“Sakura” – Cherry Blossom. One fine flower represents Japanese beauty. It is my favorite – as I have a Sakura Tree in front of our house. One fact that not many people know is that some Japanese associate “death” to Sakura. As I shared previously, Japanese tend to feel death close – right next to them. It isn’t like they wish for death. It is more like the acceptance of death, and death as the “end/beginning” of one cycle. Sakura has a very short blooming period. Since they accepted death, they wanted to bloom stronger – in today’s language, it is “live in the moment” – or be mindful in what we do.
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I inherited this view of life & death very strongly from family, artisans, and books. I think I am not afraid of death much (although I am extremely afraid of dying for no reason). It is a very sensitive (& risky) theme to discuss on SNS, but I just wanted to share the image we carry(ed) in Sakura – and my philosophy follows this Sakura very much.
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I get nervous before the workshop. I cannot eat anything during teaching. Many nice people encourage me by saying “Oh, don’t be nervous. You will be fine”. However, after a number of workshops, I still get nervous as if it is my last chance. Yes, I have done a number of classes successfully. In this continuous teaching, yes, I am teaching one of many workshops I share. However, for the participants there, it is the only workshop they take. My “one of many” is their “only one”. I take my teaching very seriously, and therefore my “Sashiko Class” is very different – there are always stories behind what I teach. Sakura is there, too.
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Here, too. I am sharing Stories preparing for tomorrow that I may not be here. I put all of my life into this – therefore, it is painful when some take Sashiko so lightly in “teaching” (Please enjoy Sashiko lightly – no need to be serious in just practicing). I hope I am leaving something profound behind.
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生まれ育った家の前には宮川があり、桜並木がありました。米国で住居を探す際も「桜の木があるから」という理由で家を決めました（頭の良い選択肢ではないけれど、論理よりも感情）。私にとって桜はそれほどに存在が大きいものです。「滅びの美」はうまく言葉で説明はできませんが、これがなんとなくでもわからないと、刺し子や襤褸の本質には辿り着けないと思っています。幼少期悩みに悩んだ結果辿り着いた「（昔の）日本人とは」という答えの一つが桜と死生観の関係性だったりします。
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2022-08-03 21:56:12
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Lovely and tender insights, thank you. My father said that nervousness before an event means you care. It sounds very much like you have deep respect for your students.❤️
Thank you for sharing this, I knew that cherry blossom season was a huge and beautiful thing in Japan, now I maybe understand it’s about so much more than just beautiful trees 😍😍
❤️ thanks for sharing your insights and beautiful art ❤️😀
Beautiful
Thank you Atsushi. Words cannot describe the depth and value of your teaching. May we appreciate at least a small amount of the life and energy you put into teaching the meaning of Sashiko and Boro
Sashiko 🙏❤️ todo mi respeto y agradecimiento a esta preciosa técnica ancestral japonesa. La practico hace un año, muy poco, lo sé. Pero siento la profunda belleza de este tesoro del pueblo Japonés. Gracias 🙏❤️🇦🇷
At some point tho maybe a bit more confidence is in order to help with your nerves, which can’t be very good for you. You know what you are doing and your heart and hands are in the right place. No one else can teach your stories (they would be pretending or would have other stories), but you definitely can, and your message is the right one for your class.
桜の花を見て綺麗だと思うより、私は桜の花の潔さが好きです。美しく散る為に美しく咲くような。あくまでも個人的な意見ですが。
宮川の桜、咲く頃は綺麗でしょうね。。
Thank you VERY much for sharing xx
Could you please do tutorial for this pattern?