Ainu and Firewalking
- At February 11, 2020
- By admin
- In Annes Letters
0
Dear Family and Friends,
In Sendai at the moment there is an exhibition of Ainu artifacts. Most items in the show are textiles, but there are also useful containers carved from wood. Each piece is handcrafted from purely natural materials. Despite the intricacy of design and precision of craftmanship, these artistic wonders were mainly for daily use. Yet, for the Ainu, everyday life and the sacred are one.
In Sendai at the moment there is an exhibition of Ainu artifacts. Most items in the show are textiles, but there are also useful containers carved from wood. Each piece is handcrafted from purely natural materials. Despite the intricacy of design and precision of craftmanship, these artistic wonders were mainly for daily use. Yet, for the Ainu, everyday life and the sacred are one.
These days I am filled with questioning and often wonder how Cosmic patterns are manifesting in the world today, despite the upheavals happening almost everywhere. The Ainu show seemed to give me some answers. Each room was filled with magnificent specimens of fine workmanship. Each stitch on their appliqued outfits reflected a tender, precise exactness that honored not only the craftsperson, but also the ones who wore them, and even more so, the natural world that offered itself for human use. As I sensed the energy emitted from each piece, I could feel the essence of the earth, the plants that provided the fibers and wood, and the oneness of humanity with the natural world. There was no separation. There was a continuous flow of life between the two.
What struck me on a more overt level, though, were the designs themselves. They consisted of interlocking geometric shapes of swirls and curves that formed cohesive patterns that perfectly united the background and the applique. Each piece was breathtakingly magnificent. But they did not shout. Rather, they spoke with the quiet dignity of their majestic presence. It was as if the owners both knew and yet did not realize the immensity of their own power and that of their robes.
And sure enough, one room, with one jacket after another gracing the walls, felt like a cathedral. But rather than light-filled stained glass, these were emblems of earth worship and deep reverence and humility before a wiser Ordering Power.
I mulled over the idea that these harmonious, unifying patterns might somehow be the Ainu’s way of manifesting Cosmic energies as they felt and understood them. Seeing their fine work, I felt reassured that even today the world is held together safely and strongly, that there are certain archetypal energies that are universal and eternal. The world felt more unified and stable.
Then I thought about the Japanese traditional love of rituals. Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples perform them throughout the year, month by month, week by week, sometimes day by day. They, too, seem like humanity’s way of reflecting a sacred harmony that serves to hold earth in the arms of heaven.
I went to yet another fire ritual this month. This time one that entailed smoke and drums, rhythmic chanting and the moaning of conch shell horns. There was fire walking. Not only by the priests, but by any layperson who wanted to brave the dangers of walking on burning ash and coal. I decided to try. This year I want to push myself beyond what is comfortable and easy, even as I remain acutely aware and respectful of Cosmic laws. I feel time ticking, my age increasing. And so, I want to stretch in ways that evoke both challenge and trust. And in so doing, in my own small life, I want to somehow manifest Cosmic patterns that fit together intricately and harmoniously, both to express cohesiveness, as Ainu craftwork does, and yet to push me into the courage of unchartered territories, as fire walking surely did.
Love,
Anne
