From Arashiyama’s Riverside to the Onsen: Deepening Our Collective Meaning Quest in Japan
Unveiling youth perspectives on the pillars
Inspired by the first encounter, the second began to take shape.
The ladies we met on the riverbank in the Arashiyama district inspired me. They inspired me with their vitality, good humor, and clarity of purpose.
When we returned from the tour and returned the rented bicycles, we were given a voucher to use a nearby onsen for our feet. We gladly accepted! We were eager to see the famous Japanese hot springs.
On the short walk there, Arthur and I couldn’t stop talking about the incredible experience of meeting and talking with those ladies. Understanding their perspectives on Collective Meaning, learning more about their life experiences… It was definitely more of what we were looking for on our travels!
When we arrived at the onsen, we saw our new opportunity: a couple of teenagers were also there. There were only the two of them, and they seemed very accustomed and comfortable with the environment. Arthur and I, on the other hand, had no idea where to begin.
The need for help mixed with an interest in getting to know them, so we asked if they spoke English, and when they said yes, we asked for an explanation of what we needed to do there.
They were very attentive and explained it to us in detail. By the time we sat down next to them, the communication channel was already established. They also asked us where we were from and were curious about what we were doing on the other side of the world.
New Friends, New Insights.
Again, talking about our trip gave us the opportunity to tell them about the research and the interviews, and to ask if they wanted to participate. The same reaction as before: they looked at each other, giggled and shyly agreed, still suspicious about the kind of questions they had agreed to answer.
I asked the questions and they both responded individually. As the conversation progressed, they began to loosen up. They told us about the importance of relationships in their lives and how it was also very important for them to feel recognized and valued in the groups they participated in.
But it was at the end of the conversation that the boy made a very interesting reflection that I wanted to share here. He said that he found the questions very interesting, and that he really believed that the 4 Pillars of Collective Meaning were essential in the groups he was in. But what he realized was that the level of importance he gave to each of the pillars changed the way he lived and saw situations within each group.
He said that he had always given great importance to the “relationship” pillar and that he often felt blessed by the people around him. But now, looking from this perspective, he realized that because of this personal value, he had always tried to nurture this pillar in the groups he was a part of, and at the same time, he came to the conclusion that the groups he valued more had strengthened this aspect.
It struck me that he was aware of this at such a young age. Aware that the more we value a pillar, the more we should contribute to creating it in our environments, and at the same time, the more we will value being part of environments that have that quality.
I came away from this conversation with some questions that I think are important for us to ask ourselves and revisit often:
- What are the most important aspects and pillars for me in the groups I belong to?
- Do the groups I am a part of have these aspects?
- How can I help foster these pillars in my environment?
Have you ever thought about these things? Do they make sense to you?
I believe that sharing our experiences with people from various cultures helps build a more connected and understanding global community. Please share your stories and insights below. Let’s learn from each other and celebrate the diversity that enriches our lives!
If you would like to read more of the stories from this journey, search for the tag “Collective Meaning”.
