#170 | How Kintsugi Teaches Us to Heal, Embrace Our Scars & Find Resilience

In this heartfelt (and oddly on-brand) episode of The Kintsugi Podcast, I sit down with Miya Smith, an incredible Kintsugi artist whose story is as golden as the art itself. Miya takes us on a journey from her roots in Japan to her life in California, sharing how she mastered the intricate art of mending broken pottery with gold. Together, we dive into the beautiful philosophy of Kintsugi; embracing imperfections, celebrating scars, and turning life’s cracks into art. Honestly, it’s like my podcast title finally earned its keep! Tune in for inspiration, laughs, and maybe even a little golden repair for your soul. Key moments of this interview: 3:30 A Charming Tale of How Miya Met Her Husband 7:30 Miya’s Journey to Becoming a Kintsugi Artist 13:30 The History and Origins of Kintsugi 25:30 The Process of Traditional Kintsugi 35:30 Emotional Reactions to Kintsugi 46:12 Modern vs. Traditional Kintsugi 49:00 The Message of Kintsugi for Today’s Society Thank you for tuning in to The Kintsugi Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider rating and reviewing our podcast on your favorite platform. Your support helps us spread more stories of resilience and transformation. Check out and follow Miya Smith on Instagram @miyasilversmith For Modern kintsugi workshop inquiries and kintsugi commissions, please email [email protected] For a limited time (until the end of Jan 2025), the special traditional Japanese craft boutique “POJ Studio” from Kyoto, Japan is having a pop up store in Los Angeles (Echo Park neighborhood). Miya is teaching traditional kintsugi classes there, for those who want to learn the authentic mending techniques using real urushi. Check out her classes and art collection: https://pojstudio.com/collections/kintsugi-in-studio-la _____________________________ Join our Pause Breathe Reflect community by downloading our app from the Apple Store or Google Play today. For the first year, you can Name Your Price and discover how to navigate life with more ease and prevent a bad moment from turning into a bad day. You can connect with me by receiving my inspirational text messages throughout the week by texting ‘kintsugi’ to 503-487-5957 and downloading My Better Life Workbook at www.michaelobrienshift.com ( http://www.michaelobrienshift.com ) Social Media and Contact Information : Instagram: Pause Breathe Reflect https://www.instagram.com/pausebreathereflect LinkedIn: Michael O'Brien https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelobrienpelotoncoaching/ Websites: Discover more at www.michaelobrienshift.com (http://www.michaelobrienshift.com) Sponsors : Pause Breathe Reflect Meditation and Gratitude App To discover more about bringing mindfulness into your daily life, download the Pause Breathe Reflect App today!