The Symbiotic Age: A Way of Life
From competition to coexistence.
From exploitation to regeneration.
From ego to eco.
We now stand at a turning point in history.
If you're tired of chasing productivity
For a long time, we've lived within the question of “how efficiently, how much can we accomplish?”
Digesting tasks, achieving goals, climbing the next mountain.
The world of Doing has certainly brought us much richness.
But when we pause to reflect, we realize something.
- No matter how much we accomplish, there remains an unfilled void somewhere in our hearts.
- No matter how efficiently we live, we feel we've left something important behind.
- And realities like climate change and resource depletion quietly yet insistently whisper, “We can't go on like this.”
What is the true nature of this sense of stagnation?
It may be because we have lived within a “story of separation.”
We've separated humans from nature,
divided self from others,
and pitted efficiency against abundance.
As a result, everything has become fragmented,
and the connections have vanished.
What if there were another story?
What if there were another path—one of “living within connection”?
That is the perspective of the Symbiotic Age.
The Era of Symbiosis—From Domination to Symbiosis, From Control to Adaptation
The Era of Symbiosis refers to a time when humans do not act as rulers of the natural world, but instead live in interdependent relationships with all beings.
It is an era demanding “relational intelligence”—a way of being that maintains individual autonomy while harmonizing with the whole.
It prioritizes resilience over efficiency,
circulation over monopolization,
and adaptation over control.
In truth, this philosophy did not emerge suddenly.
Its seeds were present in the ideas of pioneers who maintained unique perspectives amidst the torrent of modernization.
The compass left behind by our predecessors
Minakata Kumagusu—The Thinking of “Connection” Taught by Slime Molds
Minakata Kumagusu, a Meiji-era naturalist, arrived at astonishing insights while studying slime molds in the forests of Wakayama.
Slime molds are organisms that, though single-celled, behave as a collective, maintaining order without a centralized command center.
Kumagusu saw the true nature of the world in this ecology of slime molds.
His “Minakata Mandala” depicts all phenomena intricately intertwined by threads of causality, mutually influencing one another.
In contrast to modern science's tendency to understand things by breaking them down into parts, he believed truth resides at the “sui-ten”—the nodal points where diverse causal threads intersect.
When opposing the Meiji government's shrine consolidation decree, he did not merely cry out, “Don't cut down the trees!”
He pointed out the “chain of causal relationships”: the disappearance of forests would lead to the extinction of microorganisms, which in turn would cause the collapse of agriculture, people's health, and their spiritual identity.
This perspective anticipated modern systems thinking by over a century.
Kenji Miyazawa— “Until the world as a whole is happy”
Poet and children's story writer Kenji Miyazawa spoke thus:
“Until the world as a whole is happy, individual happiness is impossible.”
He resigned as a teacher at the agricultural school in Hanamaki, embraced farming life himself, and founded the “Rashiji Association,” aiming to reunite science, religion, art, and labor—fields fragmented by modernization.
Kenji's worldview was scientific yet animistic.
He listened to the voices of rocks, wind, and stars, depicting humans, animals, plants, and inorganic matter as equal partners in dialogue.
To him, we are “hypothetical organic alternating current lamps” flickering within the energy cycle of the entire universe.
This sense of a “fluid self” is the key to escaping anthropocentrism.
Yanagi Muneyoshi—The Aesthetics of Surrendering to “Other Power”
Yanagi Muneyoshi, who advocated the Mingei Movement, found true beauty not in famous artists' works but in the utilitarian objects made by nameless craftsmen for daily life.
At the core of his philosophy lies the Jodo Buddhism concept of “other power” (tariki).
True, peaceful, and wholesome beauty resides in crafts produced repeatedly within local traditions, following the nature of raw materials, and rejecting individual artifice (self-effort).
This is a process of “collaboration” where the producer does not dominate the material, but listens to its voice and utilizes its inherent properties.
This “attitude of not trying to control” is crucial in the way of life of the era of symbiosis.
Facing irresistible forces like climate change and disasters, it is an attitude of “adaptation”—not trying to forcefully subdue them, but conforming to nature's behavior and seeking a way for humans to live within it.
This can be seen as the modern practice of the “Way of Other Power” advocated by Yanagi.
Ryokan—Freedom Without Possession
Ryokan, a Zen monk of the late Edo period, was known by the name “Great Fool” and for playing handball with children.
