With each new blog or podcast you may be asking me Why. Why am I so passionate about Kintsugi? Why am I a Kintsugi Woman?
Dear Sistars,
I remember sitting in the pews of our old church, the light filtering through our glass windows, shining down on the congregation. The pastor talked about how we are like pieces of clay in the hands of God, shaped and molded by His will.
His words resonated with me, He spoke of trials and tribulations, of being shattered and broken, and yet, in the hands of the Divine Potter, we were never beyond repair.
As a young woman, I often thought about this and felt that with all my questions, rebellion and I too was being broken and put back together with God’s love and his love shone brighter and stronger.
Years passed, and in life, I faced challenges that left me feeling fragmented, a vessel cracked. It was during these times that the pastor’s words came back to me, a gentle reminder that even in pieces, there was hope.
Then, one day, I heard a story that would change my perspective forever. It was the story of the Golden Buddha, a statue that had been covered in clay to protect it from invaders. For centuries its true nature was hidden until one day, the gold beneath was revealed.
Reflecting, I realized that like the Buddha, I was hiding my true self. For years my insecurities, self-critical talk, and limiting beliefs kept me hidden, and became the woman I was. Covering my brilliance with layers of doubt, fear, and the expectations of others.
Have you seen the Cracked Light Woman sculpture?
It reflects my inner journey, and yours without saying a word. It’s the depiction of a woman, not just any woman, but a Kintsugi woman, her cracks not hidden but illuminated, a celebration of her journey.
Have you seen her? The woman whose scars are gilded with gold, whose imperfections catch the light in such a way that you cannot help but stare in awe. She stands, not despite her fractures but because of them, each line a story, each crevice a victory.
This sculpture is more than art; it’s a reflection of us. Like the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is mended with gold, we too are pieced back together, stronger, brighter, bolder. Our cracks are not signs of defeat but of survival, of our capacity to heal and grow.
In moments of darkness, it’s easy to feel shattered, to see our flaws as failings. Remember, it is through these very cracks that light shines brightest. As Kintsugi women, we are a mosaic of experiences, each fragment unique, yet part of a greater whole.
So loved we are, by a force greater than ourselves. God has filled our veins with love, making us whole again, bolder and braver. We emerge more beautiful for having been broken.
Have we seen the light shining through your own cracks? Do we recognize the beauty in your unbreakable resilience? Let’s share our stories, our struggles, and our triumphs. Let’s celebrate the light within us and let it guide us to a future where we shine unapologetically.
Together, we are Kintsugi women, imperfect, yet impeccable in our imperfections. Let’s embrace the light within our cracks and shine brighter, bolder, and braver.
I imagined myself as a Kintsugi woman, my cracks filled with golden light, each a celebration to my life, experiences, challenges, and my lessons learned.
With every heartbreak, every disappointment, I envisioned the gold seeping into my veins mending me not just back to what I was, but transforming me into something more resilient, radiantly reinventing me.
I began to see my experiences not as blemishes, but as integral parts of my being. They were not to be hidden or lamented, but celebrated.
This image of self and a Kintsugi woman is not just for me. My desire to share this with you, my siSTARS, to help you see the golden threads in your own lives.
I wanted to empower you, to show you that each crack and experience of life made you whole, perfect, and stronger. That loving yourself was the first step on the path to wholeness.
So here I am, sharing my journey with you. It’s a story of transformation, of coming to understand that we are all works of art in progress.
We are molded by experiences, shaped by the people we meet, and colored by the love we give and receive. When we break, as we all do, we have the chance to come back together stronger.
The light of God, or whatever higher power you believe in, shines through our cracks, illuminating the beauty within. It’s a divine glow that speaks of endurance, of survival, and of grace.
As Kintsugi women, we learn to embrace our flaws. We find strength in our vulnerability and courage in our recovery. We become beacons of light for those still navigating their own darkness.
Our journey is ongoing, a continuous process of breaking and healing, of falling and rising. With each cycle, we become more intricate, more interesting, more beautiful.
We are living proof that there is beauty in the broken, that there is power in the patched-up, and that there is wisdom in the worn.
I invite you, my siSTARS, to search the Kintsugi woman within. Pick up the pieces of your past, not to discard them, but to join them together with the golden adhesive of love and acceptance.
Let us be proud of our scars, for they are not signs of defeat, but badges of honour, symbols of our capacity to heal and to grow.
Together, we can redefine what it means to be broken, to show the world that our cracks are not evidence of our fragility, but proof of our strength.
Celebrate our Kintsugi souls, my siSTARS, we are not just mended in gold; we are gilded in strength, wrapped in love, and shining with an inner light that can never be dimmed.
See yourselves as works of art, beautifully flawed and infinitely strong.
Recognize our shared experiences and support one another in our journeys. May we all find the courage to be Kintsugi women, and grandmothers embracing the light within our cracks.
Kalina