Mono no aware

There are various aspects of Japanese philosophy and culture that I find helpful in life. Mono no aware is one of these. Referred to as a gentle sadness at the transience of things, mono no aware reminds us to appreciate life and the present moment, and to be as fully aware in each moment as possible. It is not intended to promote despair, but gratitude and deep joy. Really enjoying and experiencing the beauty of the hawthorn blossom in spring reminds me of mono no aware: I feel sadness that the blossom will not last long. But when I reflect further I know that the blossom in spring will give way to beautiful red berries in the autumn, that will nourish the birds just as the blossom nourished the bees and pollinators. 

I also like to bring a touch of mono no aware into my goal setting, or my kaizen practice. Kaizen is continuous improvement, and one way to link the two is to ask yourself, for example, what changes would I like to see in my life by the time the hawthorn blossom emerges next spring? Or, what would I like to achieve by the time of the first snow of the year? In this way, we can link our goals and aspirations more to the natural world, reminding us that we are also part of nature and mono no aware.