhale but do not smell, eat but do not taste, nor do they feel when they touch. The key is to look and see the presence of the rose in front of them, then to smell and to feel it. Then I guide them to hear the sound of falling rose petals and to taste the rose-bud tea. Only when our senses are fully awakened will we feel the presence of that rose. At that very special moment of consciousness when we see the beauty of the rose, when nothing else matters, we are one with the flower.

Inspired by The Floral Ceremony, I have created today's simple, contemplative floral display. I use a square stainless steel tray as the container. I have one vanda blossom, one chrysanthemum and sheets of moss as the plant materials. I begin by making thin slices of the floral foam. Then I line the bottom of the tray with the slices of floral foam. I continue to cover the floral foam with patches of thin sheets of moss.