It's a modular, self-locking origami star by Brian Beitel, taught by the designer himself on a recent Origami Maniacs YouTube Live.
Feel free to leave me a comment below if you give it a try. I hope it helps you find your calm too.
"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."
- Leonard Cohen
Openness isn't the absence of boundaries; it's the presence of room to breathe.
This structure literally holds its shape by leaving space.
Folded by my origami teacher more than 25 years ago, this woven cube is still letting light in - on the benefits of cultural exchange, learning through experience, the joy of folding, and expanding attitudes and possibilities.
Today I'm practicing openness by remembering that a strong form can still be open.
Amends begin with acknowledging harm.
They are accomplished when we repair with dignity.
This emerald green heart reminds me that amends are, first and foremost, emotional and relational. They are about reestablishing trust and care.
The pretty gold details echo the Japanese art of Kintsugi which honors what was broken by making the repair visible and meaningful.
It says, we can't go back to how things were.
We can go forward mended, changed, and more intentional.
Today I'm practicing amends by asking, where can I make amends in my life in a way that adds care, not just covers cracks?
What would that look like?
Heart Pendant - Fumiaki Shingu
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."
- Mahatma Gandhi
Harmony happens here, in the way pattern, patience, and purpose meet.
Inhale. Exhale. Chrysanthemums slowly open, cranes glide across the sky, colors and folds settle into peaceful alignment.
Each reminds me: balance is not aspirational - it is beneath my feet, in my hands, in tiny micro-calibrations, in the rhythm of now.
Today, I am practicing harmony through my breath—letting attention, intention, and action move together, as one living flow.
"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will."
- Charlotte Bronte
Integrity asks for alignment between what I intend and what I actually do.
On paper, each fold shows immediately whether I was paying attention or not.
Today I'm practicing integrity by matching my care to my intention.
Bird card by Jeremy Shafer
"Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark."
- Rabindranath Tagore
For me, faith isn't blind certainty. It's moving forward with trust - rooted in experience, yet without guarantees.
Today I'm practicing faith by trusting the process of folding a new origami model by an artist whose designs I've succeeded with before. Each crease, each careful fold, reminds me that even when the outcome is uncertain, the act of showing up matters.
"It is the time you have wasted on your rose that makes your rose so important."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince
Caring shows up in how I handle things, not only how I feel about them. This crisp origami paper from Japan holds and shows every crease I make, carefully or carelessly.
Today I'm practicing caring by cherishing and being gentle with what's in my hands.
"Peace begins with a smile."
- Mother Teresa
Smiling is easy to dismiss as superficial, but today I'm paying attention to how profound it really is. When my face softens, something deeper seems to soften too.
This little vignette reminds me that small shifts can change both the expression and the impression, and they can be contagious.
Today I'm seeing what happens when I let that softness show more freely.
The term comes from the Bible and emphasises that the pursuit of worldly possessions is futile compared the goal of heavenly salvation. It encourages the audience to reflect and repent.
I hope this fly pin makes a softer statement - Less warning, more witness.
As origami ages, creases soften and colors fade.
I could seal my works with some kind of resin or shellac but I don't - not to neglect preservation, but as a practice of appreciation and attention.
In my mind, sealing paper feels false. I would rather let it age with me. I know what will remain is not the object, but a memory and the invitation to fold again.
Unlike an oil painting, this pin doesn't aspire to a museum. It aspires to be brought to life on a jacket or a bag, touched by sunlight and hands and one day, become compost, fertile material for growth.
It is an art, this presence and release. As you can see from the irony of my archived photos and words, it's one I'm still practicing.
I have several, and Spirited Away is definitely in my top 5.
This No Face model was really fun to fold.
I don't usually like having to draw on a face because I always "ruin it" but this one was actually really easy.
And turning it into a pin was a no brainer. This guy deserves to be seen!
I folded this sunny origami pin back in the fall when the weather was still warm and the flowers were nodding sleepily in the fields.
The softly cloudy hexagon background is folded from a quarter sheet of copy paper. The rest is made with origami paper.
The sunflower is designed by Makoto Yamaguchi. If you would like to try folding it, here's a helpful video from Origami Maniacs on YouTube.
The double leaf is a clever design from Japanese artist Nanahoshi. I absolutely love her wreaths and floral swags. Check them out!
Let's wean ourselves off of our phones by loading up baskets and bags to reach for between tasks.
Stash craft supplies, notebooks, puzzles and pens to support your well-being and reduce screen time.
I know what's in my bag - a good book, a healthy snack, a commonplace book and origami paper!
What's in yours?
The box and lid are designed by Tomoko Fuse.
Oh... where do I even begin?
This excerpt from “Soul Friends” by Stephen Cope says it better than I ever could. Please excuse me, I’m going back to practicing.
There is no greater misfortune than feeling
“I have an enemy”
For when “I” and “enemy” exist together
there is no room left for my treasure
Thus, when two opponents meet
The one without an enemy will surely triumph
- Lao-Tzu
This post is dedicated to my beloved animal friends, past, present and future.
You tame me, test me, teach me, and tell me you love me just as I am. How can I thank you enough?
To the creatures who share my yard and my earth home, totem teachers and magical messengers, I love sharing this world with you!
