No Longer Chasing Perfection

Based in Preston and a Sangha member since January 2024, Warren tells us about starting to look after the flowers in our shrine rooms.

I recently launched Temple of Bloom, a horticulture business. Temple of Bloom has grown out of a messy time in my life. Working with flowers and plants has helped me steady myself, reconnect, and remember that growth isn’t always pretty, but it is possible.

What started as a way to support my own mental health slowly grew into a business rooted in honesty, creativity, and actual human wellbeing. As I progress each day, I move to a more right livelihood life, leaving my former career in finance. Stepping away from that world of security was a big decision, but it felt important to move towards a path that aligns more closely with the values I want to live by.

So taking on the shrine displays feels like a very natural extension of that. Each arrangement is made with intention, a lot of enthusiasm, and the firm belief that nature doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful. If a branch sticks out at a weird angle? Great – I call that character. If a flower droops? Relatable.

My hope is that these weekly displays offer a small moment of stillness, colour, or curiosity as you visit the shrine room. They’re my way of practising right livelihood – choosing work that feels grounded, meaningful, and aligned with the teachings.

I’m massively grateful to the team at the Centre for welcoming me into this role and supporting my journey as Temple of Bloom grows. It means a lot to be part of a community that leads with kindness and actually practises what it teaches.

For a long time, I have lived by the concept of Wabi-Sabi – finding beauty in the imperfect and the temporary. I use it daily by relaxing expectations, trusting the process, and letting things be a little more natural. A good reminder for flowers, for my practice, and for life in general.