Nagomi

A few days ago I reflected on the goal of having purpose in one’s life, giving meaning.   I guess I have entered a reflective period as today I am thinking of the philosophy of balance and achieving a harmonious life.  In Japanese culture, this concept is nagomi.

Kevin Dickinson on Big Think describes nagomi as “blending seemingly disparate elements until they form a unified, harmonious whole.”  This sounds like a delightful perspective, yet a challenging concept to implement.  How do we maintain our values and morals and achieve peace in a world that consistently throws negativity, anger, and opposition at us?

Kenichiro Mogi, has written a book describing how the Japanese have internalized a life perspective that helps achieve personal balance. It is about harmony, sustainability, and being agreeable. Ken suggests that Japanese people are “very good at being successful but at the same time keeping a low profile.”

In their food, for example, mixing elements from different origins yields delicious dishes. Mogi gives the example of Katsu curry. The cutlet is a French meat dish, the curry is Indian, and rice is Japanese.  Bringing together these disparate elements into one satisfying meal offers pleasure which in turns provides a sense of satisfaction. This example while simple is not meant to trivialize the concept of nagomi.

Mogi, a senior researcher at Sony Labs, is also a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo. In his book he presents how nagomi is manifested in nine areas of life: relationships, food, health, self, society, nature, creativity, and lifelong learning. He offers examples of nagomi in each of these areas.

I found this an interesting concept and fundamentally similar to my own Seven Wheels model for balanced living. Rather than nine focus areas, the model I developed has, well, seven. They are labeled: Physical, Emotional, Professional, Relationships, Self Expression, Intellectual, and Spiritual. Of course each area has a depth that is not fully described in the naming convention. My annual goal setting touches each of these facets to ensure I am achieving well-rounded experiences.

At times, it is easy to spend all your energy in one aspect of your life, only to discover later that something is missing. To achieve equanimity we move gently back into those areas we have neglected. Doing so brings our lives into balance. We realize that the whole is more effective than the sum of the parts. Thus, we find ourselves more balanced and our lives in harmony with our environment.

I guess it somewhat boils down to a positive and focused outlook on life.  I recall a song from childhood – you may have sung it, also. “This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine.”

It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.