His anecdotes embody the ethics of the era of symbiosis.
When a thief entered his thatched hut, he offered his futon, saying it would be pitiful if the thief had nothing to steal.
When a bamboo shoot threatened to burst through the floorboards, he opened a hole in the roof to let it grow.
These actions demonstrate thoroughgoing “non-violence,” “gift-giving,” and the “abolition of boundaries between humans and nature.”
By abandoning attachment to possessions, Ryōkan attained a state of freedom, free from hostility toward all beings.
“The wind brings enough fallen leaves to burn”
This attitude, symbolized in the poem, of finding contentment solely in nature's bounty, is the spiritual origin of modern concepts like “degrowth” and “voluntary simplicity.”
The attitude of Symbiosis taught by stories
Not only in the philosophies of our predecessors, but also within fiction, we find hints for living in the Age of Symbiosis.
Nausicaä—“Purity and pollution are life itself”
In Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the protagonist Nausicaä discovers that the “Sea of Corruption,” feared by people, is actually a system purifying the polluted earth.
And towards the end of the story, she cries out against the old civilization that planned a “pure world free of pollution”:
“Purity and pollution are life itself!”
This is a fundamental rejection of purism, a declaration of resolve to keep living gritty lives while embracing “dirt” and “contradictions.”
Environmental restoration in the Age of Symbiosis isn't about reclaiming completely pristine nature, but about accepting past debts while seeking a new equilibrium.
Ginko—Mediator at the Boundary
Ginko, protagonist of Mushishi, resolves conflicts between humans and “mushu”—primordial life forms akin to the essence of existence.
A defining feature of this work is that the mushu are never portrayed as “evil.”
While mushu may harm humans, this stems not from malice but purely from their survival instincts.
Ginko does not exterminate or eradicate the Mushi; he “mediates.”
Sometimes, by having the human side change their living location or alter their lifestyle habits, he seeks a compromise where both can coexist, avoiding fatal conflict.
Neither exclusion nor assimilation—respecting each other as “beings with separate principles” while carefully managing the points of contact.
This is the true practice of the Symbiosis Era.
Freyren—Changing the Scale of Time
Freyren, the protagonist of ‘Freyren: The Funeral March’, is an elf who lives for thousands of years.
To her, human lifespans are as fleeting as a blink.
What this work suggests is a “transformation in the perception of time.”
It underscores the importance of imagining not just the human-centered timeline (at most 100 years), but also vast timescales beyond humanity—like forest succession or geological shifts.
In the Age of Symbiosis, ethics demand consideration not only for the current generation's interests, but also for the survival of descendants seven generations hence.
Freyren's perspective serves as a simulation of this very principle.
So, what should we do starting tomorrow?
Ideas and stories are beautiful. But it's only natural to wonder, “So what should I do?”
Here, we introduce several concrete, actionable techniques distilled from the wisdom of those who came before us.
1. Start Small—The “Half-Farmer, Half-X” Way of Life
Proposed by Naoki Shiomi of Ayabe City, Kyoto Prefecture, “Half-Farmer, Half-X” is a lifestyle where one grows enough food for their own consumption through small-scale farming (Half-Farmer) and uses the remaining time to practice the talents or mission they can offer society (Half-X).
This can begin with a balcony garden or a community garden.
The key is not to depend on one massive system (like a corporation or nation-state), but to have multiple small “livelihoods.”
By diversifying dependencies, even during economic crises or pandemics, having minimal food self-sufficiency enhances mental stability and risk resilience.
2. Remaining in the Awa (Interstice) — Negative Capability
The “negative capability” advocated by poet John Keats refers to the ability to remain within uncertainty without hastily seeking facts or reasons.
The challenges of the era of symbiosis cannot be solved by simple “solutions.”
Rather than simplistically labeling things black or white, or assigning blame, it requires the patience to accept the complexity of problems as they are and continue observing.
Instead of immediately trying to resolve discomfort or unease, savor the state of not knowing.
Instead of instantly condemning others' puzzling actions, imagine the stories behind them.
This ability is an essential skill for dialogue in a divided society.
3. Closing the Loop—Itadakimasu, Eating to 80% Fullness
The philosophy of the era of symbiosis must be embodied not just in thought, but in daily physical actions.
“Itadakimasu” is not merely a greeting; it is a ritual expressing gratitude for the lives of the plants and animals that became our food, and respect for the people involved in bringing it to us.
