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A story about Ma — Japanese concept I learned about after realizing: I want to live meaningfully
- I just...don’t want to be afraid of silent moments. Life has more meaning when some empty space exists in between.
- We have a word for that in Japanese.
- We have a word for that in Japanese.
Sometimes, emotion and catharsis can come from stillness and silence on screen
- I wondered.
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_I once made an assumption about life: maybe, we need stillness as well as action; and we need silence as well as sound.
'What if there
is a name
for it?'
'What if there is
a name for it?'
No, really! Let me share some thoughts on it.
As someone who loves studio Ghibli’s art, I quickly recalled this: the pace in Ghibli’s movies includes silent moments. It is relaxing to watch.
As someone who loves studio Ghibli’s art, I quickly recalled this: the pace in Ghibli’s movies includes silent moments. It is relaxing to watch.
These moments help you feel present and alive, by intentionally giving some space to reflect and acknowledge the atmosphere — not only visually, but emotionally.
No rushing. No overstimulation. Enough space.
No rushing. No overstimulation. Enough space.
Yes, there is actually!
A pretty common word in Japan: Ma
A pretty common word in Japan: Ma
Curiosity won — this long-form story is my personal yet systematic exploration of the Ma concept. So innate to the Japanese culture, it might remain unfamiliar and often misunderstood in other parts of the world.
This is all Ma: an active, lived experience that goes through many aspects of life
[drag the photo cards!]
The funny part is — in Japan it is so natural nobody even ‘learns’ the concept, it’s just there.
Ma goes through all parts of life and might open a new perspective on how you live. Let's explore!
Ma is a pause (space) in time holding potential or a chance to reflect before something next begins.
It is the deliberate inclusion of pauses, intervals, and stillness that goes through architecture, art, music, design, tea ceremonies, and everyday life.
Ma is also connected to the other Japanese philosophy — Mono no Aware: the bitter-sweet beauty of fleeting moments of life.
Ma is also connected to the other Japanese philosophy — Mono no Aware: the bitter-sweet beauty of fleeting moments of life.
- 'shun' (顺) in Chinese culture, (harmony and conformity with the outside world)
- 'nunchi' (눈치) in Korean culture (the ability to read the atmosphere in a room)
- 'nunchi' (눈치) in Korean culture (the ability to read the atmosphere in a room)
Ma itself is unique to Japan, but some parallel ideas exist in cultures of China and Korea
- Daoism (it valued emptiness, or wu/无 and the usefulness of space)
- Confucianism (emphasized appropriate timing, rhythm, pauses in human relationships)
- Confucianism (emphasized appropriate timing, rhythm, pauses in human relationships)
Ma's roots were influenced by Chinese philosophy:
The kanji 間 (‘ma’) is composed of two parts:
- 門 (mon), which means ‘gate’ or ‘door’
-日 (hi), meaning ‘sun’ or ‘day’
-日 (hi), meaning ‘sun’ or ‘day’
It’s where the classic examples of Ma come from:
- Ikebana — the art of fllower arrangement
- Noh Theater — Noh actors use pauses, slow movements, and silence
- Haiku Poetry — because often acknowledges the present moment and its fleetingness :)
- Ikebana — the art of fllower arrangement
- Noh Theater — Noh actors use pauses, slow movements, and silence
- Haiku Poetry — because often acknowledges the present moment and its fleetingness :)
Ma reached its cultural peak during the Edo period (1603–1868)
On the journey of discovering Ma, I also learned it’s not just a separated concept of its own, but rather an element of a whole: the history and culture.
___Also, the language works as a mirror itself: the way Japanese is structured, with all its pauses and rhythms is a reflection of the culture where silence and empty spaces are as meaningful as words.
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Then continued to use them meaningfully once in 4 days. This was my first step: letting myself into my own emptiness, a head free of content for some time.
The past months have been a time of more intentional living, of rethinking my pace and style of self-development in all areas of life. I started with an experiment in January: no social media consuming for 1 month, only uploading was ok.
Just several months ago I became curious about the role of silent moments, emptiness and stillness. This happened because I am sometimes slow in some aspects of life. And well, I had been blaming myself for that.
So...silence is not awkward: rethinking stillness and emptiness
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A sneak peek into how 間 (Ma) is woven into the fabric of language in daily life
間（ま）が悪い.
‘To read the Ma’
Situation: when one can naturally ‘read’ the atmosphere of the room/social interaction — when to say something or when to keep silent
間（ま）が悪い.
‘The Ma is bad’
Situation: when actions or events are being off-balance
間（ま）が空く.
‘A Ma opens up’ or ‘A space/gap becomes available’
Situation: when a lucky coincidence happens it naturally creates a space for something (a meeting/break/etc)
It was like this:
- I do not even know myself and my life good enough! An unknown world to explore.
- I do not even know myself and my life good enough! An unknown world to explore.
If I feel foggy in my head, it means I need Ma. Now I feel almost no rush when I take breaks.
And, what makes me stoked is that runs and strolls are done with joy because I love the silence I meet while walking and jogging.
And, what makes me stoked is that runs and strolls are done with joy because I love the silence I meet while walking and jogging.
Ever since, I have been learning to live with a new approach where action and stillness are both an essential part of a meaningfully lived time: when I do something, I try to do it with an intention, and when I do 'nothing', I’m able to see it as something meaningful as well (more often now). If I live through both parts, everything feels real.
I learn to take time to think and reflect (actually reflect, not overthink haha), and it helps having more deep and sincere connections with the people I love and with myself. Pauses in dialogues are becoming natural parts of the communication too. That’s honestly so beautiful to experience :)
I learn to take time to think and reflect (actually reflect, not overthink haha), and it helps having more deep and sincere connections with the people I love and with myself. Pauses in dialogues are becoming natural parts of the communication too. That’s honestly so beautiful to experience :)
Meeting this empty space actually felt rather intriguing than scary!
It can lead to some new chapters
This silence is very interesting to experience. So much of what has been in my head I've met for the first time. Breaks, times of 'nothing' — it is all needed to live a complete life.
I'm happy curiosity guides me through this (I'll leave the rest of the discoveries untold — it's more interesting to experience them than to read)
I'm happy curiosity guides me through this (I'll leave the rest of the discoveries untold — it's more interesting to experience them than to read)
What if your curiosity asks for some empty space too?
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Non-commercial art longread
Open: my personal discovery
Websites that reflect a spark through visual storytelling, clear voice and thoughtful design is what I love to create.
What if…we're sharing a close vision?
Let's jam!
What if…we're sharing a close vision?
Let's jam!
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While my own website is being made, this little postcard can help us out!
