MICHI The Japanese Philosophy Of The

Way And The Life

Japan Ancient Wisdom, Michi, philosophy
MICHI
The ideology of Michi has long been established as a Japanese philosophy and life practice.
According to Kuroda Toshio, writer of Shinto in the History of Japanese Religion, the
term michi is not a doctrine. It is a way of life, established during the medieval
period. Michi relates an idea state of being or a particular conduct.

The word itself was usually compounded with other

characters to create a new meaning. Sometimes the new
compound can take on the meaning of only the other
character. Kuroda Toshio provides a great example
michi is compound with another character and
read to or do. Therefore, tento contains a compound
of michi and deities, the word holds the meaning deities
such as Bonten and Taishakuten only. The national
heritage of michi was founded in the medieval era that
originated in other Asian cultures. Michi is a Japanese
reading of Chinese characters for Shinto.
Shinto was understood to be a part of Buddhism that
provided a rationale for absorbing folk beliefs. The
Buddhist beliefs were comprised of 8 sects that involved
study, teaching and rituals. Shinto was drawn to this and adapted a religious doctrine to the
practices. Japanese michi? is derived from the Shinto foundation and was again adapted to
what is known in modern society as michi or The Way.
This adaptation changed from a spiritual belief in Chinese culture, to a religious practice
known as Shinto and then back into a spiritual context for living and connecting with the
universe around oneself as the Japanese philosophy of The Way.
During the historical time period when michi was not widely embraced by the Japanese
nation, shifts of values began to occur. Kevin Gray Carr of Amherst College writes in his
publication Making Way: War, Philosophy and Sport in Japanese Judo that during
the Kamakura era which spanned from 1185-1333 BCE many warriors became aware of the
concepts. Michi, or the Way was embraced by the brave, loyal fighters.
Carr writes that some warriors spoke of kyba no michi which translates to the way of the
horse and bow. The era, however, an unstable society built upon self-interest and flooded
with chaos. During feudal Japan the wars, famine and civil strife cause conflicts, requiring
warriors to adapt their self-defense into a way of living. Thus the first forms of the the Way
came into a practiced life Philosophy.

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.