Life is not a competition.Meaning lies not in speed, but in continuing to walk. Some walk fast, others slow. Yet if you keep walking at your own pace without stopping, the path you've walked will s...
Comparing yourself to others will only unsettle your heart.Rather than comparing, it's vital to illuminate your own path. When walking a dark road at night, envying the light beside you leaves your...
Desires, even when satisfied, never truly end. Seeking too much brings suffering; counting only what you lack leaves your heart parched. But when you quietly accept what you have now, a sense of co...
Suffering is not an enemy. It is like soil. Soil that pushes up a sprout resembles suffering.Damp soil is heavy, stony soil is hard, and sometimes it wounds the roots.Yet it is precisely that weigh...
Do you have any worries right now? Worries are like clouds—they float into your mind and eventually drift away.The more intensely you wish to erase your worries, the more your mind clings to them—a...
Though the moon may appear waning, it is always whole.Likewise, when we acknowledge our imperfections, we can live fully. The more we seek perfection, the more our shortcomings seem to dominate our...
Engawa is a long, narrow space between the house and the garden found in traditional Japanese homes. It is similar to a terrace found between the garden and the house in Western homes.This space, w...
Win without fighting. When you hear the word “ninja,” you may think of spies who run through the darkness of night or practitioners of spectacular martial arts. However, the essence of their action...
Wagashi are Japanese sweets shaped to gently embrace the changing seasons. They are works of art that reflect the changing nature, and they are also small rituals for feeling the seasons and calmin...