金継ぎ
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery, for example tea cups, pots and bowls, mending them with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum. Kin means gold and tsugi means join. So, join with gold.
Though it serves a function, Kintsugi is really more than a method of repair. It is an art and also a philosophy. Pottery repaired using the Kintsugi method becomes even more beautiful than the original piece. The visible repairs, emphasized with gold powder, are revered. The broken scars are enhanced to reveal their history and celebrated as part of their beauty.
Satsuma ware, Japan, Edo period, 17th century. Source: artsy.net
Zen masters believed that broken pots or tea cups should not be neglected or thrown away, but should continue to attract our respect and attention and be repaired with enormous care.
Traditionally, the kintsugi process used Japanese laquer known as urushi, which is made from tree sap, and was used by Japanese lacquer masters as glue, putty or paint for 9,000 years.
Dosai Dosai or Doraku, Tea Bowl, unknown Raku ware workshop, Japan, Edo period, 19th century. Source: artsy.net
The method starts with using the lacquer to glue the ceramic pieces together. The lacquer can also be used to fill any chips where the ceramic piece is missing. Then gold is dusted onto the lacquer to enhance the cracks and mended areas.
Photo credit: Deeper Japan
Kintsugi is also a reflection of Japanese philosophy. The focus on emphasising the scars stems from the Japanese philosophy of wabisabi, where wabi means a quiet, rustic simplicity and sabi is beauty in old age, in a weathered character, focusing instead on the serenity that can come with time, when wear becomes patina and scars become signs of experience and history.
Our modern age worships youth and perfection. Kintsugi counters this and evinces a wisdom that is applicable to our own modern lives. Could the care and love given to the broken pots show us that we too can respect what is damaged, scarred and imperfect in people? Our scars and imperfection make us who we are, exposes our history and we are enhanced by them. Perhaps if we saw each other’s scars right away, we could better understand each other better too.
In an age of the new, would it not be preferable to counter this and find ways of mending what we already have rather than replacing them with something new? And why not make them beautiful at the same time. A beauty in imperfection.
In forest bathing too, we are constantly reminded by the beauty in the imperfect. Next time you are forest bathing, think about the philosophy behind kintsugi, and as you look around, you will see that there is so much beauty in the imperfect.
Even with its broken branches, this old beech tree is beautiful. I have spent many hours beneath this tree. Its age and brokenness make it all the more comforting and wise.
Free Sweaty Betty Wellness Wednesday Session
Join me in the studio at Sweaty Betty in Guildford for a free one hour indoor forest bathing introduction and experience on Wednesday the 6thof March 6:30-7:30. This session will be followed by a forest bathing session in the woods on a later date. Please contact me to book a place.
Forest Bathing and Woodland Picnic
Join me and The Salt Box for a fully immersive forest bathing experience, beneath the trees in a private bluebell woodland at Priory Farm Estate, South Nutfield, near Redhill.
In March and again in May, take in the forest atmosphere with HINOKI and The Salt Box using mindfulness to help you tune into your senses and finding a connection to nature under the canopy of trees, followed by a Japanese influenced woodland tea ceremony and a nature inspired two course picnic lunch created by The Salt Box.
The Salt Box offers unique feasts over fire and cookery workshops, celebrating seasonal food and open-fire cookery through the coming together of people beneath trees, creating delicious food from nature’s humble ingredients.
Forest Bathing and Woodland Walk
Simone from Back on Track and I have come together again to offer you an invigorating, yet gentle 7/8 km walk through farmsteads and fields surrounding Birtley, followed by a forest bathing experience in the private bluebell woodland of Birtley House, near Bramley.
Back on Track offers running, hiking and outdoor fitness, with emphasis on sustainable training in nature, helping to restore balance through exercise, nutrition and finding energy by syncing to seasonal cycles and changes.
New Locations
HINOKI plans to have sessions in two new locations: The Chantries in Guildford for Bluebell Forest Bathing and Pasturewood, meeting at Heartwork Coffee in Holmbury St Mary. HINOKI will continue to have sessions on Holmbury Hill, Winterfold Forest and Pitch Hill. The last sunrise session until October is on 27th March on Pitch Hill. Book early, as these sessions fill quickly!
Visit HINOKI’s website for new sunset sessions.
Ukranian Humanitarian Appeal
Our hearts are with all who are directly in harm’s way as a result of the Russian attack on Ukrainian sovereignty. The implications are deeply troubling: these include the humanitarian toll that already is being felt in Ukraine and around the world; and the potential long-term, global impacts. As I walked through the woods this past week, I could not help but see how nature is so collaborative, living harmoniously together. Would it not be better to live this way too?
In the next few months, I will be collaborating with other nature-inspired businesses to offer forest bathing experiences where all proceeds will go to the Ukranian Humanitarian Appeal and other charities in support of Ukraine. Although we hope the atrocities will end soon, there is no doubt that Ukraine will continue to need our help. Please visit my website to see when these events will take place.
Thank you for reading my newsletter. Let us do what we can to help Ukraine. Our thoughts and support are with those affected by the atrocities happening in Ukraine.
I hope to see you under the trees soon.
With warmest wishes,
Lisa
