Kokoro Japanese Wisdom for a Life Well Lived

Kokoro is an invitation to cultivate stillness and contentment in an ever-changing, uncertain world, inspired by ancient and contemporary Japanese wisdom. Drawing on a thousand years of Japanese literature, culture, and philosophical ideas to explore the true nature of time and what it means to be human, Kokoro--which mysteriously translates as "heart-mind"--is a meditation on living well.

Join Japanologist Beth Kempton on this life-changing pilgrimage far beyond the tourist trail, to uncover the soul of the country, its people, and its deeply buried wisdom. Along the way you'll discover a revolutionary way of looking at life and the world that will transform your approach to living. You will learn how to cultivate presence, awareness, calm, and joy so that you can move beyond regret and fear to make the most of every day.

Distilling insight from a rich variety of sources, from centuries-old poetry and ancient Zen texts to martial arts teaching and contemporary philosophy, alongside the real-life stories of modern day pioneers, Kokoro offers a gentle and inspiring take on what it truly means to be happy and leads you to the heart of what really matters, so you can live each day with wonder and ease. And then, when the time comes to look back on it all, you will know that yours was a life well-lived.

Beth Kempton is a Japanologist and a bestselling self-help author and writer mentor, whose books have been translated into more than 25 languages. She has had a twenty-year love affair with Japan, and has made it her work to uncover life lessons and philosophical ideas buried in Japanese culture, words, and ritual. Beth has two degrees in Japanese and has a rare understanding of Japanese cultural and linguistic nuances. She is also a qualified yoga teacher and Reiki Master, trained in the Japanese tradition in Tokyo. She is also founder of Do What You Love, a company which produces and delivers inspiring online courses for living well, with over 100,000 alumni and a community of 250,000 people worldwide.

CONTENTS

A Note from the Author
Foreword by Professor Yoshinori Hiroi, University of Kyoto
Prologue

羽黒山
PART ONE: HAGUROSAN
Encountering the present on Black Wing Mountain

Chapter 1 MIDLIFE: The scroll unravels
Chapter 2 TIME: A voice like thunder
Chapter 3 HEART-MINDFULNESS: Just arranging flowers
Chapter 4 STILLNESS: Where silence speaks

月山
PART TWO: GASSAN
In the shadow of death on Moon Mountain

Chapter 5 MORTALITY: Here. Not here.
Chapter 6 FALLING: Letting go. Being carried.
Chapter 7 MOTION: Travelling light
Chapter 8 AGEING: Layers of life

湯殿山
PART THREE: YUDONOSAN
Rebirth on Sacred Spring Mountain

Chapter 9 INTEGRATION: Becoming who we are
Chapter 10 NON-CONFORMITY: Hailing a simpler life
Chapter 11 NOURISHMENT: Goodness in, goodness out
Chapter 12 INTENTIONALITY: We get to have this day

Epilogue
Journaling Questions
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Tips for slow travel in Japan
Useful resources

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Kokoro Japanese Wisdom for a Life Well Lived

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials