HOW THE JAPANESE ETHOS OF WABI SABI CAN HELP YOU

PERFECTIONISM IS ON THE RISE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH CAN BE DEVASTATING. THE JAPANESE PHILOSOPHY OF WABI SABI HELPS US APPRECIATE OUR IMPERFECTIONS. BY ACCEPTING OUR FAULTS AS PART OF OUR JOURNEY TOWARD IMPROVEMENT, WE CAN BETTER APPROACH LIFE WITH GREATER HUMILITY AND SELF-WORTH.

I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I plan vacations to a T, my mind replays blunders on loop, and the thought that there might be typos in my articles makes my jaw clench in agitation. Okay, maybe more than a “bit.”

The thing is, I know I shouldn’t be this way. The pursuit of the perfect is not synonymous with the pursuit of excellence or even the worthwhile, and whether that drive is self-motivated or foisted on us by a boss, parent, or partner, its cost far outweighs the goal. Research has shown the potential fallout of perfectionism: anxiety, depression, social aversion, lower life satisfaction, reduced self-worth, and difficulties emotionally self-regulating.

Even knowing this, I have a hard time accepting my shortcomings and embracing my mistakes. And sadly, I’m not alone. Perfectionism has been increasing over time. College students and workers in a variety of fields have perfectionist impulses. To escape this selflaid trap, I’ve been exploring the Japanese philosophy of wabi sabi, which doesn’t just ask us to accept that nothing and no one is perfect; it entreats us to go a step further and find the value of the imperfect.

As is often the case with cross-cultural borrowings, there’s no one-to-one translation for wabi sabi in English. Then again, there’s no clear-cut definition in its native language, either. As Andrew Juniper, author of Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence, notes: “Wabi sabi is an aesthetic philosophy so intangible and so shrouded in centuries of mystery that even the most ambitious Japanese scholars would give it a wide berth and uphold the Japanese tradition of talking about it in only the most poetic terms.” So, in the spirit of wabi sabi, I’ll try my best.

The phrase collects two kanji characters, which you might have guessed: wabi (?) and sabi (?). Wabi has been variously translated as “simplicity,” “melancholy,” or “regard of the serene.” Sabi is translated as “old and elegant,” “peacefulness,” or “the beauty of faded things.” Taken together, they express an appreciation of humility, flawed beauty, and the impermanence of all things. And while I’ve labeled it a philosophy, it’s really more a worldview or aestheticsomething you feel and experience - than a structured and formulated philosophy in the Western tradition.

With that said, its roots do find terra firma in the philosophy of Zen Buddhism. According to Juniper, at various times in Japan’s history, Buddhist temples would be underfunded yet still were required to host guests in the spirit of generosity. Lacking high-quality art or furnishings, the monks would pair their simplistic belongings with a natural setting to “produce an aesthetically pleasing effect.”

“In doing so, they were focusing on the natural, the impermanent, and the humble, and in these simple and often rustic objects, they discovered the innate beauty to be found in the exquisite random patterns left by the flow of nature,” Juniper writes.

I don’t want to paint with too broad of a cultural brush. At different periods of Japanese history, Buddhist temples could wield sizable political and social power, garnering them the wealth to build fantastically opulent temples. Nor is cultural diffusion unknown to Japan. In the Asuka period (538-710 AD), for example, Buddhist art brandished a distinctive Hellenistic style.

Nonetheless, as Buddhist philosophy seeped throughout Japanese culture, it brought wabi sabi along. While wabi sabi has influenced everything from decor to relationships and even dental surgery, it’s perhaps easiest to perceive in the country’s artistic traditions.

Monochromatic sumi-e paintings leave wide swathes of negative space to emphasize their natural subjects. Bonsai trees and ikebana flower arrangements celebrate the qualities of a single plantfrom its leaves and steams down to the roots - rather than a crowded bouquet. Japanese tea houses are decorated sparingly so every detail heightens the experience of the tea. And Japanese gardens forgo manicured rows in favor of bending and turning paths that defer to the natural landscape.

An antique Japanese kintsugi bowl

But the quintessential artistic application of wabi sabi is kintsugi, a Japanese craft for repairing broken pottery. Rather than trying to hide the fractures and make the pottery look as good as new, kintsugi artisans use a tree sap lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum to accentuate the cracks and repairs. (Kintsugi literally translates to “golden joinery.”) Sometimes they even will take pieces from other broken ceramics and combine them to form a new aesthetic.

