The Peach Orchard

Akira Kurosawa’s film “Dreams” has a section referred to as “The Peach Orchard” in which the Shinto notion of nature being alive and the presence of the Kami are both relevant. A boy is lured out to the peach orchard by a little girl who turns out to be a spirit of a peach tree. When the boy arrives at the orchard, he meets the other spirits of the peach trees. These spirits were angry because his family had cut down all the trees in the orchard. He said he cried when the trees were cut down, but one spirit accused him of crying only because he liked to eat peaches. The boy then explained that he could buy a peach, but he could not buy a whole orchard in bloom. The peach tree spirits deem him a good boy and then let him see their trees in bloom one last time.

There is a Shinto belief in the spiritual power of nature and the protective energies of the forces of Earth. “Everything is spiritual and therefore there is a continuity between humanity, nature and the spirits/gods.” (Notes) This could be a flower, or the changing of the seasons, or the blowing of the wind. There are divine forces of nature, representing the beauty and power of life in all of its forms, called Kami.  “Anything that is powerful or amazing in nature is Kami, but not all nature is Kami.” (Notes) All Kami have two souls, one good and one aggressive. In the section of film, the spirits of the peach trees were the Kami and they were acting on their aggressive soul at first, until they learned the boy valued them for their beauty, and then acted on their good soul by showing him one last bloom. It was important for them to hear that the boy saw the beauty in the blooming peach blossoms and not just the selfish desire to eat the peaches. This last bloom was a symbol of the power of nature, and how nature and the Kami can reward those who respect them. 

The Tao of Pooh

My initial assumption going into this book was that I was not going to like it. I didn’t read Winnie the Pooh growing up, so I have no childhood attachment to the stories told, nor did I have even the slightest bit of knowledge about Taoism. However, I was surprised; I actually liked the book. Hoff used such an easy, and even cute, way of explaining Taoism. The stories, being the first time I’ve heard them, were so simple, but made so much sense. Taoism now seems like life’s common sense that I forgot I knew. It was refreshing to see how Pooh could just go with the flow, without stress, or worry, and nature aligned with him. I also really liked the ‘Cottleston Pie’ concept that things are simply just the way they are. Sometimes I have a problem just accepting everything for what it is and not wanting to fix or change it. I constantly “try to fit square pegs into round holes.” (p.20) My general self/sanity could really benefit from remembering that “The Way of Self-Reliance starts with recognizing who we are, what we've got to work with, and what works best for us.” (p.28)

My need for constant ‘doing’ is probably why I wasn’t offended by Hoff’s critique of American culture as Bisy Backsons. I am a Bisy Backson and wish that I wasn’t! Last week, I saw a small group of young people (hippies?) on the side of the road begging for money to buy and old school bus to use to travel the country. I looked at them with jealousy and pity at the same time. I wished I was that free and unattached, but also feared that their lives would never amount to anything. This is how I felt reading about the Bisy Backsons. I was torn between which way I should live. Do you stop and smell the flowers as the world passes you by, or do you work hard and achieve your dreams? I liked his mention of ‘the reward’ at the end of a Bisy Backson’s work. But then, after considering his other arguments, the reward seems silly when you consider the forcing, and worry required to achieve it.

I feel like some of the teachings of Taosim, if practiced, could produce some sort of solution to the problems in American culture. I know that I am in the majority when I admit that I am a Bisy Backson. The concept of Wu Wei could influence people in America to slow down, and “operate on the principle of minimal effort.” (p.2) This laid back lifestyle would probably cut down on things like road rage, or impatience that is so common in America. I really liked Hoff’s metaphor; “The efficiency of Wu Wei is like that of water flowing over and around the rocks in its path—not the mechanical, straight-line approach that usually ends up short-circuiting natural laws, but one that evolves from an inner sensitivity to the natural rhythm of things.” (p.2)