What’s wakei-seijyaku?

Tranquillity is going to be the biggest wellness term of 2020. All over the world, people are trying to find joy in a single moment of peace and calm. Experts say it’s the first step towards finding tranquillity in the longer run. The Japanese call this wakei-seijyaku – a crafted tranquil moment. It could be that moment when you light a candle and get into bed at the end of the day.It can be the sound of birds chirping as you step out of your house in the morning, or, it could be those moments you create for yourself during the day to calm yourself – like making a cup of tea, silencing your mind for a minute, listening to your favourite song...
Author Mari Fujimoto describes wakei-seijyaku as “the sum of its four individual characters: harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei) and tranquillity (jyaku)”. He says, “Wakei-seijyaku is about taking the time, and care to care for a moment of inner calm. To live by wakei-seijyaku is to linger. To notice. To be present. The traditional tea
ceremony of Japan best exemplifies how this quiet, attentive peace might be achieved.”
Finding personal harmony
The idea is to do things in order to find moments of harmony – from the gap between breathing in and breathing out, to that second you find yourself alone on a the train platform... As you go about your day, keep these wakei-seijyaku moments in mind, and you’ll be in harmony and peace wherever you go.
Go to your sacred spaces
Be a silent observer. Sit in a cafe. That can be your wakei-seijyaku. Read a book. Observe others; you can actually learn a lot about yourself just by observing things and people around you. If you want to further disconnect yourself from the mad rush, go and sit on the grass at the edge of a river or a lake close by. To be near a body of water brings about serenity and helps you think more clearly.
Says Monisha Doley, confidence coach and author of Get a High on Spirit, “Find tranquillity in moments whenever your heart feels easy. Just allow yourself to be present. Look for tranquillity to overtake your mind
and spirit. Feel at peace.”
Vibrational healing
To pursue a calmer life, energy healing encompasses several different types of healing practices – from Reiki and chakra clearing to acupuncture, the list goes on. Though each is different, the essence of each treatment is the same – they are trying to restore balance to the body. The body is made up of seven chakras or centres – each responsible for a different source of energy.
Try some vibrational therapy with vibrations from the earth and sounds from specific objects to help
restore peace within the body. All this will elevate your sense of wakei-seijyaku and help your body reach an optimum level of wellness.
How can we find harmony?
TEDx speaker Shruti Chatur Lal Sharma said during her talk on Euphonic Yoga (yoga combined with music and dance), that this form of yoga helps people discover tranquil moments in life. It has cultural nuances, and helps you create an atmosphere, where you can reconnect with your inner self – through stotra (hymn), beej mantras, breathing exercises, asanas, therapeutic mudras etc.
“This step towards tranquillity includes guidelines mentioned in our ancient texts that are still relevant.
It shows you a path that leads to a calm and serene life. It’s a healing and uplifting cycle, where practitioners sing, dance, perform yogic postures and feel each other’s vibes to find balance,” she says.
Wakei-seijyaku is about taking the time, and care to care for a moment of inner calm. To live by wakei-seijyaku is to linger. To notice. To be present.