Shikara go mai - Accept what cannot be helped, Kansha - Cultivate sincere gratitude. These and many other Japanese principles make up the framework of Kitsungi Wellness.
To new friends, welcome to Swann Street!
Lately, I've been writing posts on topics outside of style because I've come to learn that style is influenced by so much more than what goes down any runway. Our style is derived from- among many other things, the season of life we are in, the demands of our daily routines, and our evolving self growth. The books I'm sharing today are ones I would pass on to my son, that's how much I love and cherish them. Always, always on this blog I want to honor your time. I don't blog for monetary gain, I blog to for meaningful connection and to share my journey. These books are ones I truly believe you may fall in love with.
Kitsungi Wellness is a powerhouse, a guiding light, and truly an all encompassing lifestyle book. It's all about finding strength in imperfection. Candice Kumai includes recipes- new and passed down, along with numerous, digestible summaries of the ancient Japanese approach to living. Kumai is a prolific Japanese-American author but Kitsungi blends her strong women-can-do tone with another deeper, reflective side of herself that we can all relate to. This book is influenced by deep, familial traditions along with inspiration straight from her time spent living and traveling throughout Japan.
Green Tea Living is completely dedicated to all the small ways things like green tea and other simple Japanese wellness ideas can be integrated into the every day. I cannot say enough good things about it. The hand drawn graphics are simply adorable and the tips are so useful. You'll find the tone in each book to be calm, purposeful, and dignified. Self-care and making the world a little more beautiful doesn't have to cost a lot or be complicated. Warm foot baths, natural cleaning, and stretches are some great of examples of what you'll find.
Marie Kondo's Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up has swept many of us off our feet with her radical instructions of thanking our homes and folding our clothes into tiny squares. Woven into these concepts is the Shinto belief that everything around us has an energy. Going beyond the Netflix series, I highly recommend the book. It will speak to you directly and if anything, truly complements the concepts presented in the Tidying Up series. Tidying little things like credit card statements and the kitchen sink are explained in much greater detail than the show.
At the most challenging times in my life I have turned to Japanese philosophy and way of living. It has become so close to my heart they feel almost tangible. At this point the concepts are woven into my foundation for how I strive to live. We each connect uniquely to new, different, or revisited ideas. And sometimes simply knowing there are other very real ways of thinking about the world around us and how we can respond is a real comfort. I hope you enjoy these books! Please let me know if you give any a try,
wishing you joy on your journey,
kristen
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