There is a concept that I have come to love—a beautiful metaphor that bridges the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi with our own journey of healing and resilience. It has allowed me to find even more meaning in the beauty of manual therapy and the strength of our bodies.
Kintsugi, which means “golden joinery,” is the art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold. This practice doesn’t just fix the object; it transforms it, highlighting the cracks and breaks rather than hiding them. Each repaired piece becomes unique, with its own story and history preserved in the shimmering veins of gold.
In much the same way, our bodies and spirits endure fractures and breaks. Life, with its inevitable challenges and trials, can leave us feeling fragmented. But just as a Kintsugi artist pieces together broken pottery, we too can heal and find strength in our vulnerabilities. Our scars, whether physical or emotional, are not something to be ashamed of; they are testaments to our journey, our resilience, and our capacity to heal.
Every crack, every wound, tells a part of your story. These marks are not indicators of weakness but symbols of survival, strength and a life fully lived. They remind us that we have faced hardship and emerged from it, transformed and even stronger for having to overcome adversity. Embracing our imperfections can be a powerful act of self-acceptance and awareness allowing us to see the beauty in our resilience, and the strength of our bodies.
Imagine your body as a piece of Kintsugi pottery. Each time you experience hardship, injury or illness envision the cracks being filled with gold. These golden lines are your strengths, your growth, and your victories. They are what make you uniquely you. The light within you, which may sometimes feel dimmed by the weight of life’s struggles, is always there, ready to shine through the cracks, illuminating your path forward.
Our journeys are rarely smooth or without pain. But it is through these very challenges that we can tap into our own strength. We learn, we adapt, we grow. Just like Kintsugi teaches us to find beauty in broken things, our personal journeys teach us to find beauty in our own path to wholeness.
As you move forward, remember to cherish your own golden lines. Embrace your story with all its imperfections, knowing that it makes you unique and whole. You are a masterpiece, continuously evolving, with each crack adding to your beauty and depth.
With warmth and light,
Founder, MOT, RMT
