Continued from yesterday’s post. The popular words, Wabi-Sabi, Zen, Ikigai… are

Continued from yesterday’s post. The popular words, Wabi-Sabi, Zen, Ikigai… are indeed well related to the Sashiko we practice. However, they are often an “outcome (by-product)” of the practice itself – not a goal to achieve. I find accounts & information sources to try to promote their Sashiko/Boro (products/service) as “how to easily get it”. It isn’t really the whole picture of Sashiko.
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Well, I wonder if they really understand what “Wabi-Sabi”, “Zen” and “Ikigai” are to begin with. How do they define these words without proper learning? If you know anyone who can define the words, ask them where they learned from – it is probably either a book written by non-Japanese, or someone with non-sufficient learning. If you get a name of someone who can define what these words are in both Japanese and English, please introduce him/her to me. I would like to ask him/her to teach me. I have been looking for “that” person for my entire life. Many masters I have met taught me: “Stop thinking intellectually. Empty yourself & feel it”. It applies to Sashiko as well.
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Foreign words are often useful because they bring uniqueness to what they do. “Hand-stitching to be mindful” is what it is, but they add “Sashiko” or “Zen” to enhance their value – which unfortunately involves both filtering the culture & deceiving the students (as result). If you would like to get instant gratification & superficial mindfulness with Japanese words, the packaged “Sashiko” may be a good choice – however, please understand that your choice may (can) endanger the cultural practice itself. I have been looking for the “definition” of these for the past 30 years by reading books & talking to seniors. I cannot promise I can give you “the answers” by following this account, but I am sharing everything I learned for far – which illustrate the frame of what they are.
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昨日投稿した写真。私の刺し子ではなく、親父の刺し子です。煙草を吸いながら猫背で般若心境を刺す親父が、私の会社員時代の鮮明な思い出です。気が向いたらお金もないのに「飲みに行くぞ」と。決まって私は「アホか。お金もないしまだ俺は働いてるだろ」と見下すように答えてました。当時はなんて最低な人生だろうと思っていましたが、今思うと、あの親父があったからこそ今の言葉があるんだろうと思っています。少し感傷に浸りながら、日本語でも文章を書こうと思っています。久々に。親父がよく変になっていた長期連休の間に。
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2022-05-03 09:33:34

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