Posted by Click here to get a free newsletter Zen and a Way of sustainable prosperity: Balance, financial success, and sustainability with the secrets of the Japanese Omi-merchants.
In order to feel Ikigai in your business, it is better for your business to be Sanpo-Yoshi and that is because Sanpo-Yoshi includes the element of Seken-Yoshi, which means being socially friendly.
My definition of Seken-Yoshi in today’s world has the following 5 elements.
1, Making your business small
2, Making your business local
3, Making your business environmentally friendly
4, Making your business socially just
5, Making your business holistic
Let me explain the fourth element today: Making your business socially just.
One thing lacked in the old days in Japan where people practiced Satoyama economy was the concept of social justice. For example, the role of women was harder than that of men. They often had to work in the fields with their husband during the day, and when they come home, they had to do their housework, as well. Working condition, in general, wasn’t good either where many people had only one day off a year which was a New Year’s Day.
This applies to Omi-merchants’ way of living as well. They worked away from home leaving their wife and children behind, and they spent their time with their family only one month out of a year. Their employees worked away from home, too, since they were hired in Omi and sent to work at stores in Kanto region. They were often not allowed to go home for the first five years of their employment.
If we are to upgrade the concept of Sanpo-Yoshi to today’s standard, ethical labor practices must be taken into consideration.
As a matter of fact, this act of evaluating the traditional concept with modern understanding and upgrading it to the current standard sets ZENWSP apart from other traditional teachings. With the concept of Ikigai, too, which is ingrained in Japanese culture, I feel this act of upgrading is crucial, and that is what I am doing by unifying it with the concept of Sanpo-Yoshi.
Omi-merchant's way of Sustainable Prosperity 