I concluded the 400 seconds presentation on @SelvedgeMagazine with a statement: “Sashiko was a Japanese form of stitching to pray for another day to live…” Then, I received a request to elaborate what I meant by “praying”. Yes, it is my pleasure to do so. However, it requires some conditions to be shared to explain – some Japanese philosophy – which is deeply related to Animism. I added a link to my article about “Sashiko and Animism”. Please find it from my profile link.
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As you imagine, the “pray” in this context is a bit different from the western style of praying as defined “to address God with confession or thanksgiving”. The majority of Japanese who lived in Shinto didn’t believe in “One God” asking for forgiveness. They believed each “element” contains the spirit (God), and therefore they appreciated what they had.
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“Stitching to pray for another day” represents the “time to be mindful of what they had”. As much as they may have lived in harsh conditions, they appreciated what they had. This is a brief explanation of “Pray” in the context. By the way, it is kind of interesting, but in Japanese Shinto, in my understanding, the “praying for specific spirit” was a type of “contract” between human and spirit. Ah… I am going off from the main topic… anyhow, the Japanese naturally believed in animism in their ordinary, and therefore, the prayer was more like a “custom” to appreciate what they have. I will keep sharing the stories on this. Please read the article first if you are interested.
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どこで読んだのか忘れてしまったのですが、「神道におけるお参り（祈り）とは、つまりは八百万の神様との契約である」という文章に衝撃を受けた覚えがあります。西洋の絶対神への畏れや贖罪とは違い、◯◯するから●●してねという神道的なやり取りは、確かに契約っぽくて面白いなぁと思ったのです。契約って書くと少し嫌な気がするかもですが、でも、あながち的は外してない。
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現代に生きる僕らは、どうしても僕らの価値基準で物事を判断しがちです。勿論、主観がなければ何事も前に進まないのですが、同時にできるだけ客観的に過去を見つめられると良いなぁと思ったりするのです。英語圏での刺し子は幻想化されてしまっていて、流れに乗る方が簡単で利も大きいんでしょうけれど、でも文化を語る以上、幻想化されて喜んでる場合じゃないとは思うんですよね。
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2021-03-22 15:00:39
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Thank you for sharing, and for the link to the full article. I love learning more about your beautiful art
… time to be mindful of what they had… Wonderful 💓😃😊🙏
Thank you so much for sharing! 🌻✨
I absolutely loved reading that article. Thank you very much for sharing. 🙏
Ohhh yes I’d love to hear more on this and this was so interesting to read!!! I wonder if sashiko can help us be more appreciative in modern life too… 😊
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名前が変わってきてわからなかったです👏👏👏応援させて下さい。
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I think of chanting in this context. Chanting prayers are repetitive to the point of monotony and/or meditation, and require tremendous practice to really master, but are certainly not so difficult to attempt as to be prohibitive for the average person. Stitching by hand can be very much akin to chanting, but with your hands instead of your mouth/voice. It requires a similar commitment, focus, practice, meditative attitude and discipline to master it. So it is absolutely like praying! And I’m very find of looking at finished handsewn or handmade pieces as the physical manifestation of hours and hours spent in a prayerful state. #sympatico
Thank you for sharing 🌱
this is DIVINE ~xoxo~
What a lovely tradition. I appreciate you taking tge time to explain this. It conveys something of the close relationship that people had with nature and their own lives.🙏😊
Ahhhh thank you, your concerns over CA are clearer to me now. I suppose it is my western brain that did not relate the practice of sashiko to Shinto/Animism. Now I need to learn more as well as how boro fits.