7 Japanese Concepts

These 7 Concepts help me to better understand my own spiritual journey. I love sharing

the wisdoms I find along my path.

For the majority of my life (to age 46), I was raised Christian and attended a formal organized religious church. Even here in Savannah, we still have gone to mass and church services.

When I was living in Gainesville, FL, I went to the Krishna Compound in Alachua and started to awaken to the fact that religion is a personal journey and that there are all types of religions that have enlightenment, not just the 3 Abrahamic religions. I then started reading the Tao Te Ching Book by Laozi again (it's something I had been fascinated with throughout my life). I started to explore even more spiritual books and concepts.

My own personal path has led me to realize that the guilt, fear and condemnation that most Christian Churches preach are a type of indoctrination. That heaven and hell and the Bible were invented to control the masses. Though I do still read the Bible, I read it for the enlightenment of spirit not for the rules.

It is my belief that God/Universe is living in each of us, in every plant, in every animal and fish. We are meant to live in love, God/Universe is not some magical phenomenon in the sky, it is the cellular makeup of our entire existence. Our bodies are 70% water, we are not solid, we are made of millions of individual cells, we even have stardust in our DNA.

Regardless of where you stand in your spiritual journey, these 7 Japanese concepts may help further your own path...

Ikigai

Discover your purpose in life.

Determine the reason you awaken each day.

Choose a path that aligns with your strengths, passions, and needs the world can utilize from you.

This is what gives your life meaning.

Shikita ga nai

Let go of what you can not change.

Recognize that there are some things that are simply out of your control and that's okay! Let go and focus on what you can change.

Wabi-sabi

Find peace in imperfection

Recognize that nothing in life is perfect, including yourself and others.

Instead of striving for flawlessness, find joy in imperfections that make life unique.

Gaman

Preserve your dignity during tough times.

Show emotional maturity and self control, even when faced with challenges.

Remember to be patient resilient and understanding.

Oubaitori

Don't compare yourself to others.

Everyone has a different timeline and a unique path.

It is important to focus on your own progress, rather than trying to measure yourself against others.

Kaizen

Always seek to improve all areas of your life.

Even small changes can add up and make a big impact over time.

Shu-Ha-Ri

"When a student is ready, the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready, the teacher will disappear." Tao Te Ching

It is a way of thinking about how to learn and master a technique. There are three stages to acquiring knowledge:

Shu: Learn the basics by following the teachings of one master; imitating the work of great masters also falls under this stage.

Ha: Start experimenting, learn from the masters, and integrate the learning into practice.

Ri: This stage focuses on innovation and the ability to apply your learning to a variety of situations.

A'ho Dawk'ee ~ Namaste

Stay grounded, stay growing, and keep a little side-eye for the nonsense...

Cat V.