Kintsugi is a japanese art form where they take a broken pottery and fix it by filling the cracks with gold. These “new” pots are revered, often more beautiful than when they began and can be very costly! This art form came about when an emperor broke his favorite teacup and wanted it repaired. The potters took something broken and filled it with the gold resin making it more beautiful than before. I love this story and how we can use it as a metaphor in our own lives. As one moves through life you cannot help but get some bumps and bruises along the way. A broken heart, a betrayal, a slight, a health scare, a tragedy. When it occurs we feel all that we are suppose to feel – sadness, anger perhaps, why me, fear, worry, and yet, if you are able to look back on other experiences you may have encountered you can also find that you have been cracked open wide and filled the crack with gold —— growth, understanding, compassion, humility,

forgiveness. Often when we are in the midst of “the break” we cannot perceive or see any good that can come from it. Nor should we – this is the time to honor and feel our feelings. However, give it time, look back at those difficult moments and you will often find that the old adage – that which doesn’t kill you can make you stronger – is very true.

The kintsugi method does not replace the object. It holds it in awe, severance and restoration ultimately becoming more valuable than before. Maybe this is something we can consider doing after we have restored ourselves from a difficult life challenge. Repairing a broken heart, or recovering from an illness or difficult news or a loss. Perhaps we can fill those cracks with gold. To pay attention and be patient with yourself knowing that at some point you can heal your spirit and mine for gold finding the lessons and growth it offered to you on this journey called life. We often seek perfection knowing there is no such thing. We often want permanence knowing that life moves forward and has its own ebb and flow through time. Embrace the scars, the impermanence knowing that the cracks is how the light gets in.

So try to envision the philosophy of kintsugi next time you are cracked wide open. See your wounds as where the light get’s in and your cracks filling in with gold so you can again shine with wisdom in the world.