Danshari: Embracing Japanese Minimalism in a Materialistic World

I am familiar with the Japanese word "Danshari." It is composed of three kanji characters: Dan (cutting or refusing), Sha (throwing away or disposing), and Ri (separating). The origins of these meanings can be traced back to Yoga training. Danshari is often described as the art of Japanese minimalism, which aims to liberate individuals from the stress and materialism of modern living. In Japan, the popularity of the Danshari method, which involves discarding unneeded possessions and adopting a minimalist approach to belongings, has grown rapidly since around 2010. Personally, I have aspired to embrace a minimalist lifestyle for over thirty years, having been inspired by my minimalist friends. However, I have not yet fully achieved my goal of living a truly austere minimalist lifestyle. While refined minimalists may make Danshari appear effortless, in reality, it can be quite challenging to fully implement and adhere to its principles.

Popular posts from this blog

Transforming Knowledge into Decision-Making Wisdom

Image
In any era, accurately understanding the present circumstances and making informed decisions relies on gathering dependable information from diverse perspectives and relying on personal knowledge and experiences. Consequently, obtaining essential knowledge, applying it practically, and cultivating a habit of thoughtful consideration is advantageous. Essentially, it's crucial to empower individuals to convert necessary life knowledge into the wisdom required for decision-making and action-taking. This becomes increasingly critical amidst the overwhelming influx of conflicting information.
Read more

Nurturing the Cycle of Positive Emotions within the Human Heart

Image
Naturally, when others treat us kindly, it sparks joy within and a desire to reciprocate that kindness either to them or others. This human reaction might be rooted in trust and forms an unseen chain of positive emotions that plays a role in maintaining social order and stability. It's within our hearts to either strengthen or break this chain, as both actions are closely linked. Therefore, it's crucial to overcome our negative emotions and cultivate spiritual strength, fostering a sacred and healthy sentiment to prevent our feelings from turning destructive. To achieve this, it might be beneficial for us to spend more time daily connecting with our inner selves in a way that suits them.
Read more

Mindfulness and the Alchemy of Happiness: Insights from Archbishop Ryokan Ara

Image
  The Archbishop of Tendai Buddhism, Ryokan Ara (1928-2019), once shared a perspective on the mind: “All things in this world arise from the mind, and the mind can change them. Both within this house and within this world, through this mind, they can become either hell or paradise.” All people live their lives with more or less pain and worry. This is what Buddhism calls “earthly desires”. Suffering and worries bring about a variety of painful emotions such as sadness, anger, envy, and anxiety, and instill “bad habits in the mind.” Therefore, since it is difficult for people to give up earthly desires as long as they are alive, Ryokan Ara proposed to reduce earthly desires by practicing “habits of a calm mind” that are good for the mind and soul. It emphasizes that nothing in this world is fixed forever and that things are always changing, so it is important to understand the truth by looking at things in a big-picture way. What is needed here is the mindset of not being particular and
Read more