Happiness: It comes from suffering
Shugendō is a unique Japanese spiritual tradition which defies the modern pursuit of comfort and ease.
Happiness, we think, comes from comfort, ease and convenience.
The philosophy of Shugendō says no.
The path to happiness demands suffering, pain, and discipline. This is not suffering for its own sake, but a transformative journey to strip away the ego and uncover the soul’s deeper purpose.
Rooted in the mountains of Japan, it blends Shinto reverence for nature, Buddhist principles of enlightenment, and Taoist harmony.
The practitioners of Shugendō, known as yamabushi—literally “those who lie down in the mountains”—embark on grueling rituals that test the limits of body and mind.
They fast, meditate beneath freezing waterfalls, walk on fire, and traverse treacherous peaks. These aren’t mere physical acts. They are acts of surrender.
By confronting the raw forces of nature and their inner fears, yamabushi dissolve their attachment to worldly desires.
The mountains, with their stark beauty and merciless challenges, become sacred mentors, teaching resilience, humility, and acceptance.
In the world we live in, practices such as these sound esoteric. Even crazy.
We crave convenience, abundance, and freedom from discomfort. Shugendō challenges this narrative, reminding us that growth requires discomfort.
Pain is not the enemy. It is the teacher. Discipline is not a restriction. It is the path to liberation.
By embracing suffering, the yamabushi discovers a joy that is unshakable, rooted not in fleeting pleasures but in a profound sense of purpose.
In our own search for health, success, love, and happiness, rewards rarely come easily. It needs effort, sacrifice, and the willingness to endure moments of doubt and despair.
The Shugendō practitioner’s journey mirrors our own. Every struggle is an opportunity to grow, every hardship a chance to refine who we are.
At its heart, Shugendō teaches that the greatest happiness is not something we stumble upon but something we earn through self-mastery.
Mastery of mind, body and time. Mastery through discipline, humility, and courage.
The mountains of Shugendō are a metaphor for life itself. To climb them is to understand that pain, when embraced, becomes a doorway. A doorway beyond which lies true happiness.
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