The word for week 11 of WWW is: Taru O Shiru.
Meaning:
Taru O Shiru (足るを知る) means “to know what is enough.” It is a principle of sufficiency rather than scarcity, and invites us to pause, reflect, and appreciate what sustains our life without continually feeling that happiness requires something more. It recognises the profound joy that comes from letting go of the unnecessary.
It asks for the self-awareness to know what you actually need, the maturity to know who you are without the props, and the confidence that what you own is not a measure of your worth.
It is also translated as ‘less is more.’
Begin by changing the way you see empty space. It isn’t always indicative of room to fill.
Etymology:
- Literally translated, Taru (足る) means “to be sufficient” or “to be enough,” and shiru (知る) means “to know”.
- The phrase originates from the Taoist classic Tao Te Ching, written by Laozi, where he mentions, “He who knows contentment is truly rich.”
- The philosophy was later embraced by Zen Buddhism.
- The famous stone tsukubai (water basin) at the Ryoan-ji Temple in Kyoto is inscribed with four kanji (吾唯足知) read as “Ware tada taru o shiru”, meaning “I only know what is sufficient”.
Insights:
- Taru O Shiru represents contentment over accumulation. It does not mean giving up on ambition or living in total deprivation; rather, it means recognising the exact point where adding more stops adding value to your life.
- This perspective liberates us from craving and shifts our focus from scarcity to quiet wealth.
- This philosophy beckons us to be mindful and take a moment of introspection to ask, ‘Do I really need it?’
- Taru wo Shiru offers a unique path:
- Count what you already have, not what you lack.
- Seek fullness, not excess.
- Step back from comparison and quietly affirm: This is enough.
- By shifting from striving to simply being, we rediscover calm, clarity, and quiet abundance.
When was the last time you felt ‘I have enough’?
“What would change if you allowed today’s blessings to feel sufficient, even while tomorrow’s dreams remain?”
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