Journey of the Origami Paper Crane
You know what I love?
Origami paper cranes.
They’re supposed to represent peace and healing.
They’re supposed to represent love.
The Japanese art of origami dates as far back as the sixteenth century. It evolved from wedding decor for the elite to a beloved past time enjoyed by all.
To make a origami crane, the paper is folded simply and changes from one form and into another. Until the final folds, you can’t tell it will be a crane: the paper changes so many times.
I was talking with my sixty-three year old aunt recently. She had been reflecting upon her life and remarked that she felt she had really lived four lifetimes inside the one: so rich had been her experiences.
Each lifetime built upon the next, she said, she couldn’t have been one without the form that came before it.
It made me wonder about changing forms and the stories we share to describe our impossible transformations.
About frogs that widen their mouths and turn into a wolf. About wolves who loose themselves to the turning. And about the flight of a crane that emerges from the folds.
It made me wonder what hands mold us from one version of ourselves to the next? What wings, hidden deep in our bodies, are just waiting for our right form so they may emerge?
And, so. I made this beautiful thing.
This story of the paper crane: from her origin in space and time and her journey to her truest form.
I hope you enjoy.
More Info…
How To Make an Origami Paper Crane: Step by Step Instructions
How Paper Cranes Became a Symbol of Healing in Japan: National Geographic Article
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