This is a series of workshops designed by Azumi Uchitani to explore Japanese culture through the art of calligraphy and language. We will meet bi-weekly, slowly moving from season to season and uncovering new characters, rituals, concepts and beliefs deeply rooted in Japanese lifestyle. Each event we will centre around a new symbol: we will learn its meaning, discuss a poem about it, meditate and experience the power of the concept through calligraphy practice.
時 Toki, ji: Moment
The concept of consumption of time and treasuring a moment is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. The Japanese define and understand time in several ways. For example, 時間 (jikan) means time but it has two characters: toki (moment) and aida (space, interval) so it points towards the duration of time between two moments.
In this session, Azumi Uchitani will focus on character 時 Toki, the transient moment which has a huge cultural significance. Appreciation of a moment as a unique opportunity is reflected in the term ichigo ichie (one life time, one meeting). It reminds people to cherish each meeting and everything we experience as a unique gift that will never be repeated in the same way again.
Understanding how we consume every moment of our lives, how we engage with our surroundings, how much attention and awareness we bring into the present moment become central to this Calligraphy session.
GUIDE – AZUMI UCHITANI
Azumi Uchitani is an Intercultural business consultant, keynote speaker, writer, artist and founder of Japanese SALON art & culture, based in the Netherlands. She is a two-times TEDx speaker, appearing Dutch TV and media and delivering talks to an international audience in Europe and in the US.
Azumi is on a mission to build an essential bridge between Japan and Europe, helping global leaders discover Japanese ancient wisdom beyond culture, teaching how to apply its wisdom in everyday life, act with inner peace and create
conscious leadership and fulfilling life. Azumi decodes the complexity of Japanese culture, tradition, philosophy, spirituality and unspoken rules into a simple essence of wisdom. She was born into a traditional spiritual Japanese family and raised with the teachings of Shingon Buddhism and Shinto. The spiritual and cultural practices, such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy have always been a part of her life, besides that, her grandmother was a kimono maker.
Her insights, a series of talks are available on her YouTube channel ‘5 minutes on Japanese Wisdom’ on YouTube.
http://www.azumiuchitani.com
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