In the last 2 years, I believe I have never had any nasty arguments with anyone who came to me to learn Sashiko. Some are professionals in textile. Some are teachers of crafting – even Sashiko. There are so many reasons I keep saying: “Sashiko (introduced/taught) in English is NOT wrong, but insufficient”. And the “students” in my Online Class or In-person workshop realize how our mindsets (Western & Japanese) are different.
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To be honest, it is quite easy to be a Sashiko Teacher. I offer only “One (Core & Essencial)” class. It is simply because my teaching concludes there. Yes, I sometimes arrange the workshops, but it is more “Application” like saying let’s enjoy Sashiko together. Therefore I ask. Please be mindful of whom you are learning from. Some give me interesting feedback – that they have to “unlearn” all of the things they had learned, in order to stitch like we do. The value & mindset one has is valid & respected. Getting better in controlling the needle to make even stitches & stitching faster isn’t wrong at all. However, they have to understand that Sashiko is from their foreign culture & therefore, there is a completely different mindset & value there. It took 5 years for me to realize how & what I am teaching. Now, I am pretty confident that I can finally “teach” Sashiko. It was an “eye-opening” workshop even in 2017 (when I started teaching in English). Now, I can promise to help you to open another box – which is deeply linked to the Japaneseness in stitching. Sashiko is more than techniques in the trend.
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ありがちな話ではあるのですが、米国に移住してから日本の歴史の本や文献、記事を貪るように読んでいます。歴史とは、事実を基準にして想像力を膨らませて曖昧な箇所に肉付けをしていく学問なんだなと思うようになりました。文面に残された歴史を尊重し基準にするのと同時に、想像力を駆使して「残ら（せ）なかった声」を聞くことが、右にも左にも偏らない大切な姿勢なのだと思っています。
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明日金曜日の夜、「靈氣」についての配信をします。できるだけ眉唾ものにならないように、僕なりの解釈をお伝えしますね。
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