MICHI - The Japanese Philosophy of The Way and The Life
MICHI - The Japanese Philosophy of The Way and The Life
Later transitioning into a peaceful way of conduct, this practice was utilized in
the Kamakura era to produce formidable opponents. Despite all the unrest, the art
of michi began to establish itself through the warriors disciplined practices. Eventually small
groups of people began to embrace the frugal and spiritual way of life that is
consistent with common conceptions of michi. The few became the many and a way of living
that revolved around ritualistic, spiritually enlightening practices came into being.
This kyba no michi forms the base of modern Judo, or the way of martial arts, no longer an
offensive militant practice but a self-disciplined study of defensive maneuvers.
As time progressed other disciplines of michi became honored practices, one of the common
being The Way of Tea. Saint Marys University in Canada produced a
writer Alexandre A. Avdulov that explains the Japanese traditions of tea in a publication
titled The Way of Tea: Paradigm for Lifelong Learning.
Chanoyu, also originated in ancient China, refers to the Japanese Tea ceremony. The practice
is comprised of an integral balance between conversations, traditions, and learning. Often
internationally, The Way of Tea is founded on principals of shared knowledge. Not to be
confused with an art, this ritualistic way of serving tea is a spiritual practice.
Founded on a life-long, continuation of self-motivated learning; The Way of Tea is
an acquisition and transmission of knowledge through Zen, a Buddhist meditative school of
thought. The tea-house itself is typically found in a quiet and remote location that is
conducive to the tranquil state embraced during the Tea ceremonial practice.
Avdulovs work denotes that the four principles of Tea practice are harmony, respect, purity
and tranquility. This offers a heightened state of spirituality awakening of the senses and
unites the mind and body. The practice of The Way of Tea is complicated and soothing,
modern techniques can merely mimic the delicate Japanese conduct ritual.
The Way of Flowers is yet another discipline of michi. Ikebana, is the popular term for the
Japanese practice of arranging flowers in a vessel in a particular manner.
The Ikebana International (IKI) website reports that this art-like-form of michi is meant to
unify humanity with nature. The spiritual aspects support the living in the moment attributes
that IKI report the practices as embracing. These asymmetrical forms of flower
arrangements often utilize blank space to embrace the symbolic embracing of nature.
The idea that as a human in the environment focuses too much on the processes associated
with industrialized society deems Ikebana necessary to remain grounded in the natural
landscape. Especially in modern society, where concrete walls, asphalt roads and
deforestation have taken over much of the world surface area, Ikebana embraces a lost
commitment to nature. The michi of flowers is a common practice that produces a
harmonious tranquility with nature and the individual.
The way of Writing, also referred to as Shodo is yet another Japanese michi discipline, note
the do that makes it a compound term on the end of the word. A group of authors
including:
Kumiyo Nakakoju, Kazuhiro Jo, Yasuhiro Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki Nishinaka and Mitsuhiro Asada
from the University of Tokyo compiled a study titled Producing and Re-experiencing the
Writing Process in Japanese Calligraphy that explains the basic principles of this michi.
Shodo?, again featuring the michi compound do, comprises of a unique set of artifacts to
produce a desired form of writing.
Japanese characters are made with a brush called a Fude, and ink called Sumi. The
techniques are made to preserve the ancient art of hand writing Japanese characters. The
writer is required to deliver harmonious rhythm with varying brush posture, speed, and
pressure. Although it presents itself as an art-form, the Way of Writing is a complicated
expressive process. Despite how accurately a talented student of Shodo attempts to mimic a
masters work, the results will undoubtedly contain variations from the original.
This is why Shodo is a tradition that surrounded by a dynamic process. Although techniques
can be taught to the student, ultimately the students brush hand will vary in motion, angle,
force and direction. The rhythmic process of Japanese calligraphy is a historical tool of self-
expression, creative individuality. Although the students of the University of Tokyo have
attempted to digitally capture the process, only the creator of the works can fully understand
the moment, the sensation, and the michi that produced the Writing.
Other forms of michi include The Way of Fencing, The Way of Archery and The Way of Martial
Arts. These founding forms are derived from The Way of Horse and Bow that was seen
during the time of Japanese warriors.
The loyalty to feudal lords, craftsmanship of weaponry and arts of self-defense grew into a
disinclined way of conduct. Judo, also known as The Way of Flexibility is a way of developing
mental and physical training to perfect the art of self-defense. Commonly unknown, this is not
a way of an offensive practice.
Most Judo students are taught at an early stage that the best fights are the ones that can be
avoided. The Way of the Sword or Fencing, is known as Kendo, often taught to alongside with
Judo. The discipline covers more than just the samurai sword of legend but embraces skilled
weaponry as a dance like discipline of self-defense. Finally the Kyudo, also sporting the
familiar do compound, embraces The Way of the Bow.
This is an etiquette of standing systematically positioned to shoot a bow. This practice
requires focus, tranquility and precision. Though there are many different forms of The Way
the underlining principles are similar, discipline, rituals, self-discovery, honoring of nature and
sharing of knowledge.
Modern adaptations of Michi have been seen from elementary school kids in a karate classes
to stigmatized television characters trimming bonsai trees. Although there is some foundation
in the Japanese culture to these modern styles of The Way, the loss of spiritual and ritual
aspects deny the practice its due respect.
The rich Chinese and Buddhism history of this Japanese Way of spiritual awareness elevates
the practitioner to a mind, body and spiritual awakening when fully embraced. Thanks to the
internet, modern movies and worldwide vacationing travels, the Japanese culture has found
its way into many lives.
Changing the way that a person perceives their stature in the environment, allowing them to
focus and expanding their intellect through the antiquity of the Way. Even psychologist at
the University of Germany have found that adolescents can benefit from
adapted michi practices to cognitive behavior therapies for depression.
The study Innovations in Practice: MICHI, a brief cognitive-behavioural group therapy for
adolescents with depression a pilot study of feasibility in an inpatient setting was able to use
the ancient Japanese practice to help focus suicidal teens. Although the complicated data in
the study is available for reading online, the study was able to adequately introduce The
Way to these sufferers of depression and better their quality of life. The practice of strict,
fluid, harmonious behavioral processes to accomplish different task, denoted by compounding
the word with other nouns to create verbs, is a unique and fulfilling spiritual process.