EASTERN PHILOSOPHY - Kintsugi

‘Kintsugi’ is the remarkable Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with elegance and grace - a tradition with a lot to teach us more generally about how to handle the broken bits of ourselves.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Feel free to follow us at the links below:

CREDITS

Produced in collaboration with Mad Adam Films

[singinangel]

These pots are exactly what have helped me to change how I view myself. Instead of seeing myself as broke, I now find it easier to except and appropriate that every crack gives me value. I am not broken, but I am better than new. I am beautiful, I am art.

[maggiesteen]

I’ve been a conservator for over 30 years. I’m so thrilled to have found this sweet video as it is exactly how I feel about every item I bring back to life not only for the one that cherishes it, but also as a tribute to the artist that once created the piece. It’s an honor to have been given the precious gift of understanding that broken things and people have their own unique and admirable qualities.

[LemonadeMouthSomebod]

Since I was a kid I've had this hobby of gluing broken pottery back together. It was like a puzzle, and the end result was even better. I'm glad this is an actual tradition!

[norrinradd]

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain." Khalil gibran

[SteveVanHerreweghe]

"There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" - L. Cohen

[arnoldibalboa]

the narrator voice is so calm and smooth, I love it

[alextomich]

At first I thought to myself, "Really? A philosophical video on pots..?" but by the end of it, as Alain never fails to do, I was left with a joyous new sense of awareness and appreciation for the world.

[amyj.]

Imperfections, make the most beautiful creations. My mother took me to an art museum when I was very small and a bowl super cracked but beautiful held together caught my attention. and she explained to me what it was regarding Kintsugi and demonstrated to me, this is how God fixes us. And I've been in love with kintsugi ever since accepting myself in my mess

[carloscobian]

I find this thought really beautiful. Everyone have scars and broken parts, and the result of fixing up them is even better than perfect.

[evanmacdonald]

If everyone on earth watched your videos, we would all be a lot smarter and make much better decisions

[bolivar]

That antique jar which looked even more beautiful after it was broken, reminded me of a very beloved friend of mine. He is also from Turkey but he is Kurdish. He got involved with politics at a very young age and soon he got himself into a lot of trouble. He was detained and tortured several times. If he didn't leave the country he was going to die in prison one day. You cannot imagine how an idealist, revolutionary young man in his twenties feels like a coward, feels so broken and humiliated, when he sees no other choice but to leave his country. But soon he put his pieces together. He began a new life in Germany, still being very active on the Kurdish cause. But he also learned German so well as to attend a university, while working on several day jobs to survive. Now he graduated as a social worker and he is helping many people here!

What I really like about him is that he never romanticises what he had gone through. He sees himself neither as a victim nor as a hero. He did what he had to do and things took this turn, but he made the best out of it. Living in exile couldn't be more far from a " perfect ideal", but he is leading a meaningful and fulfilling life despite everything.

If " breaks have philosophical merit" as Alain says so beautifully, my friend did integrate all those merits into his life. That's why I admire him deeply.

[thejourneyman]

What a beautifully thought-provoking video! I can really relate to this. After watching this video, my thoughts on the broken parts of my self have radically changed. They are not weaknesses. They are beautiful.

[michaeltaggart]

I can sum this philosophy up in three words: Imperfection, is perfection.

[NinjaBaka]

Just when I thought I was having a bad day, this comes up. Eastern philosophy never ceases to amaze me.

[jacobcarmichael]

Why is it that Ancient Japanese life seems so much more appealing than our modern society?

[gskalinga]

This piece on Kintsugi is a master piece... Joining The school of life is like joining the gold-en club..kudos to you..
the simplicity of your presentation - the kinder garten cute animation, the serene voice over, the minimal text, ..
only kintsugi's rejuvenated vase is as good. thumbs up.

[ElleDan]

This touched my heart and now I'm writing this in tears. I'll carry this with me.

[robertsmng]

those 4 minutes are the olden 4 minutes of my days, really cherish all seconds of them... i'm looking forward to the next 4 minutes of total happiness...

[ralitsa-ost]

when i repair myself, i'll cherish the pieces sown together far more than if i was born a perfect whole. thank you

[earlgrey]

I feel like that video is one that is REALLY important (at least for me). Altough i had heard the concept already a long time ago when i studied and had a class on japanese asthetics, it was a much needed reminder. Thanks a lot.