7 Japanese concepts that can transform your life

Moneycontrol news

July 5, 2023

1. Ikigai

‘Iki’ in Japanese means ‘life,’ and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. The Japanese believe in finding a reason, a purpose for being and use Ikigai as a way of finding what you’re meant to do.

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2. Shikita Ga Nai

It means "It cannot be helped" -- a philosophy that people of Japan try to imbibe in their life. Similar to ‘C’est La Vie’ in French or ‘Que Sera Sera’, it hints at the art of letting go of what you cannot help.

3. Wabi Sabi

It means accepting the imperfections in life and making the most of them. It encourages embracing yourself and life as it is, rather than yearning for perfection or more.

4. Gaman

It means enduring  toughness and the unbearable with  patience and dignity. It supports the  attitude of maintaining  calm and holding your  own even in the worst of times.

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5. Oubaitori

It means never feeling the need to compare yourself to someone else and that individuals have their own journey to embark on.

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6. Kaizen

It means continuous change or improvement for the better. Kaizen is the belief that it believes that even small changes accumulate to impact your life in a big way.

7. Shu Ha Ri

It describes the stages of learning for a student. The first stage, or the Shu, is when the student diligently follows the teachings of one master. Ha, is when the student branches out and takes into account teachings from other masters. Ri is when the student no longer needs to learn from a mentor but is doing so through his own practice and experience. Shu Ha Rai means: "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. When the student is really ready, the teacher will disappear".

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