Humans are all fallible, we experience, we break, we heal and we grow, and we survive broken relationships, unkempt health, and beaten careers. We appreciate others’ honesty but yet, we consider admitting our own flaws difficult. We need transparency in any kind of relationship, yet we run away from facing the truth ourselves. Fostering trust requires both parties to admit mistakes and accept the flaws. We accept the flaws we see in others whereas we reject the flaws we see in ourselves.
Mistakes are a sign of trying something new. Mistakes are a sign of growth. Mistakes are vital. Things happen and mistakes occur. It is what we do after a mistake that counts.
"Do you fret over it and say it wasn't my cup of tea? No. You pick up the broken pieces and mend them". Because broken things are precious too.
And that is what, Kintsugi means - the art of fixing the broken pieces.
WHAT IS KINTSUGI?
金継ぎ - Kintsugi (golden joinery)
It is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending it with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. This 400-year-old technique has been praised around the world for its gorgeous, emotion-filled highlights of 'scars' as part of the design—depicting life and its trials in order to help us become better humans and make our life more meaningful.
HOW DOES KINTSUGI BENEFIT YOU?
Kintsugi, as an art form teaches you the process of repairing and helps you to look within yourselves, with a fresh perspective and heal creatively. When we repair or fix a broken work of art or craft, we often create something unique, better, more resilient, and beautiful in the process. Something similar describes our lives: no matter what happens, we continue to learn and grow as a result of each difficulty and stumbling block. Our wounds do not make us undesirable; rather, they make us even better, giving us more to discover each time.
Humans have a tendency to repeat prior traumas, obstacles, and pain in their life, but once committed, they modify their reaction to the event, allowing them to feel empowered, encouraged, and stronger. We can all transform our suffering into something more positive, which may be edifying and help us progress in life, but it takes time. All we have to do now is be gentle towards ourselves and give ourselves time to reconcile.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Kintsugi by Anukrti Upadhyay is a story of two cultures - Jaipur and Japan. It is the story of six characters whose lives intersect and diverge, collide and break and join again just like Kintsugi art. It is the story of Haruko who is work-driven and dedicated herself to jewelry making and of Leela who is determined to learn the traditional craft of her community and become a sunar despite society obstacles. It is the story of Meena, spontaneous and rebellious, and Yuri, as complex as Meena is naive; of Hajime, an outsider to two cultures and Prakash, unable to see beyond his limited horizons. Between the written words, there's a deeper meaning just like the art of Kintsugi.
HOW HAPPY HIKKUPS USES THE ART OF KINTSUGI FOR HEALING?
At Happy Hikkups, we believe the art of Kintsugi isn’t just restricted to pottery but can be applied in real life as well. We can use the art form to learn about ourselves and put our puzzle pieces together. We can heal our scars by using the art of perspective to fill in the gaps, which will not only lead to a healthy and successful life but also give us the motivation to live a positive one.
Make your life lovely by learning how to use Kintsugi art to heal emotional scars. Finally, remember that your scars are opportunities to learn; instead of wasting them, use them to write your own tale about becoming a wiser and stronger version of yourself.
Learn more about Kintsugi here