IN THE PURSUIT OF ZEN... FIVE THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE JAPANESE.
It doesn’t take long to notice that there’s just something about life in Japan that’s a little more calm and collected than most other places. Whether a result of the meditation and mindfulness principles practiced in the Buddhist religion, or simply a cultural difference in the people themselves, I decided to make these people my teachers! Here are five things that I observed from my recent travels to Japan, in pursuit of a little bit of Zen.
1. Patience and slowness. Nobody seems to be rushing anywhere. Walking behind people on the footpath was a prime opportunity to practice patience, and at times I had to really remind myself to slow down and just enjoy an easy stroll compared to my usual brisk walk! All drivers are courteous to pedestrians, stopping to allow you to cross the street regardless of whether they are left waiting to turn off a busy main road to do so. I didn’t once see someone lose their temper in the three weeks that we were there. And as travelers who were somewhat ignorant to the local customs, everyone we met was completely tolerant, patient, and kind - some going well out of their way to help us. It certainly made me question; why do I feel the need to constantly rush about life back home? How much easier would life feel without these constant and often unnecessary feelings of ‘places to be’ and ‘not enough time’? How would it change the way that we interact with others if we all were able to just slow down a little bit more?
2. Discipline and order. Everything is clean, public transport is on time, and things just seem to run smoothly and efficiently. There are lines marked on the ground at train stations for people to queue at for getting onto the trains, traffic directors to help ensure people cross the street safely, boxes to put your possessions in under the tables at restaurants, slippers to change into when entering a house/ hostel, as well as ‘bathroom only’ slippers for keeping bathroom germs away from the rest of the living areas! Everything is as it should be, run like clockwork, and so many inconveniences of daily life catered for. It reminded me of the saying ‘work smarter, not harder’ - that a little bit of thought and organization can go a long way for making life easier for yourself!
3. Respect and consideration. People bow their heads to each other as a sign of respect, and it isn’t uncommon to see people bowing multiple times, and enthusiastically, to people they regard highly. Even the train staff turn to face into the carriage and bow at the door before moving onto the next carriage. There are frequent reminders to consider the comfort of others - such as not talking on your phone or typing loudly on your computer when on the train, being careful to not hit people with bulky luggage when travelling, and to clean up after yourself so that others have access to a clean space. The societal norms such as those described above demonstrates a respect and positive regard for one another that goes above and beyond those seen elsewhere.
4. Acceptance and forgiveness. The Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima highlights this so perfectly. In a place of huge tragedy, where one would only expect bitterness and resentment, there stands instead a park dedicated to world wide peace. The atmosphere is one of serenity, of acceptance, of forgiveness. Where instead of demonizing a country for its wrong doings, they vow to learn from the experiences and to never ever let something so horrific happen again. They know that acceptance is the precursor for healing. It sure puts things into perspective for the silly grudges that you may hold against people you know… How much lighter could you feel if you were able to let go of these grudges and move on?
5. Meaning (I’ve saved the biggest for last!!). During our travels we went along to several morning services at different Buddhist temples. I have not had a strong religious upbringing nor do I hold strong religious beliefs, but found it inspiring to see the many people who would drop in (even briefly) to show their respects before carrying on with their day. This of course is not exclusive of the Japanese or of the Buddhist religion. But you cannot help but notice the prevalence of religious meaning in a country with temples and shrines dotted along every street (sometimes even tucked away in a small pocket of quiet in the heart of the city!). Meaning doesn’t just relate to religion though. People appear to go about their work with such intention - regardless of whether they are directing traffic at intersections or serving you Ramen noodles at a restaurant. It has got me thinking about my own life and livelihood - How can a change of perspective bring more meaning into my day to day life, and into my work?
Big questions… Far too big for a KinetEx blog post. But I hope that you reading this might stop to take a moment and reflect!
How could you also create a little bit more Zen in your daily life?