This is a practice that confirms at every meal that humans are part of the food chain.
“Hara hachibunme” teaches us not to gorge ourselves until full, but to stop at 80% capacity.
Rather than monopolizing and exhausting resources, we leave “space” for others (future generations and other living beings).
This bodily awareness acts as a brake to curb our overconsumption society.
4. Weaving Communities Anew—Transition Towns and the Gift Economy
Transition Towns are grassroots movements aiming to shift toward a “post-oil society” through the power of local communities.
In Kamakura, experiments with local currencies, swap meets for unwanted items, and skill-sharing events are underway.
The concept of “network weavers” is also important.
This refers to the catalytic role of connecting people and information by moving between different communities, much like bees flying from flower to flower to pollinate.
Leadership in the era of symbiosis is not top-down, but is exercised by these horizontal “network weavers.”
The “gift economy” advocated by Charles Eisenstein is also very suggestive.
It is about being conscious of “paying it forward” rather than “give and take” (equivalent exchange).
Like Ryokan, by generously sharing one's surplus, invisible capital in the form of trust is accumulated.
Practice at zenschool
How are these ideas and practices embodied during the seven months at zenschool?
1. The “Soil” of Kamakura
Just as Minakata Kumagusu observed slime molds in the forests of Wakayama, zenschool is rooted in the land of Kamakura.
Sitting on the tatami mats of Wakaian,
walking along Zaimokuza Beach,
breathing the air of Kamakura.
This physical experience forms the foundation for feeling “connection” not with the head, but with the belly.
2. Reflecting Talk—Dialogue of “Other Power”
Yanagi Muneyoshi's philosophy of “other power” breathes life into zenschool's dialogue technique.
In Reflecting Talk, there is no advice or criticism.
Simply, the speaker quietly reflects back the other's words.
Within that “mirror,” the speaker finds their own answers.
This is transformation through “Other Power.”
3. The “Deep Time” of Seven Months
Just as Freiren lives for thousands of years, zenschool takes seven months.
A slow, deep, transformative process unattainable in weekend seminars.
This is what it means to live “Deep Time.”
4. The Community as a “Mixed Forest”
Like Minakata Kumagusu's slime mold network, the zenschool community is not centralized.
Diverse backgrounds, diverse questions, diverse answers.
This coexistence generates resilience.
Not a monoculture cedar forest, but a society like a mixed forest.
That is the community zenschool strives to create.
5. Practicing “Itadakimasu”
At zenschool's Kamakura retreats, we share mindful meals together.
We say “Itadakimasu” (I humbly receive),
and chew each bite slowly.
The lives that became our food, the people who nurtured them, the people who prepared them.
It is a time to feel all these “connections” with our bodies.
6. The Economy of Gift-Giving
Within the zenschool community, a culture of “seniors supporting juniors” is deeply rooted.
It is not an obligation.
Nor is it done seeking reward.
It is simply passing on the gift one once received to the next person.
Like Ryokan offering his futon to a thief.
This cycle continues to turn naturally.
Why not listen closely to the questions within you?
If you've read this far, you've probably sensed something, noticed something.
Beyond the voices urging “more efficiency” and “more productivity,” another voice may be quietly echoing somewhere in your heart.
“What truly matters?”
“How do I want to live?”
“Where am I heading if I just keep running like this?”
When such questions arise, there's no need to force them down or rush to find answers.
Let those questions quietly mature within you.
Explore them slowly, at your own pace.
But if you feel like “I'd like to talk a little with someone who's walked the same path,”
If you think, “Carrying this question alone feels a bit heavy,”
zenschool offers free dialogue sessions.
This is not a sales pitch.
It is a space where founders Yasushi Miki and Shigeru Utsunomiya, as people who have similarly felt lost, struggled, and hit rock bottom, simply listen to your story.
Even if you conclude, “Maybe this isn't right for me after all,” that realization is respected as an important insight.
There is absolutely no pressure to join, so please feel free to come.
We offer sessions via Zoom or in-person dialogue in Kamakura.
If you're willing, why not give voice to the quiet questions within you?
The era of symbiosis is not a utopia (a place that does not exist), but is already germinating within the soil beneath our feet and our daily, humble relationships.
Receive the wisdom of our ancestors not as “old things,” but as the newest “torches” illuminating the future.
Take that first step at your own pace.
The compass is in your hands.