Kintsugi Heart

Image credit:  http://geoffmead.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/kintsugi2.jpg

I came across several articles about the Japanese art of kintsugi, in which broken pottery is taken and mended with lacquer and gold.  The mending of the pottery is supposed to be so fine that one can't even feel the gold seams, although it's visually apparent.  The finished pottery becomes even more valuable and desirable because it had gone through injury and recovered.

Not surprising, kintsugi has been used metaphorically to describe the human experience, especially broken lives and broken hearts.  I can really relate to having a kintsugi heart and I love the visual image of a heart, with golden lines zigzagging all over it.  For myself, I imagine my heart covered with tiny fissures and broad and thick lines, mended and held together with golden light.  Right now, my kintsugi heart is mending some minor cracks, but it's well on its way to recovery.  I know it will be even more beautiful than the last time I saw it.

How do you imagine your kintsugi heart?  How is your kintsugi heart doing?

You can also read more about kintsugi at this webpage:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/02/AR2009030202723.html