By making these imperfections conspicuous, kintsugi celebrates the history of the piece while creating something wholly individual. The damage is not only heightened to artistic beauty, but it can never be replicated as no ceramic will break in the same manner as another. This makes it more valuable in the eyes of the owner. You can see where this is going: Wabi sabi is about more than art and earthenware. We can bring this philosophy into almost any facet of our lives, and in doing so, it can be a potent inoculant for perfectionism.

As perfectionists, we always strive to achieve masterpieces — the perfect wedding, the perfect test score, the perfect sports record, the perfect article, the perfect look and style. But even if we could achieve that lofty goal, which we can’t, life and impermanence ensure it won’t last. The reception will come to a close. You won’t pass every test. Sports records are broken all the time. The article will become outdated. And the only thing aging faster than our bodies is last year’s fashion.

Rather than waste time and mental energy seeking perfection, we can change our relationship to our endeavors and ourselves. We can accept our failures, appreciate our fault lines, and even cultivate a form of self-worth based in humility and acceptance.

Wabi sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional. That doesn’t mean wabi sabi eschews self-betterment or the pursuit of excellence. The artistic traditions of Japan are a clear indication that wabi sabi is no excuse for laziness. But like the kintsugi craftsman, we can celebrate and even accentuate the mistakes as part of the history of what makes us singularrather than shoot for a crack-free but mass-produced version of ourselves. And remember that the perfectionist trap ensnares both ways. When you demand perfectionism from art, vacations, or other people, you limit your ability to appreciate these aspects of your life to the fullest. Wabi sabi can help you open up to others and experiences, as well as celebrate the beauty of them in the moment.

One doesn’t need to become a Zen Buddhist to adopt a wabi sabi worldview. You can find elements of wabi sabi tucked away in the Western tradition, too. An Italian proverbpopularized by Voltaire but predating him - states, “The best is the enemy of the good.” Shakespeare wrote in King Lear that “striving to better, oft we mar what’s well.” And the Book of Ecclesiastes in Bible warns against life’s many vanities in favor of enjoying its simple pleasures.

In an interview, entertainer Nick Offerman expressed a more contemporary take when discussing his approach to life and work: “I often espouse a general philosophy in my life of pursuing a discipline of one sort or another… But it’s not to ever approach any level of perfection.” He added, “Instead, what keeps us living and what keeps me vitally engaged is a constant pursuit of betterment. So I gave up on perfect a long time ago. Now I’m just chasing halfway decent.”

How do you adopt wabi sabi in your life?

As you’ve probably guessed, there’s no methodology. You bring the worldview into your experiences and see if the mindset helps you overcome the many potential ways perfectionism manifests. If your perfectionism leads to procrastination, for example, you may find bringing wabi sabi into the mix helps you get started faster. If you constantly compare yourself to others, it may help you appreciate both your accomplishments alongside failures. And if you feel like you’re never good enough, it may help you move beyond these holdups and see the gold in the cracks.

As Offerman notes: “If you make mistakes, it means you’re out there trying. It means you’re taking a swing at achieving something. And if you’re not making mistakes, it means you’ve given up.”

(Credit: The BigThink)

Experts have linked humming to several health benefitsincluding easing stress, improving mood, detoxifying the body, fighting diseases, and helping with gut issues.

“When a person first hears that the simple act of humming has various benefits, it sounds way too simple, almost ridiculous,” says Brian Lai, a breathwork specialist based in Hong Kong. “But when we take a look under the hood of the human body, we can begin to understand why it has been used for centuries, and why the science is finally beginning to catch up.”

Of course, humming - or exhaling through your nose while creating a vibration that sounds like a buzzing bee in the back of your throat - is not a new practice. According to Philippines-based yoga teacher Joshua David Webb, it’s part of the yogic tradition of pranayama, or the practice of regulating the breath. Humming, in particular, is called bhramari pranayama (“bhramari” is derived from the Sanskrit word for bee), and yogis have long used the practice to wind down and relax the nervous system. As Webb put it, it’s like taking your foot off the gas pedal and telling your body it’s OK - you’re not being chased by a cheetah right now.

It works, Lai explained, because humming causes turbulence in the nasal cavity, which increases the release of a powerful molecule known as nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator, meaning it helps blood flow more easily through the body.

“If there’s better blood flow, you have reduced blood pressure, and because of that, it also relaxes the nervous system.

When you relax the nervous system, your agitated mind is also calmed down,” said Faisal Tabusalla, a functional breathing instructor and movement coach also based in the Philippines.

