This Fundamental Quest. The Journey of a Pupil of G.I. Gurdjieff

With the longest healthy life spans in the world, Japanese people understand the art of living well. This beautiful book distills traditional Japanese philosophies intrinsic to wellbeing, providing easy-to-follow exercises to inspire those who want to live a happier, more balanced life. With sections on __kokoro__ (heart and mind) and __karada__ (body), plus a guide on how to form and nurture good habits, the book includes entries on __ikigai__ (living with purpose), __wabi-sabi__ (the beauty of imperfection and impermanence), __shinrinyoku__ (forest bathing), __ikebana__ (the art of flower arranging), and much more. Richly illustrated, __A Little Book of Japanese Contentments__ is a warm invitation to cultivate contentment in everyday life. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 3 Copyright......Page 2 Contents......Page 4 Introduction......Page 6 01 Kokoro 心 (The Heart and the Mind)......Page 21 Ikigai (Purpose)......Page 27 How Do I Find My Ikigai?......Page 34 Work......Page 36 Love......Page 40 Family......Page 45 Respect......Page 46 Self......Page 48 Wabi-sabi (The Beauty of Imperfection and Impermanence)......Page 59 In the Home......Page 62 In Time......Page 65 In Aging......Page 66 Shibui......Page 70 Mono No Aware – The Bittersweet Nature of Being......Page 71 Natsukashii......Page 72 Kintsugi (Finding Beauty in Imperfection)......Page 77 The Philosophy behind Kintsugi......Page 79 Types of Kintsugi......Page 82 Mending Pottery the Kintsugi Way......Page 83 Applying the Kintsugi Philosophy to Your Life......Page 84 A Metaphor for Life......Page 86 Shoganai......Page 88 02 Karada 体 (The Body)......Page 91 Shinrin-yoku (Nourished by Nature)......Page 97 Your Six-step Guide to Shinrin-yoku......Page 100 Natural Phenomena You Might Notice on Your Path......Page 102 The Science behind Shinrin-yoku......Page 104 Shinrin-yoku in the City......Page 107 Bringing Nature Indoors......Page 108 Creating a Japanese-Inspired Garden......Page 110 Top Five Walks in Japan......Page 112 Ikebana (The Art of Flower Arranging)......Page 117 The Three Main Stems......Page 122 Hanakotoba: The Language of Flowers......Page 124 Styles of Ikebana......Page 127 Ikebana: What You Will Need......Page 133 Ikebana: The Process......Page 134 Tabemono (Food)......Page 139 Eating, Japanese-Style......Page 142 Chopstick Etiquette......Page 144 Assembling a bento box......Page 146 Onigiri Rice Balls......Page 148 Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)......Page 149 Fermented Foods......Page 151 Agedashi Tofu......Page 154 Black Cod with Miso......Page 157 Miso Eggplant......Page 158 Sushi......Page 162 Making Sushi......Page 163 Eating Sushi......Page 167 The Starring Roll......Page 169 Eating Ramen like a Local......Page 170 Ramen at Home......Page 172 Ramen from Scratch......Page 175 Japanese Foodisms......Page 180 Ocha (Tea)......Page 183 Sado: Tea Ceremony......Page 186 The Principles of Tea......Page 189 Koicha and Usucha: Thick and Thin Teas......Page 190 Equipment......Page 192 Location, Location, Location......Page 194 Dress Code......Page 195 Japanese Tea Varieties: A Guide......Page 198 Ocha Zuke (Tea-Topped Rice)......Page 202 Wagashi: Traditional Japanese Confectionery......Page 204 Onsen (Hot Springs and Bathing)......Page 211 Tattoo Taboo......Page 214 Putting On a Yukata Kimono: How to Do It......Page 216 Bathing at Home......Page 218 Making Your Own Bath Salts......Page 220 Getting the Onsen Benefits Abroad......Page 223 Calligraphy (Penmanship and Sumi-e)......Page 225 The Instruments......Page 230 Strokes and Styles......Page 234 Sumi-e: Monochromatic Ink-Wash Painting......Page 238 Practice Makes Perfect......Page 240 The Japanese Home......Page 243 Inside and Outside: Separation of Space in the Japanese Home......Page 246 Genkan......Page 249 Wooden Accents......Page 250 At the Table: Chabudai and Zabuton......Page 252 Transformative Spaces......Page 253 Making Use of Space and Multifunctional Rooms......Page 255 Decluttering, Storage, and Organization......Page 256 Speaking of Clutter – Do You Tsundoku?......Page 257 Top Three Tips for Creating a Japanese-Inspired Home......Page 258 03 Shukanka 習慣化 (Forming the Habit)......Page 261 Putting It into Practice......Page 266 Applying Kaizen Business Principles to Your Life......Page 268 Diarize......Page 272 A Minute a Day......Page 273 What I’ve Learned......Page 274 My Dai-kichi......Page 275 Acknowledgments......Page 278 F......Page 279 K......Page 280 O......Page 281 S......Page 282 Y......Page 283 G......Page 284 K......Page 285 S......Page 286 Z......Page 287 Picture Credits and Endnotes......Page 288 Chronicle Ebooks......Page 290 Discover the Japanese philosophies for living a happier, more balanced life in this beautifully illustrated guide. With the longest healthy life spans in the world, Japanese people understand the art of living well. This beautiful book distills traditional Japanese philosophies intrinsic to the culture of wellbeing and provides easy-to-follow exercises for those who want to incorporate these ideas into their daily lives. With sections on kokoro (heart and mind) and karada (body), plus a guide on how to form and nurture good habits, the book includes entries on ikigai (living with purpose), wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfection and impermanence), shinrinyoku (forest bathing), ikebana (the art of flower arranging), and much more. Richly illustrated, A Little Book of Japanese Contentments is a warm invitation to cultivate contentment in everyday life. "With the longest healthy life spans in the world, Japanese people understand the art of living well. This beautiful book distills traditional Japanese philosophies intrinsic to wellbeing, providing easy-to-follow exercises to inspire those who want to live a happier, more balanced life. With sections on kokoro (heart and mind) and karada (body), plus a guide on how to form and nurture good habits, the book includes entries on ikigai (living with purpose), wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfection and impermanence), shinrinyoku (forest bathing), ikebana (the art of flower arranging), and much more"--Publisher's description. "This beautifully illustrated book distills Japanese ways of living and practices, providing easy-to-follow exercises to inspire those who want to live a more balanced life. Divided into three sections: Kokoro (heart and mind), Karada (body), and Shukanka (how to form good habits), the book includes entries on ten Japanese philosophies for well-being"-- Provided by publisher