Ikebana, the traditional art of Japanese flower arrangement, is much more than simply arranging flowers in a vase. Over the past 600 years, it has evolved into a form of art that can be practiced by anyone, anywhere. Research in the West is only just starting to reveal what ikebana practitioners have known for centuries, that ikebana can have a significant impact on our wellbeing in multiple ways. Connections between flowers, art, and nature, and the human brain reveal the neurobiological mechanism for the many ways in which ikebana can positively impact our mental and physical health.
Your Brain on Flowers
Research on the connection between flowers and human psychology and physiology is so profound that many researchers theorize there are multiple evolutionary connections between flowers and humans. One of the common themes is the positive impact flowers can have on our emotional wellbeing. Simply viewing and being exposed to flowers can have relaxing effects, and recent research has revealed the mechanism in the brain for how this occurs. Brain scans show that viewing a flower reduced activation in the brain’s limbic system, specifically the right amygdala–hippocampus region of the brain. The limbic system drives our sympathetic nervous system, which produces what we know as the ‘fight-or-flight’ response to stress. Reduced activation of this system allows for the parasympathetic nervous system to engage, supporting our ability to ‘rest and digest’. Ultimately, viewing flowers increases our parasympathetic nervous system activity, inducing relaxation and alleviating stress and anxiety.
The colors of flowers can also have an impact on our brain and our wellbeing. One study showed that yellow and red flowers were connected to significantly higher Alpha waves in the brain compared to white flowers. Another study showed that blue and purple flowers were linked to higher Alpha waves. Alpha waves are linked to reduced mental stress, improved memory, and increased relaxation. These colors also significantly increased parasympathetic nervous system activity.
Even further, when we have flowers in our home environment research shows we have less worry and anxiety, feel less depressed, and feel greater compassion towards others over an extended period of time with effects extending to other environments such as work. The presence of flowers in a room can also have a positive impact on our perception of others in that room while increasing mood and reducing feelings of solitude. Ultimately, flowers have a measurable effect on our brains, and produce a clear, positive impact on our individual and social wellbeing as a result.
Your Brain on Art
Throughout human history we have used art to facilitate healing. While the modern field of Art Therapy has shown for decades that art can help promote emotional well being and reduce stress, the emerging field of neuroaesthetics, the study of how the brain responds to art, provides the biological understanding for how and why it has such a profound impact. The literature shows that making art reduces stress and promotes positive wellbeing while enhancing brain function.
Research indicates that engaging with art uses different parts of our brain than when we are using linear thinking and problem solving day to day. This is particularly important when we think about the brain’s ability to change and form new connections - it’s neuroplasticity. The brain’s neuroplasticity allows us to learn new information and skills, recover in the face of brain injury or decline, and improve connections that strengthen memory and focus. Art making engages multiple and different areas of the brain, taking advantage of our neuroplasticity and thus improving memory, problem solving skills, and attention. As we experience cognitive decline while we age, being able to make new connections and improve our memory is essential to our wellbeing, and research shows that aging populations show improvement in brain connectivity after producing visual art.
Benefits that come from art go beyond the positive impacts on our brain functioning. Even for beginners, making art can promote positive mental health. What’s significant about this is that we don’t have to be experts or have prior experience in art making in order to have a meaningful experience that reduces stress. Researchers are also starting to explore the connection between art and the reward system in the brain. When we view and engage in art, brain scans show that the areas of our brain producing feel good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin light up, contributing to positive emotions and pleasure. Viewing art also activates the default mode network, the area of our brain that includes personal identity, imagination, empathy, and meaning making. When we view art we can create a sense of personal meaning in the experience, and research shows our ability to to derive meaning in life is connected to greater wellbeing both physically and psychologically.
Your Brain on Nature
The positive impact nature has on humans is widely documented in scientific literature. Research using brain scans shows rapid changes in how the brain operates when exposed to nature, engaging in a coordinated shift away from a state of stress and mental effort and towards a state of rest and recovery. As a result we are able to better direct and manage our attention to what is going on around and within us, and regulate our emotions.
Research also suggests that long term exposure to nature can be linked to a healthier brain structure with better cognitive performance and better mental health across the lifespan. Even brief interactions with nature are enough to cause measurable changes in our brain. However, prolonged exposure in natural environments has the greatest impact, likely due to the richness of our sensory experience. Being able to engage all of our senses while in nature contributes to optimal rest and recovery. The literature also shows that exposure to nature creates a state in the brain that is similar to that of a meditative practice - calm wakefulness, reduced mental load, and introspective attention.
Your Brain on Ikebana
Most of the research done on the impact of Ikebana on humans is in Japanese, but we can make connections between current research in English and the qualities of Ikebana to infer the positive impact it can have. Any seasoned ikebana practitioner can share personal anecdotes about how practicing ikebana has improved their wellbeing and shifted their perspective in the way they see the world around them. With the research we have on the impact of flowers, art, and nature on humans, it’s easy to see why.
Ikebana brings flowers into the home, and their simple presence can lift our mood while making us feel less lonely. In contrast with western floral design which focuses on producing an arrangement for a specific purpose, ikebana philosophy emphasizes flower arranging as an artistic and meditative process, with emerging research suggesting ikebana has significant potential as a form of mindfulness meditation. When we practice ikebana, we are actively engaged in making art while connecting with nature, using our creative brain and self-expression to create something that has personal meaning. Even absolute beginners can derive positive wellbeing benefits from making an ikebana arrangement. Further, an ongoing ikebana practice encourages us to spend time in and observe nature on a regular basis, contributing to long term exposure to nature in a multitude of ways. Ultimately, ikebana can have a profound impact on our brains and the spectrum of our wellbeing, offering an opportunity for anyone, anywhere to improve their quality of life.