One’s ordinary can be someone’s extraordinary. When you only read this “English Story”, Sashiko is something foreign to you. However, I believe, anyone can enjoy, practice, and talk about Sashiko & even call their stitching Sashiko. One condition is “to keep learning” it. One can even teach Sashiko when they state they are in a process of learning – The teaching shouldn’t be the end of someone’s learning. It should be the beginning of further encouragement.
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I don’t know if you realize that I use “I” and “We” in my writing. I use both words intentionally.
“天上天下唯我独尊”. This is a phrase from Sakyamuni. “我” often means “I”. Therefore, this phrase can be interpreted as (positive) arrogance – “I alone am the world honored one”, that no one should be as respected as they is. The older I get, I have a bit different approach to this as interpreting “我” as “We (I as human)”. When we read the message as “We”, the meaning becomes, “We are all as respected as we are (no one is better or worse)”.
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The Japanese use “We” instead of “I” often – as a result of collectivism in contrast to individualism. Sashiko is a practice of collectivism, and therefore, I hope the Sashiko teachers consider themselves as a part of “We” instead of “I”. Some say to me, “I know Sashiko”. Well. The phrase “I” knows Sashiko tells me that they need more learning. I am teaching “How” to do Sashiko and you can learn from Youtube videos or My Class. However, the “teaching” I would like to pass down is more than that – and learning the “Form” helps them understand the message within. I am NOT a Gate-Guard to exclude you – I am an usher who welcomes you to another part of Sashiko. Sashiko introduced in English is NOT wrong, but insufficient. In order to “talk about” the movie, watch the whole, not just a trailer.
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角度を変えると物事は違って見えることが多くて、「天上天下唯我独尊」という言葉も、昔は「俺様に叶うものはいない」という無敵感が強い言葉だと思っていたのですが、この「我」という字を「俺」ではなく、「私達皆」と考えると、「私達に上も下もない」という平等の精神を歌う言葉になったりします。刺し子も似ている所があって、だから違いがあって良いんだろうと思っています。逆に知らないところで一つを絶対解にされるのが怖いんですよね。
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