Mono No Aware – The Beauty of Change and Impermanence

Mono no Aware translates as the “pathos of things“. Mono means thing. Aware can be translated as feeling or sentiment as well as sorrow or misery. No is an indication of something an object possesses. It can also be translated as the “Aaah-Ness” of things, as Mono was also used as the spontaneous expression of a feeling through words like “ah” or “oh”.

Origins

Originally, the term Mono no Aware stems from the Heian Period (794-1185). Japanese Buddhism had a huge influence during this time. In Buddhism, the recognition about the impermanent nature of all things is a core element of its philosophy.

After the 18th century, Mono no Aware became to be a part of the cultural traditions in Japan as well. This is mainly due to the scholar Motoori Norinaga (1730-1801) during the Edo period. He considered Mono no Aware to be the central aspect of Japanese art and literature and ultimately a form of knowledge rather than just a subjective feeling.

“To know mono no aware is to discern the power and essence, not just of the moon and the cherry blossoms, but of every single thing existing in this world, and to be stirred by each of them.”

Motoori Norinaga

Norinaga’s critique and analysis of the Japanese Novel The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (c.973-c.1014) is often brought up in this context. He found this novel to be essentially encompassing the spirit of Mono no Aware. In this novel, the nature of Aware has many manifestations – from beautiful metaphors like leaves falling in autumn to the parting of two lovers in chapter 10.

Noringa believes art like this novel to be a reminder and possible reflection of the universal existence of Aware in all phenomena. For him, the Japanese culture lacked this sensibility for the fleeting nature of all things after the Heian period. The more dominant masculine warrior ethos that followed, he believed, neglected this understanding.

The role of cherry blossoms

Hanami or “flower viewing” is a Japanese festival during springtime specifically to celebrate the beauty of cherry blossoms. Groups of people gather together under the cherry trees to simply experience their beauty and the blossoming of those trees.

These beautiful flowers are one of the main symbols used to portray the spirit of Mono no Aware. This isn’t because those flowers are any more beautiful than any other flowers, but because of their short lifetime. Cherry Blossoms only bloom for one week in the springtime and as of their delicate nature are easily torn off by a gentle breeze of wind.

“If I were asked to explain the Japanese spirit, I would say it is wild cherry blossoms glowing in the morning sun.”

Motoori Norinaga

Just like cherry blossoms, everything is impermanent. Sometimes, when we get so caught up in our daily lives, we lose that truth out of sight. Symbols like cherry blossoms, or the moon, the rising and falling of waves or the golden colour of autumn leaves powerfully remind us of this transient nature.

The Comfort of Mono No Aware

“In the cherry blossom’s shade there’s no such thing as a stranger.”

-Kobayashi Issa

Unlike other words that are particular Japanese expressions of a certain philosophy like Ikigai, Mono No Aware is a very specific but universal feeling that we (in terms of the languages I am fond of) don’t have a direct translation of.

Language shapes the way we think. Amondawa, an Amazonian tribe, has no structural language that relates to space or time. They don’t have “ages” (instead, they have different names for different stages of their life’s), or concepts like months or years. They also don’t seem to have a notion of mapping between time events, such as “something has happened” or “something is going to be”.

Even though Mono no Aware is a feeling we are familiar with, it isn’t really represented in our head in a structured way simply because there is no word for it. If we tried to describe it, we would probably use a mixture of melancholy, aesthetic appreciation, a feeling of respect in the face of transience and nostalgia.

Through knowing this as one distinct feeling and occurrence, we might find some comfort in it. The next time you become aware of the transient nature of everything, remembering that there is a term that describes this exact feeling might give you some sense of comfort. It may also help to remind yourself that what you are feeling right now is not unique, but a very universal part of being human and conscious.

The benefits of integrating transience

In Japanese culture, the notion of transience and change is very integrated in their everyday life. It is an integral part of their art, culture and language. In Japanese media, Mono No Aware is often conveyed in artistic ways as an important part of filmmaking.

Our western storytelling oftentimes has the notion of something being there “forever”, of that “one true love” or the perfect job that will be fulfilling at all times. In Japanese Media, scenes about parting lovers or people fading out of one’s life is common and perfectly accepted.

