The kusudama - beauty from brokeness, order from chaos.

Kusudama means ‘medicine ball’. It is a form of modular origami involving between 30 and 180 individually cut and folded pieces of paper.

The original kusudama were made from cherry blossoms, sewn together, and offered as gifts for blessing and showing respect. Today they take many forms, from the floral to the geometric. For me, they symbolise how beauty can come from broken things, and order can arise from chaos. Their making, display and gifting brings me joy and is a vital element of my self-care. I do not ask my clients to make origami with me, but if other therapists would be interested in how the craft can assist with their own self-care, please get in touch.