Summer in Hamburg: A Suminagashi Workshop Journey with Therapists
In one summer after moving to Germany, I hosted a very special Suminagashi (墨流し) workshop in Hamburg—with a group of therapists. The weather was perfect: summertime with a slightly cool touch, and a clean, gentle breeze that naturally invited everyone to slow down.
搬到德國後的某個夏天，我在漢堡迎來一場很特別的 Suminagashi（墨流し）工作坊——參加者是一群治療師。那天的天氣很舒服：是夏天，但帶點涼意，微風很溫柔，剛剛好讓人想慢下來。
I’m deeply grateful to Uwe Schorb (Maltraum Hamburg) for generously offering his serene and inspiring art studio. At the beginning of this new chapter in a new country, it meant a lot to be able to connect with people through art.
我很感恩 Uwe Schorb（Maltraum Hamburg）願意借出他寧靜又充滿靈感的藝術工作室，讓我在這個「新章節的開始」就能用藝術與人連結。
This day was not simply about “learning a technique”. It felt more like a shared journey—relaxing together, focusing together, and gently rediscovering ourselves by meeting the present moment through the surface of water.
這一天，並不只是「學一個技法」。它更像是一個一起放鬆、一起專注、一起重新認識自己的旅程——在水面上，看見當下。
The most unforgettable moment was not when everyone made their first print at the table, but when we brought our creation outdoors. Under the sunshine, with the wind softly moving across the water, the ink floated and unfolded—patterns were not something we could fully control, but something co-created by the hand, the ink, the water, and the wind.
It was a beautiful feeling—although you are “only” watching ink flow, your body naturally becomes quieter, and your attention returns to the present. Especially during large group creation, when many people focus on one shared process at the same time, a collective calm settles in: no rushing, no pushing, no judgement—just breathing and creating in the same rhythm.
工作坊中最深刻的一刻，其實不是大家坐在桌前做第一張作品，而是我們把創作帶到戶外：
陽光灑落、風輕輕吹過水面，墨在水上漂浮，紋理不是「由人完全控制」，而是由人、墨、水、風一起完成。
陽光灑落、風輕輕吹過水面，墨在水上漂浮，紋理不是「由人完全控制」，而是由人、墨、水、風一起完成。
那種感覺很奇妙——你明明只是在看墨流，但身體自然會安靜下來，注意力收回當下。尤其是大型共創的時候，一大群人同時專注做同一件事，現場有一種集體的平靜：大家不急、不趕、不評價，只是在同一個節奏裡呼吸和創作。
While creating outdoors, the wind occasionally became stronger. The water surface would shift, and the patterns changed instantly. In that moment, we all felt it clearly: you can guide and invite—but you cannot fully control the outcome.
戶外創作時，風有時大一點，水面會突然被推動，紋理瞬間改變。那一刻我們都感受到：
你可以引導、可以邀請，但你無法完全掌控它的樣子。
你可以引導、可以邀請，但你無法完全掌控它的樣子。
Our emotions and energy may be fleeting, but they do not define us. Just like ink floating on water—moving naturally and changing all the time—our emotions and states at different stages of life are reflections of the moment, not a fixed definition of who we are.
And just as each movement on the water brings new patterns, our lives keep evolving through every chapter. When we embrace change, stay true to our hearts, and connect with each inner moment, we become the creators of our own unique path.
This is the beauty of Suminagashi—there is no “right” or “wrong”, only the honest flow of the present moment.
我們的情緒和能量雖然轉瞬即逝，卻並不能定義我們。就像墨在水上漂浮、自然流動、一直變化，我們在人生不同時期的情緒和狀態，也只是「那個當下」的反映，而不是「我們本質」的固定模樣。
正如水面每一次流動都會帶來新的紋理，我們的人生也會隨著每個章節不停演進。當我們願意擁抱變化、忠於內心，並與內在每一個瞬間建立連結，我們就能成為自己道路的創造者。
而 Suminagashi 的魅力就在於——它沒有「對或錯」，只有當刻真實的流動。
In our reflection circle, the therapists shared something I truly want to remember: what stayed with them most was not the final artwork they took home, but the process itself. When they fully immersed, observed the changing patterns, and released the pressure to “do it well”, they felt more relaxed, happier, and more present. The artworks are a tangible keepsake, but what truly remains in the body is the experience of being “allowed to slow down”.
This also reflects what I have always wanted to offer: my workshops are not built around “difficult techniques”, but around creating a space where people can become quiet, connect, and breathe—a Muße moment that welcomes everyone, with no art background required.
我們的分享圈裡，治療師們講到一個我很想記住的重點：他們最深刻的不是最後帶走的作品，而是整個過程——當他們全然投入、觀察水面變化、放下「要做得好」的壓力，反而更輕鬆、更快樂、更能在當下。作品是帶得走的紀念，但真正留在身體裡的，是那種「被允許慢下來」的經驗。
這也呼應我一直想做的事：我的工作坊並不以「高難度技法」為目標，而是創造一個能讓人安靜、連結、呼吸的空間——一個不需要藝術底子，也可以走進來的 Muße 時刻。
