We stitch a lot. I share how much a needle can do. The needle works for us a lot

We stitch a lot. I share how much a needle can do. The needle works for us a lot. We believe(d) there was a spirit in it. Stitchers cease their hands on the day of Hari Kuyou to show appreciation to the spirit in the needle. That’s how Japanese have (had) been practicing over 1000 years. 

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Thank you for your comments on the previous post. I am sorry that I cannot reply, but I read all of them. Thought-provoking feedback was about the needles they disposed of without thinking (appreciating) in the past. They shared sadness (they felt bad) that they didn’t care. I would say, don’t worry about it too much about the past because you didn’t know. A spirit resides in the object when we recognize it. Otherwise, without the attention, the needle is just an object. I do not “worship” the needle as something superior. I started appreciating because that’s how I was taught. Then, I started feeling there may be something like “spirit” in 30 years of experience. Another reason I say Sashiko is more than the “pattern”. 

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We can enrich our days by believing and appreciating something, right? So, please do not worry about the past. It is for the future. I think the needle didn’t mind when they were disposed of without Hari Kuyou – the needle itself isn’t spirit. The spirit stays in the needle when we believe so, and the Hari Kuyou is to show appreciation to the spirit so we can welcome them again – like reincarnation.

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Umm… it may sound fishy… too spiritual? hahaha. Please understand that it isn’t my intention to promote any specific belief. The point is that the Japanese believed Animism naturally – and Sashiko was an ordinary practice of those Japanese people. I am just sharing how they were in a trend where many focus on “the result”. Sashiko may be more than what you know.

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文章にすればするほど、もっと文章が必要になるってどないやねん……と思いながら、立ち止まらないように、少しずつできる範囲で文章にしています。悩みに悩み、日本文化と向き合った時間は無駄じゃなかったんだなぁと。”物”に魂が宿るか、実際はわかりません。ただ、宿ると考えた時、日本的な考え方がすーっと理解できるんです。霊性的な話をたまにしますが、僕はあくまで左脳人間です。全部論理で説明してやろうと思っています。できるかなぁ……。

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2020-12-09 11:14:05

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