#Japanese philosophy

[troythecatfish]

[augment-techs]

[redsamuraiii]

My Travel Diary : The Postcard Seller in Kyoto

Got this beautiful postcards at a little stall by the roadside near the entrance to the Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama.

Seller is a kind man looks to be in his 50s. He explains that the lovely drawings are his wife who spent years learning to draw as a hobby. She got sick recently and retired but she continues to share her love of drawing and her country with tourists like me.

He was enthusiastic and put tremendous effort to speak English. My Japanese is still a work in progress and I was a little embarrassed to speak in Japanese but was touched by his story. It’s one of the things that motivate me to learn Japanese so I could speak to the locals.

He thanked me for buying his postcards and the last sentence was what got me, “Thank you for loving my country. Hope to see you again.” After which he proceeded to show me the direction to the Bamboo Forest and bow in gratitude before he returned to his stall.

It’s one of the many encounters in Japan that I will remember for life. Their sense of hospitality or Omotenashi, where they go above and beyond for their guests will always amazed me. They take pride in their job no matter how “trifle” or “unglamorous” it may seem to others.

Something I wish people in my own country would understand. Sadly, we are still being judged by what we do, based on personal experience working as a delivery rider when I hit rock bottom in life. My “peers” used to say “how long are you going to work this job”?

While in Japan, they would say, “it’s a good job where you send food to busy and hungry people”. Whoever you are, wherever you are, I hope you can be proud of your job. Keep doing what you are doing. Others will always judge you no matter what job you do.

[japanwords]

侘寂 (wa-bi-sa-bi) "beauty in imperfection"

[theadaptableeducator]

Weekend Book Reviews: Kakuzo Okakura's "The Book of Tea"

Kakuzo Okakura’s “The Book of Tea” stands as a timeless classic in the realm of literature, philosophy, and cultural studies. Originally published in 1906, this small yet profound work continues to captivate readers with its eloquent exploration of tea and its deep-seated significance in Japanese culture and beyond. At its heart, Okakura’s book is a philosophical treatise, elegantly weaving…

[loveindeeair]

Do we grow more unforgiving, as we progress, why do we not give another the same grace, we think we deserve?

---

"Wabi Sabi"

- Beth Kempton

- Part 8 - Pages 28 - 29

[reviving-nikola]

blessings 7/9

[crazyfox-archives]

A stone-sculpted image of Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva (如意輪観音菩薩) on the grounds of Han’nyaji Temple (般若寺) in Nara

Photo by Matsumoto Zen’ya (松本善也), 1955

Image from the photography collection of the Nara Prefectural Library

[motivationxforlife]

"Truth is found in the way. The way is found in nature. Nature is found within yourself, and yourself is found in the way." - Miyamoto Musashi

[lostintime-liketearsinrain]

How I've been spending my evening so far…. Dog sitting Pip at mine while the family are out for the night, watching movies and finally getting round to pollyfilling my broken mirror and painting it gold in the style of Kintsugi! This art form appeals to me a lot as it's about highlighting the imperfections, that something broke can be repaired and be reused again! I can relate to that philosophy in a lot of ways, being imperfect, being broken but always working to improve myself!

It'll be a wonderful focal piece above my radiator at the entranceway and something I can be proud of creating!

[redsamuraiii]

The Most Beautiful Archer in Japan | The Art of Concentration

[japanwords]

改善 (kai-zen) “continuous improvement”

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” It is the Japanese business philosophy of continuously improving operations. Kaizen sees improvement in productivity as a gradual and methodical process.

The kaizen concept asserts that there is no perfect end. Everything can be improved upon, and all employees must strive to evolve and innovate constantly. 

[alephskoteinos]

The worst thing about the samurai is that they devoted everything towards obedience and loyalty to their master. When I think about the idea of the freedom of action that comes from the death drive they embraced, I think "imagine what they could be without obedience".

When reading the Hagakure, you get many expressions of the idea of death, meditation upon death, or to live as if you are already dead, as the key to unlimited freedom of action. The way of the samurai is even more broadly described as "desperation" or even "insanity". There's even a section where Tsunemoto talks about people who were brave and rowdy because they had "vitality", versus people who were gentle because they lacked it, but the latter was not inferior to the former because they would still be "crazy to die".

But the only thing is, in the context of Bushido, all of that is wrapped in the idea that this was all meant to facilitate total obedience to master. The samurai had to act instantaneously so as to fulfill the commands of their lord without faltering.

What I'm saying is, imagine if you could have something of what the Hagakure hints at, in terms of how it figures full mental freedom of action, but in pursuit of the fulfillment of an anarchist insurrectionary agent rather than cultivating complete obedience to any lord?

[loveindeeair]

Wabi Sabi 🧘

Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life

- Beth Kempton

Let's walk down the pages of this book. Love this beautiful concept. How beautiful life would be when we accept that things and people break and that is okay. As they heal they become even worthier and kinder, and when we help heal, we heal parts of ourselves.

I am overreaching and rambling.... 🫢

[roamwithahungryheart]

Here's a little description of Kintsugi for anyone who was left wanting to know more -

"Kintsugi can relate to the Japanese philosophy of mushin (無心, "no mind"), which encompasses the concepts of non-attachment, acceptance of change, and fate as aspects of human life. Also mono no aware, a compassionate sensitivity, or perhaps identification with, [things] outside oneself."

Make of that what you will.

[theadaptableeducator]

Weekend Book Reviews: The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment by Hector Garcia

Hector Garcia’s The Book of Ichigo Ichie presents a refreshing and profound exploration of the Japanese concept of Ichigo Ichie, emphasizing the art of cherishing every encounter and moment in life. Drawing deeply from Japanese culture and philosophy, Garcia invites readers into a contemplative journey where mindfulness and presence become paramount. The essence of Ichigo Ichie, encapsulated in…