Embracing Imperfections: How Kintsugi Inspires Resilience and Self-Discovery

My daughter gifted me a beautiful tea pot to do my tea ritual. In the blink of an eye, it broke when I got home. I was so sad, but quickly remembered the technique of Kintsugi. In the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi, broken pottery is repaired with gold, silver, or platinum lacquer, highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. This practice celebrates imperfections and the beauty of resilience. Much like Kintsugi, our lives are often marked by moments of fracture and repair. Each scar, whether physical or emotional, tells a story of growth and strength. Embracing our flaws and past hardships allows us to transform them into sources of beauty and wisdom, just as Kintsugi turns broken pottery into stunning works of art.

Reflecting on the metaphor of Kintsugi in my own life, I've learned to appreciate the journey of healing and self-discovery. Rather than seeing setbacks as failures, I see them as opportunities for growth. Like the golden veins running through mended pottery, my experiences have shaped me into a more resilient and compassionate individual. By acknowledging and embracing my imperfections, I've found a sense of wholeness and acceptance that allows me to shine brightly, even in the face of adversity.

I haven’t touched my art journal for one year, and after a long waiting period, I finally created something. It was a liberating process, and I did it while enjoying some tea from my repaired tea pot. My subconscious spoke to me with images and texts that called for me to be glued to the blank pages.  I do this process as a form of meditation, selecting the images that calls me.  At the end of the process when I “read” the art, it speaks to me in a very deep manner.

I have been on a “repair and transform era” for a year now. Is just recently that I gave myself permission to start really grieving the old broken pieces of me that will no longer habitat my body and mind like in the past. I’m a new person, with new lessons learned and with so much gratitude to the life I have been gifted to experience. Every lesson forms part of this so call life, and it feels like magic. Similar to the art of Kintsugi, I sense the golden threads within me, lessons of great value inviting to embrace self-love.

Art journal collage with earth pigment watercolor and ink.

We possess all the solutions within; we hold the capacity to heal ourselves. Imperfections are essential to our human journey and don't diminish our worth.

I have faith in the transformative potential of creation. This endeavor extends far beyond fixing a teapot or engaging in art; it encompasses the entirety of my existence.

How is your  journey of healing and self-discovery?