PokeEarn Interview Masao Yoshida | PokeEarn Official Site | PokeEarn

For those who aren't very familiar with mindfulness meditation, we first had Mr. Yoshida explain it concisely.

"If I had to put it in one phrase, it's the practice of 'becoming aware, just as it is, of this present moment.' You adjust your posture, turn your attention to your own breath, observe what is happening right now, and accept it without judging it as good or bad. For example, if the thought 'I failed yesterday' comes up, you don't keep dwelling on it. You simply notice, 'Ah, I just thought about failing yesterday,' accept it, and return your attention to your breath."

This brings a wide range of benefits, such as productivity and how one directs attention to things, but as a representative advantage Mr. Yoshida points to 'a sense of inner spaciousness and peace of mind.'

"We tend to vaguely dwell on regrets about the past and anxieties about the future, such as 'I wish I hadn't said it that way' or 'What am I going to do in my old age?' By immersing ourselves in the 'here and now' through meditation, we can observe our emotions and thoughts objectively, put some distance between us and them, and move into a positive state of mind."

Mr. Yoshida himself encountered mindfulness meditation in his early twenties, when he was overthinking and his feelings were unsettled.

"Back then my feelings of anger were intense, and the same thoughts kept spinning around in my head. When I started meditating, I met that angry version of myself over and over, and eventually I could observe it objectively: 'Ah, I'm remembering the same thing again and getting angry.' Once I noticed I was angry and accepted it just as it was, the emotion was released. Tears naturally welled up and my heart suddenly felt lighter. I thought, this is amazing, I want to spread it to all kinds of people, and that was the first spark for my outreach work."

Having traveled the world studying meditation, yoga, psychology and more, Mr. Yoshida began teaching mindfulness meditation in 2009. Through sharing information on YouTube and publishing books, he has spread mindfulness meditation across Japan as a leading pioneer. In his outreach work, he says his greatest joy is seeing the lives of the people he engages with change in a positive direction.

"One participant left a particularly strong impression on me: someone whose heart regained its calm as they kept meditating amid their anxiety. Little by little they recovered their true self, their expression grew brighter and brighter, and they got their energy back. Being present for that change was a profound joy for me."

Among his wide-ranging activities, what Mr. Yoshida is currently focusing on in particular is 'Mindfulness Life Class' (hereafter MLC.), the running of a course and community for acquiring mindfulness as a 'lifelong skill' and walking a life that feels truly fulfilled.

"Through my work so far, I've strongly felt that people change by connecting with peers, even online, and that they can grow while supporting one another. As the culmination of my life's work, I want to nurture that learning, in the form of MLC., into a community where we can deepen it together."

We asked for advice for people who have become interested in mindfulness meditation and want to give it a try.

"When you notice changes in yourself, like 'I feel lighter' or 'I feel more positive,' meditation becomes something you look forward to. But to actually feel that change, just like playing an instrument or strength training, you need a certain amount of consistency. Mindfulness meditation is, in a sense, training for the mind. Even if you don't feel a change at first, the practice you put in accumulates. I'd like people to keep going with the mindset that it's training, until they feel the change."

Mr. Yoshida, who says continuing every day is important, introduced mindfulness practices that busy people can do 'while' doing something else.

"Since the goal is to reach a mindful state, for people who can't find the time, I think practices other than meditation are fine too. On your way to work, while walking to the station, instead of thinking about work, turn your attention to the sensations under your left and right feet. On the train, focus on your breath for three stops. Notice the feel and flavor of the tea going down your throat. Why not bring the practice of mindfulness into your everyday life like that?"