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4 Japanese Philosophy for Life

 


  If we are talking about Japan, the thing inside our mind is a beautiful cherry blossom. Well... Japan is very famous for cherry blossoms which are not strange anymore among foreigners. Other than cherry blossoms, Japan is very famous for special dishes, such as sushi, onigiri, and many more. In this article, we are talking more specific way about Japan. It's about philosophy. There are 4 Japanese Philosophies that can motivate you to enjoy life. 

  The first one is Oubaitori. Oubaitori is a Japanese idiom that comes from the kanji for the four trees that bloom in spring. The trees are cherry, plum, apricot, and peach. The meaning behind that is each flower blooms in its own time and it's a reminder that everyone is on their own journey through life. 

  Oubaitori is the acceptance of not comparing yourself to others and focusing on your own growth. There's never any rush to get to where you think you need to be. There is no straight path through life and Oubaitorti is a helpful reminder of taking the pressure away. 

  The second one is Shikata Ga Nai. At its essence, Shikata ga nai really means we cannot help it or it'd more like "It is what it is". It means accepting what you cannot change and doing your best to let it roll off your back. When we are in a situation that's out of our control, maybe a job we didn't get, a date that didn't go well, or a canceled flight, it's tempting to torture ourselves, wondering what went wrong, blaming ourselves, or trying to fix something or make something work. 

  So please next time, take a deep breath or hang with supportive friends to make you feel good. Shikita ga nai is not an easy practice, and it's something that you will need to work on continuously. 

  The third one is Wabi Sabi. Wabi Sabi is elegant philosophy, it's referring to the appreciation of the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity as the natural state of things in the world. Taken individually, wabi and sabi are two separate concepts: Wabi is about recognising beauty in humble simplicity and Sabi is concerned with the passage of time and how it manifests itself beautifully in objects. 

  Together, these two concepts create an overarching philosophy for approaching life: Accept what is, stay in the present moment, and appreciate the simple, transient stages of life. 

  Last but not least is Ikigai. Ikigai describes the things that make your life worthwhile. It's the thing that gives you a deep sense of purpose, satisfaction, and joy. In reality, Ikigai has more to do with the little things in life. The small happy moments you learn to treasure as they nourish you with joy. 

  For example, think of the single mom who's working two jobs to make sure her children have everything they need. Life's not easy, but taking care of her children, watching them grow, and putting a smile on their faces is enough to keep her going. Her children are her Ikigai, bringing joy and fulfillment in an otherwise exhausting and unstable life. 

  Anything that gives you joy while also fueling you to keep moving forward can be described as Ikigai.

  As our life continues, problem is always waiting for us in the future. Life is full of mystery and many people have not survived their life problems. Jealousy, greed, and more could make people's minds change into unhappy life. Those 4 Japanese philosophies can be used to maintain our life happiness no matter what happened. As long we are practicing every problem will be fun to fix it.

  Thank you for your time and hopefully, you have learned something from this article. Have a nice day 😀.


References:

  1. The truth about ikigai: a misunderstood Japanese concept that gives your life meaning (2023). Available at: https://www.fingerprintforsuccess.com/blog/ikigai-meaning.
  2. 5 Teachings From The Japanese Wabi-Sabi Philosophy That Can Drastically Improve Your Life — OMAR ITANI (2021). Available at: https://www.omaritani.com/blog/wabi-sabi-philosophy-teachings.
  3. Shikata Ga Nai Is the Japanese Art of Letting Go—and It’s Glorious (2023). Available at: https://advice.theshineapp.com/articles/shikata-ga-nai-is-the-japanese-art-of-letting-go-and-its-glorious/.
  4. Shikata Ga Nai: The Japanese Art Of Letting Go (2019). Available at: https://medium.com/swlh/shikata-ga-nai-the-japanese-art-of-letting-go-776db8eda8ef.
  5. 5 Powerful Japanese Concepts For Creating A Positive Mental Health Routine, Yamato Magazine (2019). Available at: https://yamatomagazine.home.blog/2019/12/19/5-powerful-japanese-concepts-for-creating-a-positive-mental-health-routine/#:~:text=Oubaitori%20is%20a%20Japanese%20idiom,their%20own%20journey%20through%20life.
  6. Oubaitori (桜梅桃李) (2023). Available at: https://reerth.com/blogs/whats-new/oubaitori.


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Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 21, 2023 at 11:23 AM

    This was really enlightening, it was interesting to read about, thanks for posting!

    ReplyDelete

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