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Decent Poverty: Why We Should Adopt Japanese Philosophy
In Japan, they actively promote seihin, or “dignified poverty,” a philosophy that recalls the importance of true things, the art of living with a smile and an open heart.
Seihin in Japan personifies the art of living in a minimalist style. This is expressed not only in the practical side. To live in a house that is smaller than those of which the West dreams; living with fewer objects, desires, unnecessary things and a greater awareness of what is really important. Because that is ultimately the only worthwhile goal: an existence full of happiness. The pleasure here comes from being able to respect the little things that matter and find real value while building everyday life.
“Decent Poverty” — this is the literal translation of the Japanese word “seihin”. The word “poverty” — complex, it is associated with need, poverty, scarcity, on which we are often fixated. At the same time, in the West, where abundance is overwhelming, people still lack something.
Perhaps the best way to convey the meaning of this concept is another word, which is a bit morally outdated, but which was once taught to every child as a legacy of life: “modesty.” The adjective “humble” carries the ability to “regulate, restrain”, “restrict”, “measure.”
In the West, it is considered the norm to go beyond. Each advertisement appeals to us, encouraging us to overcome limitations, go beyond them, and set ambitious goals.
But our desires can turn into demons, devoured by an increasingly insatiable hunger.
The principle of self-regulation is the awareness of a healthy limit of what we really need, from the needs of the body to the needs of the soul. In fact, this is what Japan teaches us, a country that loves only the essentials.
Seikhin, or “decent poverty”, is expressed in the following: we know what we need and we do it. No more and no less. These feelings are conveyed by the poetry of haiku, the disarming simplicity of which becomes strength, clarity. It glorifies the beauty of the essential. A mood that also makes you think about general cleaning, the ability to remove all unnecessary things from your home, soul and life.
Do you have a refuge where you can be happy?
Dominique Loro, a French writer who has lived in Japan since the seventies, has applied this philosophy of life in his book Living Small – The Joy of Living on a Few Square Meters, where he tells us that happiness is a small home. There are many reasons for this: from lower utility bills to cleaning and tidying costs; living in a small house saves money, time and effort. But not only. A psychological question is added to the practical explanations.
We need relaxation, and real relaxation requires a deep integration between us and the environment.
An opportunity to relax the mind and body in a space that can welcome, lull, embrace: in a word, knowing that we can let go and relax.
When we trust, there is a feeling of relaxation. For this reason, as Dominique Loro explains, this process is easier in a small house: a small and modest house relaxes thanks to the power of simplicity, helps to avoid ambitions that are not really ours, but imposed by society.
In short, thanks to a more “human” space, we find the same sense of proportion that already in ancient Rome determined the path to happiness: In medio stat virtus, a millennial concept that is present in popular proverbs around the world. Balance is where we learn to develop a measure of happiness.
In fact, in a society that always says yes, is obsessed with the pursuit of an ideal opportunity that should not be missed, constantly chasing the latest novelties, beauty or technological elixir, a real revolution is possible – this is the practice of refusal: do and have less, so that more enjoy.
Be content? No, not that. Dignified poverty seikhin goes further, because it teaches awareness of real need. After all, how many moments of happiness do you really need? What are they? In search of the main thing, you need to be extremely frank and attentive. Most of these items can be obtained for free. These are the moments we lived through, the remaining solitude, the magic of living together, the time given and set aside for ourselves, the happy moments when we do what we love.
What we live or lose in the name of other people’s goals, no one can return to us. This is the time of our lives, the only true heritage in which we live.