Day 5

By Jessica
Saturday, May 25

Day five of our study abroad in Japan was the first full day at Dr. Masaki’s temple. In the morning, Dr. Masaki sat us down and revealed how comfortable he felt interacting with us and how precious the time was that we were spending together. It was here that he began to discuss the principle of “Ichi go, ichi e” which roughly translates to “one moment, one meeting” – a reminder that we meet each moment only once, and of how precious our time together was. It was here that I began to realize a particular delusion I had been holding onto: throughout my time in Japan, I had said to myself, “This is so awesome, I’m definitely coming back here!” Dr. Masaki’s words reminded me that even if I were to return to Japan, it would not be the same. Each experience that I have is composed of so many unique factors that it can only be truly experienced once.   

The practice of meditation conditions the mind’s attention to focus on an individual’s present, allowing one to appreciate that point in time. I understood clearly that I could not replicate the experiences that I’ve had, even if I do return to Japan and visit the same places.  I know this doesn’t mean that I can’t have other enjoyable experiences there, but it will simply be different.  The group of students that I was with, my life experiences, and hopefully my level of Japanese fluency will be different, which will provide a different experience.  Hearing Dr. Masaki explain this helped me to realize how precious the present is.  

I plan to use the principle of “ichi go ichi e” daily and in professional life. I want to better accept that the present is the only time that matters and that the present is the only time in which we can interact. It is still possible to hope for the future and plan, but we must use this principle and try to make choices that create optimized moments in the future. In my career I intend to teach this principle to any patients that I encounter. I want to use it to redirect patient anxiety about the unchangeable past or future.   

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