Understanding that life is a journey of discovery and learning, I often come across concepts that I find helpful to adopt to make my life easier and more wholesome. And that is why I felt like sharing some of these tools with readers of this column. I had the intention of running this column for about a year, exploring a monthly tool at a time, but got carried away and stretched it to two years.
I tried to impart my insights on the various tools available in a simple way in the hope of instilling a sense of curiosity in readers to explore further. And as I feel it is time to fold up my column after presenting 23 concepts from different cultures, I am ending this journey with a short recap of three of the most practical tools − hailing from Japan, China and Hawaii − that we can easily implement immediately to lift us out of self-imposed psychological chains.
Wabi-sabi: How often do we get hung up for having a favourite item cracked, or cringe at someone showing signs of ageing and all wrinkled up? Once the Japanese concept of Wabi-sabi is understood, we are bound to eliminate a lot of heartaches and regrets when we lose something.
‘Wabi’ implies rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness, and can be applied to both natural and man-made objects as an expression of understated elegance. It can also be used to refer to the flaws and glitches that arise from the process of making something, which are seen to add uniqueness and elegance to the finished object. ‘Sabi’ refers to the beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of the object and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.
Wabi-sabi eradicates the Westernised concept of artificial beauty and admiring a state of perfection that is seemingly unachievable and unnatural. The western world has made the concept of beauty into something that is becoming more and more refined and more unachievable. This distorts the idea of natural beauty and accepting the flaws of existence. In fact, they decorate in gold the very cracks of some pottery to enhance its status.
The Japanese belief and concept of wabi-sabi allows people to be more accepting and open to embracing the beauty of flaws and rawness. For them, imperfection creates individuality and individuality adds value – contrary to the Western beliefs that things need to be refined and superficially perfected, loosing authenticity.
Wu Wei – According to Western thinking, we don’t appreciate this concept as the general attitude is that one needs to strive and struggle to get things done. The philosophy behind the Chinese concept of Wu Wei is not a doing − but an allowing − that gets things manifested. The nature of the mind is stillness and it is where spontaneity happens.
There is no need to be anxious about anything if one embraces Wu Wei. In our busy society, being Wu Wei is not easy as it needs wisdom and courage. It is easy to be misunderstood as being irresponsible or lazy for not acting in a situation. If not strong enough, people can easily influence us and we end up doing things that are against our heart (unnatural). With Wu Wei one can live in tune with life, allowing the creative juices to flow and letting everything to unfold naturally.
No need to be anxious about anything if one embraces 'Wu Wei'
The point of exploring Wu Wei is ultimately to understand that there exists a way for living at ease. Nature does take its course anyways – whether we use force with it or not. Knowing that we are part of life itself, we are supported by it through the right synchronicities that will be presented to us if we just allow ourselves to be in silent openness to the natural unfolding of life. Wu Wei actually helps us to be more productive.
Through Wu Wei we cultivate a mental state in which our actions are quite effortlessly aligned with the flow of life. Similar to water, which has no resistance in life, it always follows the flow without any struggle but it is able to flow everywhere and penetrates even the hardest surface. It is the art of effortless living.
Ho’oponopono – This Hawaiian term has been westernised and its positive results are well understood and effective. It is a technique of reconciliation and forgiveness and has nothing to do with any religion, but is powerful enough to make life less stressful through mental and spiritual cleansing. It is a technique for getting rid of bad memories and feelings which tend to burden us. It can be said that ho’oponopono is a problem-solving process that must happen entirely within oneself.
The fact is that we go through a lot of stuff in our life but what matters mostly is how we deal with it. Having negative repercussions is all our making and these can be likewise healed by ourselves too. The important thing is to take responsibility. The practice consists of saying four particular phrases repeatedly that confront four sentimental issues, namely: repentance, forgiveness, love and gratitude. And the phrases are: ‘I’m sorry’, ‘please forgive me’, ‘thank you’, and ‘I love you’.
These phrases are addressed to a higher power (God, higher intelligence, etc) that can release us from our perceptions of what we are experiencing within us (whether consciously or unconsciously).
These phrases are powerful. By saying ‘I love you’, we transform anything as we open the combination lock to the universe. Loving everything (what we like and even what we don’t) transmutes stuck energy. With love we are expressing gratitude, reverence and transformation; we are part of the Divine and, therefore, perfect in our home.
We say ‘I am sorry’ for letting ourself experience a problem (being our perception); we say ‘I forgive you’ to forgive ourself for letting this happen to us, and when we say ‘thank you’, we are thanking our higher power for giving us the chance (through awareness) of releasing us of this. Understanding that we are part of a divine love, we don’t need to be weighed down with negativity – hence the request for forgiveness in forgetting this reality.
John Rohn said: “Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.” And indeed, we can live better by choosing to correct our perceptions.