I personally believe that growing more comfortable with the nature of change and impermanence is crucial for living in a more peaceful and happy way. Clinging to anything will only create suffering within you and close you up to all the other, potentially even more beautiful events life holds up for you.

I was always a very romantic person that believed in the concept of that one true love. But this clinging has only ever brought me pain and closed me off from experiencing love with all of its facets. Instead, I now believe that there are many kinds of love and that all are to be experienced and celebrated. Love, as the feeling, never goes away. It only sometimes changes the direction in which this energy is directed to.

So instead of clinging to something that was beautiful, through becoming more comfortable with the concept of Mono No Aware, you might appreciate the beauty behind this transient nature. Instead of grieving, you can change this narrative you are so accustomed to. You will be thankful for this experience, but open for everything new and beautiful that is coming your way.

“Don’t grieve. Everything you loose, comes around in another form.”

– Rumi

We oftentimes have this false assumption that something is only meaningful if it is forever. This is a very dangerous and harmful way of thinking, which is sadly transmitted in our Western society through Media, Literature or Film, but ultimately change is an integral aspect of life.

In some way, the transient nature of things is what makes them more beautiful and valuable. Instead of desperately clinging to something beautiful, it should instead be appreciated fully in the present moment. After it is gone, there is no need to hold on to it anymore but instead be thankful for the experience and with an open heart towards what is coming next.

How to integrate Mono No Aware

Right now, it is springtime and I am experiencing the blooming season of cherry blossoms. Every time I see those trees now, a very warm and happy feeling moves around in my chest. It is a very powerful reminder of the impermanence in life, which instead of scaring me makes me very thankful.

Gratitude, in my opinion, is one of the most powerful ways to integrate Mono No Aware. Every time you feel that feeling arise in you, recognize it and be thankful. Remind yourself in this moment that the realisation of something ending does not have to be sad.

It can instead lead you to experience anything that is very beautiful in your life right now more deeply. To become aware of how absolutely lucky you are to see this exact cherry tree bloom right now, or to appreciate the genuine laughter you share with your friends or that uprising feeling of a new love for someone slowly growing inside of you.

Stop Clinging to your Past

On the other hand, If you find yourself clinging to something in your past, reminding yourself of Mono No Aware might help you change your perspective about it.

We have all experienced the loss of someone very close to us. We experienced the grief of it, but also the letting go. Still, every time someone grows very close to us the same fear is present, and the same grief is experienced, and the same process of moving on occurs.

You can instead recognize this cycle and break free from it. Instead for wishing it to be back in your life, try to be thankful for what you experienced. Be thankful for every aspect of it, the good and the bad.

Don’t get trapped into thinking it looses its meaning just because it is not there anymore. The energy that was invested in that particular thing has now endless possibilities on where to flow. It can transform into a million other, equally beautiful, blissful and joyous moments.

If you cling to one particular blooming of cherry blossoms, you might miss the blooming of many other flowers. You might miss the notion of a beautiful sunset, of some beautiful autumn forest landscape or of this perfectly symmetric snowflake landing exactly on your hand.

“If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.”

– Lao Tzu

Final Words

We’ve all had that certain feeling of watching a beautiful sunset. A mixture of happiness, of appreciation for its beauty, of sadness because it will be gone soon and of acceptance that we only get to experience it right now and in this moment.

Mono No Aware is the Japanese term that describes this exact feeling, the notion of the impermanence or also the “Aaaah-ness” of things. In our Western culture, we have no words that are equal to this Japanese term. On that same note, we are also not as aware of the transient nature of all things as Eastern cultures are.

By becoming more aware of the constant change around us, but also about the fact that everyone else sometimes feels the same mixture of feelings towards it, we may be more at ease.

We realise how the transient nature of everything is actually something that adds this certain value and beauty to things. We also recognize that loosing something can be transformed into a mixture of acceptance and appreciation, so that only a gentle nostalgia remains. Most importantly, it reminds us to fully appreciate the present moment at all times, because everything is fleeting but also because new wonders arise as old ones die off.

“It is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not.”

Thich Nhat hanh