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We live in a culture where we expect perfection and condemn ourselves when we are not perfect or when things don't go our way. But sometimes, it takes years of persistence, hard work and dedication to better hone and own your perfected craft before you can see the bigger picture.
Candice Kumai, Kintsugi Wellness (p13)
Like the cherry blossoms, nothing last forever. Travel light.
“The concept of wabi sabi dates back to the twelfth century. Japan had gone through a brutal civil war, and the imperial court culture shifted to a military regime ruled by shoguns. For much of the population, it felt like death was always around the corner. Within this changing landscape, the concept of wabi sabi emerged to capture the beauty found in transience and impermanence.”
“In modern times, we can see why the Japanese would embrace this philosophy. After all, the land of Japan is far from perfect, the weather can be extreme and there’s always a chance of natural disasters. But instead of living in fear, the Japanese accepted that there’s always a bit of uncertainty and darkness to be found in the big picture of life.”
“Perfection seems wonderful but it is always fleeting. Good times cannot and will not exist forever and the more you embrace and plan for the fact that tough times will happen, the easier it is to survive them.”
Candice Kumai, Kintsugi Wellness Pic Source : 3556 Magazine
“Dear friends, traditional Japan is changing rapidly, just the same as everywhere else in the world. Open society, open world trade, open free speech. So many choices, so many changes… to a certain extent, the Japanese are losing their traditional ways. Perhaps, we aren't as unique as we once were before. But still, we are living in between the old and the new. The Japanese have tried to find a uniqueness in the fusion of cultures. Before our unique Japanese culture fades away, please come and visit Japan. We welcome you!
Sincerely, Miho (Candice Kumai's Mother) ”
Excerpt from Kintsugi Wellness Photo by hamnin1027ie
“From a young age, we are taught to approach life with a positive, can-do attitude...children are taught to look on the bright side, and that if they think good thoughts, they will manifest good things.”
“Japanese culture embraces a more realistic approach. Life can’t always be perfect. There will be challenges, and if you expect them, the won’t take you by surprise. We are taught to embrace the difficulties with empathy and mindfulness.”
“Mono no aware is about seeing things as they are. Sometimes they will be good, and sometimes they will be bad. Without darkness, light cannot exist. Mono no aware teaches us that while bad things do inevitably happen, it’s our chance to practice empathy and compassion for others.”
Candice Kumai, Kintsugi Wellness
Kintsugi Wellness
We all go through life at different paces. Know yourself and your limit so that you don’t burn yourself out and lose yourself in the process.
Kintsugi Wellness
“I put this constant pressure on myself like I have to be perfect all the time, like I have something to prove. Nowadays, we are so focused on things like greed, power, money and beauty. I felt this in my heart that so many of us are starting to lose our way. The only way I knew how to get back on the right path was to go back to the place that I was from - Japan.”
“We monks follow basic behavior called gyojuzaga. Gyo refers to an act, ju refers to the house, za refers to sit and ga refers to rest. We go about our daily lives while letting go of worldly desires and worries to improve ourselves. Cleaning is considered to be the most important act to remove uncleanliness from our hearts. Everything is for oneself and at the same time for others.”
“From the moment the wheels of the plane touched down (in Japan), I feel like I was home. I was fresh from a breakup and my heart is hurting. My mind felt foggy. My body was tired. I felt broken, and I secretly hoped that this journey would help to heal me.”
“...For many years, I went through life with parts of my heart broken. I wasn't aware of it then, but I wasn’t taking proper care of myself. I constantly felt as if I needed to keep going. I was very hard on myself. Inside, I carried a lot of lingering anger, sometimes sadness, and almost always, a feeling of needing to belong, I never, ever felt quite good enough and was always seeking validation from outside.”
“...On the surface, it may seem as if I am confident, and perhaps even strong. But the truth is, I am still working to fill my cracks. Across my heart you will find cracks caused by heartbreak, not feeling accepted by society, feeling different, and childhood memories of never feeling good enough. For many years, living with these cracks made me feel incomplete.”
"Then I began to study my heritage and piece together my past. It took a lot of hardworking but slowly the cracks began to mend...”
Candice Kumai, Kintsugi Wellness
