Word 020
In the grounds of Kasuga Grand Shrine, there is a quiet pond called the Hōjōike — the "pond of release."
For centuries, people have brought living creatures here — fish, birds, small animals — and gently set them free. To unbind what was bound. This simple act was believed to bring merit to the one who let go.
"Releasing" is not the same as giving up. It is the act of freeing oneself from the weight of what holds you back.
Walking through Nara, I find myself thinking this: among all the things we carry, are there not some we were never meant to hold?
In life, we are surrounded by all kinds of "constraints."
There are only two ways to turn a "constraint" into "freedom."
(1) Work hard — overcome it, push through it.
(2) Let go. (Release the very source of the "constraint.")
Option (1) is addition. Option (2) is subtraction.
And in truth — option (2) is often the easier one.
Letting go is not defeat. It may be the shortest path to what truly matters.