Articles

The Japanese Bow

According to an ancient Japanese custom, people bow whenever they greet each other or show appreciation. For example, a person may bow when admiring a flower arrangement at a tea ceremony, then bow to the host for the thoughtfulness that the host provided. The purpose of bowing is to clear the mind of any preconceived thoughts. With an empty mind, one can greet a person or a work of art with an entirely fresh outlook, thus fully appreciating the beauty and meaning that are being presented. Although we may never bow in our society, we can benefit from emptying the mind whenever we greet someone or appreciate beauty.

When our mind is empty and free we have a clear perspective of everything around us. By not judging, we see life without the expectations of how things should be or how we should be. This open embrace creates an atmosphere of peace and serenity. With emptiness, we can fully appreciate the beauty and richness of life.

Sharing Laughter

Laughter really is the best medicine and a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and can leave our muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes afterwards. Nothing works faster to bring our mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. The ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing relationships, and supporting physical and emotional health. Even in the most difficult of times, laughter can go a long way toward making us feel better.

Shared laughter is one of the most effective ways for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. Humor and laughter can strengthen our relationships by triggering positive feelings and emotional connections. When we laugh with one another, a positive bond is created which acts as a strong buffer against stress, frustration, and disappointment. Laughter and humor help us to relax and brings us to a higher place where we can view the world from a more creative and balanced perspective.

Nonverbal Cues

Good communication is the foundation of successful relationships, both personally and professionally. Yet we communicate with more than just words, in fact, research shows that approximately 85 percent of our communication is nonverbal, which includes facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and even the tone of our voice. All of our nonverbal behaviors send strong messages that don’t stop when we’re finish speaking. Even when we’re silent, we are still communicating.

If we want to communicate better in all areas of our lives, it’s important to become more aware of nonverbal cues in order to be in tune with the thoughts and feelings of others. The way we listen, look, move, and react tells the other person how well we are connecting, and whether or not we care. When our nonverbal signals match up with the words we say, it can greatly increase our clarity, meaning, and trust in building better relationships at home and work.

Lesson of the Tortoise

The ancient Chinese revered the tortoise because tortoises know when to withdraw into themselves and restore their inner energy, thus living to an advanced age. Tortoise shells were believed to have mysterious powers which inspired the hexagram patterns of the I Ching (“Book of Change”) which reflects the movement of energy in life. Like the tortoise, we can also go inside ourselves to reflect and become more balanced and harmonious.

Peace comes from within and these moments of reflection enable our roots to go deep to the source, thus drawing upon our infinite power and wisdom. We can cultivate peace by following the lesson of the tortoise and set aside daily periods of contemplation and reflection. Quiet time returns us to our higher selves and to the natural rhythms of life. The serenity gained from tending to our inner needs help to keep our lives on track. When we are at peace with ourselves, we are healthier, laugh more often, and enjoy the essence of life.

The Pursuit of Happiness

When asked what people want most in life, almost everyone puts happiness at the top of the list. The idea that happiness is pursued is established by the familiar phrase, the pursuit of happiness, which implies that happiness is something we have to chase after or discover. We tend to think happiness can be found if only we knew the correct path, acquire the right job, or find the perfect partner. Yet happiness is not found in the external world with its ups and downs, true happiness resides within us.

Happiness is a state of being, a way of perceiving ourselves and the world around us. By being positive we boost our experiences of joy, contentment, and love, but also improve other aspects of our lives, such as our energy levels, our engagement with others, and our physical and mental health. Happy people are more sociable and energetic and are more likely to have a richer network of friends. Happiness is a vitally important goal, one that we all have a right to pursue and the ability to achieve within ourselves.

The Oneness of Life

A great master once took a pebble out of a mountain stream and gave it to his student and said, “This pebble is part of the creek along with all the rocks that make up the creek, which makes the whole. Yet, even though I removed this pebble, it does not create a void. The pebble still has a place in creation. It is still part of the whole."

Though we are naturally part of the universe, it is when we balance our mind and body that we can perceive things as they truly are. In Japanese, this is called reisei shin, the mind that sees the spirit of life in all things. To become aware of the unity all things, we must transcend the notion of an isolated, individual self. When we are in tune with the ever-changing cycles of nature or the wonders of the world around us, we realize that we are part of an infinitely larger whole and discover a deeper sense of ourselves.

Stop Worrying

Why is it so difficult to stop worrying? Worrying can be helpful when it spurs us to take action and solve a problem, but if we’re preoccupied with the “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios of life, worrying becomes a problem.

The inability to tolerate uncertainty plays a huge role in anxiety and worry. Chronic worriers can’t stand doubt or unpredictability and need to know exactly what’s going to happen. Yet, thinking about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more predictable. We may feel safer when we’re worrying, but it’s just an illusion. Focusing on worst-case scenarios won’t keep bad things from happening; it simply keeps us from enjoying the good things we have right now. Worrying is a mental habit that we need to break. By training our mind to be calm and in the present moment, we can discover a sense of balance and learn to see things from a more positive perspective.

Good Posture

In the Japanese culture, it is widely known that in order to have a natural flow of energy, one must first have good posture. The word “posture” translated in Japanese is shisei and can be used to mean attitude, as well as physical posture. Good posture is any position in which our mind is calm and our body is relaxed and free of excess tension. This posture is not only the most comfortable; it’s the strongest and most stable. Bad posture only puts our organs under pressure and constricts blood circulation that weakens our natural energy flow.

Correct posture directly relates to ease of motion, the flow of inner energy, and the coordination of mind and body. Even in hospitals there are signs that say, “Please walk quietly.” If we have excess tension in our legs, we make noise when we walk. Yet, if we naturally relax our muscles, we can walk silently by using the most comfortable posture that is free of tension and stress. In this posture, the mind and body are working together to move in perfect harmony.