Healing: The Japanese Art of Kintsugi by Yuka Oshimi (Associate Counsellor)

Apr 20

Photo Credit: Riho Kitagawa

Kintsugi (金継ぎ) is made up of the word KIN (金) which means ‘gold’ and TSUGI (継ぎ) which means ‘joinery’; translating to ‘golden joinery’. Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and decorating the cracks with gold. Something that is chipped or broken isn’t something that should be neglected or thrown away. It was formed on the belief that embracing flaws and imperfections contribute to the character, beauty, strength, and uniqueness of the pottery. Kintsugi can be seen as a powerful metaphor.

Similar to the beautiful golden seams running through Kintsugi, just as we are broken, we can be repaired; and the method of that repair, the learning in that process, becomes a strong and beautiful part of who we are.

So how is Kintsugi applicable to healing our minds and bodies as it is to broken pottery? Here are four lessons we can draw from this ancient Japanese art form:

IT’S OKAY TO BE BROKEN – BROKEN IS BEAUTIFUL

I am sure many of us can relate that we have all experienced times of brokenness where it felt like our life, our worth, and our wholeness was shattered. It might be physical pain that we experience, for example, the aging body, an accident, a disability, or an illness. It might also be an emotional pain, for instance, depression, intense distress, grief and loss, panic, and divorce. In experiencing times of brokenness, we may try to hide the cracks and the broken piece to make it appear as if a break never occurred. Life is made of ups and downs. We all have them because they are part of the human experience, however, trying to show the whole side of ourselves by hiding the cracks when we feel broken can be draining.

Kintsugi teaches us that our scars need not be hidden. Just like broken pottery can be mended together with gold, we too can be broken, and our broken pieces can be filled with light and mended together. Through our history and experience, we become even more beautiful than we were before; not despite the broken parts, but because of them.

RECLAIMING OUR PURPOSE

Kintsugi doesn’t just involve finding the beauty in the broken, but it also involves restoring its purpose. The broken pieces are not rejoined to create a new shape, but to return purpose to the pottery. Similarly in our healing journey, it is not about getting rid of or trying to change parts of who we are. Instead, it is about working to accept and understand ourselves in our entirety; Including our past, our journey, our strength and weaknesses, and our flaws. Our mishaps and struggles don’t have to change us, and our purpose can be remembered while we try to mend ourselves.

HIGHLIGHTING OUR RESILIENCE

Kintsugi is the art of resiliency. The gold that binds the broken pieces together is strong, beautiful, and most importantly, noticeable; making the pieces more resilient to breakage. Kintsugi teaches us that our healing process is our gold binding, and as we heal, we too become resilient. Every shimmer of gold we collect as we transform is proof of how strong we have become from overcoming our adversity and challenges.

REACHING OUT FOR HELP

Reaching out for help can make us feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, and there are myriad reasons that prevent individuals from seeking help. For example, it may be fear and shame, distrust, feelings of inadequacy, and hopelessness. Having gone through my healing journey as a client, I remember feeling numerous emotions, including not wanting to be a burden and to bother others about my concerns.

In repairing broken pottery, we might sometimes discover that a piece is missing. In Kintsugi, we can integrate pieces of other broken objects to fill in the gaps. This mixture of using our own and other pieces enhances the finished product. Kintsugi teaches us that it’s ok to ask for help and that we can heal with help from others.

Just like how broken pottery can be mended, our broken parts can be mended as well. Kintsugi is a reminder that our adversities are not final, and they don’t define us. We can highlight our hardship with gold, as we give ourselves permission to heal and become even more resilient. From the broken can come something beautiful, bolder, precious, stronger, unique, and wiser.

How can you embrace the ethos of Kintsugi in your life?