EP 103: Beth Kempton - Life Lessons Inspired by Ancient Japanese Wisdom
- Author
- Gary Bertwistle, Beth Kempton
- Published
- Thu 03 Sep 2020
- Episode Link
- https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/themojosessions/103_mixdown.mp3
Beth Kempton is an author, Japanologist and curious explorer. Beth spent many years living and working in Japan which led to a deep love and a rare understanding of Japan's culture. Beth's beautiful and profound book Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom For A Perfectly Imperfect Life holds a wealth of valuable life lessons extracted from centuries-old Japanese culture and aesthetics and was inspired by a twenty year love affair with Japan. Wabi Sabi was highly recommended by TIME Magazine.
The conversation:
- Framing Wabi Sabi.
- When people ask Beth what she does, how does she like to reply?
- What's the Wabi Sabi philosophy behind imperfections?
- What's the relationship if any between Wabi Sabi/Zen and tea?
- Beth discusses the 94 year old lady who taught her about the route to unhappiness.
- The rituals we can use as reminders to refocus on Wabi Sabi.
- The Japanese have an intuitive way of learning. How do they do that?
- What’s the Japanese way of understanding or using intuition?
- Beth explains what is meant by Soulful Simplicity.
- One of the core teachings of Wabi Sabi is the acceptance of the true nature of life: everything is impermanent, imperfect and incomplete
- Beth tells the story of the linen on her wall, the noren.
- Beth has spent the past year researching slow living, inspired by life in rural Japan. What has she discovered that she did not know or relise?
- The oscillate between fog and clarity, idleness and usefulness, adrenalin-pumped and calm. Beth explains this oscillation?
- Why when we attach our worth to our output, slowness is the enemy.
- Beth and her husband Mr K started the year with the mantra ‘no rush’. What was the enemy they had to overcome to be true to their mantra?
- Everything is impermanent, imperfect and incomplete
