The Marginalian · People & society

The Japanese Concept of "Ma" as an Antidote to Certainty

The Japanese concept of "ma" offers a counterpoint to the modern obsession with certainty, emphasizing the value of intervals and emptiness.

Certainty is a dominant modern addiction, yet inspiration often arises from a state of "I don't know." The Japanese concept of ma, meaning "interval" or "opening" in space and time, provides an antidote.

Ma, often seen as negative or empty space, is actually positive, birthing new possibilities. It's present in open spaces in rooms and gardens, and in pauses during conversation or between natural sounds.

This concept highlights the vitality generated by emptiness, akin to a blank page sparking creative energy. Engagement with ma fosters fresh perspectives and deeper relationships.

Ma is linked to embodied cognition, the idea that the body and the world are integral to thinking. Architect Kengo Kuma notes that in traditional Japanese spaces, the void (ma) allows for a heightened awareness of sensory changes.

The character for ma (間) combines "gate" (門) and "sun" (日), evoking light filtering through a doorway. This imagery, as described by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, captures the subtle charm of dimly lit spaces.

Ma carries the indeterminacy of light itself, suggesting that consciousness might be the filter through which reality passes between existence and the void.

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