Japanese Calligraphy – ‘mindful attentiveness’
Details
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.
### Mindful attentiveness: 気配り (kikubari)
In our next Japanese Calligraphy workshop, we will explore the subtle and deeply valued concept of 気配り (kikubari)—a uniquely Japanese expression of mindful attentiveness and quiet care for others. Literally translated, ki (気) refers to life force energy or spirit, and kubari (配り) means to distribute or share. Together, they capture the act of spreading one’s awareness toward others in a thoughtful, often unspoken way.
Kikubari is at the heart of many Japanese social interactions. It’s the ability to notice what others might need—before they even ask—and respond with gentle, often invisible, acts of kindness. It might be pouring tea for someone without being prompted, noticing when a colleague is tired and offering support, or creating a comfortable space for others to feel at ease. Unlike grand gestures, kikubari lies in the details, the unspoken, the intuitive response to another’s presence.
In this session, we’ll slow down and bring our attention to the form and rhythm of writing 気配り, using brush and ink to connect with the energy and spirit of this concept. Through each stroke, we’ll reflect on how small, intentional actions can express great care—and how calligraphy itself is a practice in mindful presence.
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Japanese Calligraphy – ‘mindful attentiveness’