This may be too big a “stone” to throw into a pond, but I will be more honest in

This may be too big a “stone” to throw into a pond, but I will be more honest in this post. I started offering the workshop in 2017. In these five years, guess what I feel as the difference in teaching? It is the “expectation” that the participants bring. Some know Sashiko already, and they need to fight back to their expectations. It is interesting to see that the more Sashiko gets popular, the more I see people suffering to “get” it. Well, therefore, I am proud of my workshop, and sincerely appreciate those who challenge themselves to learn, like the one Yesterday. Thank you.

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Sashiko can be meditative. It can “soothe” our daily (mental) struggle. However, Sashiko is NOT Zen, or even WabiSabi – in fact, it “can” be the opposite. Mending is an important part of Sashiko. However, Sashiko is NOT the word for mending itself. Well, I understand your confusion. Sashiko has been introduced as Zen or Mending technique already in English – and that hits the spot and became the trend. Those who “teach” Sashiko as the Zen, Mending, Wabisabi… or even an answer to the sustainability concern “without wondering the stories behind” are actively changing someone’s culture and history. It is probably called “Cherry Picking”, or for me, it is the form of Cultural Appropriation (I rephrase it Cultural Filtration). Again, Sashiko “can be ” meditation and mending. However, “celebrating” Sashiko/Boro by interpreting with Western view, without learning the story behind, can be very violent. I won’t be proud of myself if I can help someone at the expense of someone’s pain. Please, please learn what it is “as is” instead of learning only what you want to learn. I respect the “choice of freedom”, but there are so many stories behind the words of Sashiko/Boro: the story of people with no choice to begin with. Please do not ignore it. Please do not erase it over someone’s (instant) gratification.

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ワークショップ、頑張っております。配信前に昨日の感想を英語でまとめました。次回の定期配信でご紹介するのですが、4年前に比べて僕の教える技術は格段に上がっているのに、ワークショップ内で満足して頂けない方が少しずつですが増えてきています。99%が大満足して下さるので心配してはいないのですが疑問に思い、4年前に学んで下さった方と再会できたのもあってどっぷり語り、一つの理由に行き着きました。長いので配信で。英語で刺し子を教えるのは大変だ。

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2022-07-10 19:50:39

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