Ichigo Ichie
~ Hector Garcia & Francesc Miralles
Date read: 13th January 2023
I’d seen this book in various bookshops and online stores, but I heard of it in a theatre workshop when our director spoke of it. Needless to say, I was intrigued to find out more and I think this has been a much needed read for me to segue into 2023 after an immensely volatile 2022.
I believe that ideas, thoughts, teachers, students, people and books, all come to us at a time when we need them; when we need to pause and listen to an idea that can support us as we navigate and transition through challenging situations. Ichigo Ichie did that for me.
A small and easy to read book – I took five months to read it.
Annual book reading challenges often bring out the competitive streak in me. What should be the ‘joy of reading’, ends up being a race against time – quality being compromised over quantity – even if you choose to read just a handful of quality work. One thing this book allowed me to discard is the urge to sign up to reading challenges. It also created sufficient space for me to drop the guilt of not logging or even completing my 2022 reading challenge.
I read a number of books last year. Uncharacteristically, I didn’t complete most of them. And I am okay with it. I enjoyed them in that imperfect readership.
I also enjoyed not really knowing what happened in the end of some of the books!
I think I enjoyed the pages while I read them – possibly knowing that in any particular moment, I read and absorbed exactly what I needed – and that moment of comfort from the pages of that book would never return.
Well, it also wasn’t just joy and comfort.
A couple of books that I read brought me to feel extreme discomfort too! One surfaced visceral disgust in me at the author’s attempt to empathize with pedophilia. Another unsettled me deeply at the inscription that was handwritten in the book – an inscription that rattled me every time I opened the book; reminding me of a history that accompanied that inscription. In the end, I refused to read the book at all.
You may be wondering if I am actually reviewing Ichigo Ichie or reminiscing about other reads of the year. I think it is both. While I was immersed in the pages of Ichigo Ichie, I paused many times to reflect on how I felt in the past – with relationships and experiences – as well as savoured fully the richness of the moment I was in while holding the book in my hand.
Savouring the book included the beautiful textures of the cover, the images, the pages, the font – the totality of this beautiful little pastel covered work of art that intended to touch the life of the reader in a deeper way.
The book impressed me in many ways – mostly with the simplicity of approach and of bringing the power of attention into focus. It helps us to explore the potential within a moment by using the power of our senses and conscious choice. I found myself considering the exercises within my personal and professional relationships too.
There were many things that I knew already – occupational jargon & pre-existing knowledge. But there were plenty more that I saw differently, that touched my heart & soul like a balm. That made me feel present and also introspect on areas and relationship where I could do better – much better.
This book & the practices it shares, is applicable to all relationships and settings – from personal to business… and beyond. The book gave me a feeling of hope and joy – that there is hope is the greatest gift of all! I loved it… and I think it might be a frequent giftable too.
I hope you take a moment to enjoy it and share it onwards as well.
Ichigo Ichie
Ponders & Reads 