There’s so many insights I had visiting Japan that I’m breaking it down into a few parts!
It felt like I walked into the future and the past at the same time during our packed 2 week visit.
Japan‘s way of life brought some surprising shifts in perspective for what’s possible in the world.
There’s a quiet dark side also not to be overlooked.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE
I loved Japan for many reasons, but first its beauty in nature and the calm in people’s nature really stood out:
The Japanese people seem to have successfully integrated the value of calm in their deep respect, and politeness that’s evident with their treatment of one another and nature.
There’s great care taken of the beautiful gardens around the thousands of temples and shrines.
It’s clean everywhere because the simple idea of “if you make a mess, you clean it up” or self-responsibility is ingrained.
There are no janitors in schools! Doesn’t it make sense that kids clean their own classrooms? Imagine if all children accepted they are supposed to clean up after themselves everywhere they go, what kind of adults would that create?
Discipline is a strong value & there’s an unspoken way everyone is operating on the same page.
Everyone is trusted to do their part and collectively these shared values of calm, order and respect creates a level of outer beauty where the whole of society benefits.
A CALM WAY of LIFE
It seemed like the Japanese have learned the art of not taking someone personally or feeling offended. It reminded me of the harmony, discipline and rules I grew up with in my own family.
I never heard anyone shouting at anyone.
I also didn’t grow up in a household where anyone shouted at someone though sometimes voices got raised!
No one got annoyed or reacted angrily during our visit even when we got confused navigating the train system & our passes suddenly stopped working.
We were simply helped and were back on our way.
We spent one day with the most wonderful guide who drove us around Kyoto. I’ve never driven with anyone so patient and calm through busy streets!
I asked him if he has a daily meditation practice given the thousands of temples and shrines in Kyoto. He chuckled and said “no”.
It was clear, this man didn’t need additional time to meditate – he was already living calmness!
He shared that everyone follows the custom of soaking in a hot bath daily – like brushing your teeth! It surprised him that in the West, most people only take showers.
There is evidence that regular soaking in hot water improves circulation, pumps more nutrients and oxygen through our bodies while displacing toxins and likely contributes to what makes Japan one of the healthiest and longest-lived populations in the world.
I didn’t see any homeless people. Bikes were not locked up and very young children walked to school on their own.
Japan has a virtually 0% homeless rate.
It was nice to see many elderly people riding bikes, working and able to ride their complex train system!
What’s remarkable is how much bigger with more variety & higher quality everything is.
Basics like transportation, quality of food and waste disposal are more advanced and it’s all so organized!
I remember seeing anything “made in Japan” was synonymous with high quality, and now I understood why.
The whole atmosphere feels less hurried, more harmonious with less stress compared to the West.
I see how the energy that is Marie Kondo came from here.
When we walked across Tokyo’s busiest intersection – Shibuya Crossing (up to 2,500 people) – I was surprised to hear birds singing playing on the loudspeaker!
They know that sounds in nature calms the mind to keep everyone safely moving along.
INTEGRATING the BEAUTY OF NATURE in Your Life
Staying connected to nature is one of the best ways to stay connected to your spiritual path.
It’s why I decided to make a significant investment in our outside space a few years ago.
Friends and family would often ask “are you going to finish your basement?” It felt like a “should”. We barely spent time there.
Your heart knows where to put your resources. I could feel a garden, a place to read, eat, gather for conversations for many years .. if you are open to allowing what you desire vibrationally, when you are ready – divine orchestration will happen.
I believed this kind of space would bring immeasurable value to our family.
Our backyard is now a sacred place to connect and be at one with the sights and sounds of nature.
Can you carve out your own sacred space to be connected to Beauty in Nature? It’s so vital for your soul.
This week I had this surprise show up sitting at my desk looking outside my office window:
Doves!!
The universal symbol for peace.
It’s what living judgment-free gives us – inner peace, and what feels instilled when you visit Japan.
The Japanese are very disciplined and work extremely hard, and I believe living from an inner calm provides more space for creativity and greater success.
The Sadly High Suicide Rate
Although Japan has incredible strengths, there’s also very little space for emotional expression.
It’s like there’s great harmony that produces results, but at the cost of emotional authenticity.
Our emotions are one of our most important inner guides.
We all hear about Japan having a high suicide rate.
According to Chat GPT, it’s approximately 15 per 100,000 in Japan compared to slightly less at 14 per 100,000 in the U.S and 11 per 100,000 in Canada.
Europe’s suicide rates are in the 9 to 11 range per 100,000.
The danger of not expressing ourselves emotionally can be the suppression of inner pain that can lead to wanting to escape from life.
Being mentally healthy is so important, and an essential ingredient is feeling connected to Spirit through nature.
How can you add a part of nature to your every day ritual?
Stay tuned for Part 2…