Nitric oxide is also a bronchodilator, which means it makes breathing easier by relaxing the muscles in the lungs and widening the airways. It also has antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, so it’s crucial to the body’s immune response.

“There are other ways to increase nitric oxide in the body, such as diet and supplementation, but humming is simple, fast, and accessible to everyone,” said Lai. Regular nose breathing also releases nitric oxide in the body, but one study (albeit from 2002), showed that humming increases the release of the chemical by up to 15 times. Another study (from 2003) showed a 7-time increase. You cannot get nitric oxide as

By Romano Santos

efficiently when you breathe through your mouth, which many people subconsciously do.

Humming affects many other bodily functions because it stimulates the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. It transmits information to and from the brain to numerous organs in the body, and therefore affects things like sensory and motor functions, mood, digestion, and heart rate.

“Because the vagus nerve travels through the pharynx and larynx in the throat, humming creates a vibration that stimulates it and improves the [function of the vagus nerve],” said Lai.

Humming can also help cleanse and detoxify the body by allowing more airflow in the lymphatic system (aka the body’s sewer system), which is responsible for absorbing fatty acids in the stomach and helping the body defend against infection, among other important functions.

Lai said that for healthy individuals, there is hardly any reason not to hum, unless it’s distracting or a person has specific health issues that humming might trigger or exacerbate (in which case they should consult their doctor first). Beyond that, the great thing about humming is that it doesn’t really require any special skill—most people can do it right now.

“You can actually just say the word ‘hum’ and then you can prolong that hum,” said Tabusalla. That means inhaling through your nose, with your mouth closed, and exhaling through your nose while making a sustained hummm sound, feeling the vibration around your nasal and lip area, until the tone naturally runs out.

Tabusalla recommended repeating this for five to 10 minutes, two to four times a day. You can make a mindfulness practice out of it and dedicate the time exclusively to humming, or do it while doing other tasks.

He also reminded people to be gentle with their humming practice, and not push or pull air with force. What’s important, he said, is feeling the physical vibration that humming produces - not necessarily how loud or long that vibration is.

“You’re going to know that it’s working when, first, you’re able to calm down,” said Tabusalla.

For some, that humming is so simple and yet so beneficial can seem too good to be true, maybe even too “woo-woo” to really work. But Webb, the yoga teacher, encouraged people to see (or hum) for themselves. An individual’s personal experience of the practice is ultimately the only way to know if it really works or not.

Lai, the breathwork specialist, agreed. “We as a collective have also lost faith in the strength and power of the human body and its own innate natural abilities to heal itself,” Lai said, “Sometimes the answer to our problems is closer than we think - or literally right under our nose.”

(Credit: Vice)

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PEOPLE THINK THAT UNHAPPINESS CAUSES OUR MINDS TO WANDER, BUT WHAT IF THE CAUSATION GOES THE OTHER WAY?

OSur minds seem to wander to escape unpleasant emotions. But some studies suggest that mind-wandering isn’t a consequence of our unhappiness; it’s the cause. Learning to strengthen our attentional systems can help us keep our minds in the present moment.

Your mind is a wanderer, and it’s not alone. As many as 96% of Americans claim to experience mind-wandering daily, and studies have shown the habit to be common across cultures. So common that some have theorized it to be the brain’s default process.

If that’s the case, then why is mindwandering so strongly associated with unhappy experiences? Think about it: You flee a boring college lecture by escaping into a favorite daydream. You avoid a stressful project by planning your weekend getaway. And you zone out when a friend raises that all-toofamiliar argument.

Whether the consequence of boredom, stress, anger, or a host of other alienating emotions, our minds seem to wander to escape the unpleasant. Of course, such escapism rarely solves the task or problem at hand, leaving us more despondent when we return from our mental travels.

But according to some research, this understanding of mind-wandering has it backwards. Your mind-wandering isn’t your attempt to sidestep unhappy experiences. It’s the cause of your unhappiness.

In search of wandering minds In search wandering minds In search of wandering minds In search wandering minds

“My research is driven by the idea that happiness may have more to do with the contents of our moment-to-moment experiences than with the major conditions of our lives,” Killingsworth wrote in Greater Good Magazine. “It certainly seems that fleeting aspects of our everyday lives - such as what we’re doing, who we’re with, and what we’re thinking about - have a big influence on our happiness, and yet these are the very factors that have been most difficult for scientists to study.”

