Shindofuji and Appreciating Autumn Morning

One thing I love about the morning Nordic walk is that I can feel the season with all my senses. In the last post, I shared with you a video comparing the macrobiotic diet and the Ikigai Diet, and one commonality is that we both value Shindofuji. Shindohuji is a concept from Japanese natural philosophy and it was practiced in Zen Shojin diet, as well. It means to eat locally grown food and food in season.

It goes more than just eating; living locally and living seasonally. Shindofuji means your body and the soil are connected and the soil means your land and the local region. In other words, you are part of the earth and you are part of nature. Since micro and macro are as one in the oriental perception, by living close to your land and season, you become united with Gaia, the mother earth.

Feeling the season is one way of practicing Shindofuji.

Autumn is especially a great season to contemplate. There are vivid images everywhere expressing the beauty of its season.

I sometimes stop my step and pick up a leaf and touch it. The morning dew on the leaf glowed as it caught the sunlight.