In a 2010 Science paper, psychologist Matthew Killingsworth - then a doctoral student at Daniel Gilbert’s happiness lab at Harvard University - sought to determine the emotional consequences of mind-wandering in everyday life. The study had participants download a phone app that would ping them randomly throughout the day to ask questions like “How are you feeling?” and “What are you doing right now?” Activities included options such as working, walking, eating, praying, talking, playing, and doing nothing special.

To better understand mind-wandering, the researchers assigned 2,250 participants a mindfulness question: “Are you thinking about something other than what you’re doing?” If a participant answered yes, they could also select whether their task-irrelevant thoughts were pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant. After analyzing the data, Killingsworth and his team came to three conclusions. First, people’s minds wander a lot more than we may think. By the researchers’ estimates, mind-wandering accounts for half of our waking hours, and it made little difference what kinds of activities the participants engaged in.

The second takeaway: People were less happy when their minds wandered, and this mood-depressant held true across the board. Even when performing mindless tasks, like commuting to work or doing the dishes, the participants were happier when they were focused. Pleasant mind-wanderings didn’t improve happiness levels either. Finally, time-lag analyses showed a strong relationship that mind-wandering preceded unhappiness. But there was little evidence for the reverse relationship (unhappiness now followed by a mental getaway).

“Although negative moods are known to cause mind wandering, time-lag analyses strongly suggested that mind wandering in our sample was generally the cause, and not merely the consequence, of unhappiness,” the researchers wrote.

All told, what people were thinking, not what they were doing, had a much greater influence on their happiness. As Matthew Killingsworth & Daniel Gilbert conclude:

A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.

Of course, no one study cements scientific consensus. Since Killingsworth and Gilbert’s study, others have looked at mind-wandering and its effects on mood. Some of those papers have supported Killingsworth and Gilbert’s findings. Other papers have dissented, claiming unhappiness begets mindwandering. Others have even suggested that it’s not a question of whether the mind wanders but where it wanders to. It’s a difficult problem to crack, and we’ll have to wait for more data to determine in what direction the causal chain flows (if any).

Until then, it’s worth considering why evolution paired the cognitive achievements of mind-wandering with such a heavily emotional cost. Because those achievements can be many. Mindwandering has been shown to aid in creativity, learning from past mistakes, playtesting future plans, and building our narrative identities.

For example, in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers scanned participants’ brains with an electroencephalogram (EEG). They found that when participants’ minds wandered from the task at hand - in this case, an arrow-matching game - their brains showed alpha wave activity in the prefrontal cortex.

Alpha waves are linked to the generation of novel ideas, yet they don’t appear when we are focused. In other words, creativity seems to prosper from mindwandering just as falling asleep does. That is, if you focus intently on the task, you make it more difficult.“Being on task and focused are important qualities. But there are times when a freely wandering mind can also be beneficial,” Julia Kam, a cognitive neuroscientist and study coauthor, told Inverse. “In letting your mind wander, it potentially frees up attentional resources and also the structured way of thinking that limits creative outputs.”

What can we take from these findings? Mind-wandering has its advantages, and we should make time for it. However, when you aim to focus on a specific task and distractions, whether external or internal, pull your mind toward irrelevant thoughts, your mood may sour. Maybe that’s because you feel you’ve let yourself down, or you’ve made the task more difficult, or your ruminations themselves proved depressive and anxiety-inducing. Whatever the case, this is how your mind works. It’s not a question of being weakwilled or prone to distraction. As neuroscientist Amishi Jha writes in her book, Peak Mind:

“No matter how much I tell you about how attention works and why, and no matter how motivated you are, the way your brain pays attention cannot be fundamentally altered by sheer force of will. I don’t care if you’re the most disciplined person alive: it will not work. Instead, we need to train our brains to work differently. And the exciting news is: at long last, we’ve actually figured out how.”

To strengthen our attentional systems, Jha recommends mindfulness training. Her research shows that people who undergo mindfulness training for 12 minutes a day enjoy benefits in objective measures of attention and mood. Those who practiced for less did not.

This suggests that, while we’ll never keep our minds tethered to the objects of our attention, we can improve our ability to keep our minds and task-relevant thoughts. And when it’s appropriate, we can let our minds wander and think freely — making it the relevant task, which research shows people enjoy more than they thought they would. “Minds wander. It’s a natural thing that the brain does,” Jha told us in an interview. “When our mind moves away, gently return it back. Simply begin again.”

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