自禅
- things lonely
- Feb 4
- 5 min read
Japanese-style meditation shop - Shi-Zen
Shi-Zen 是位於日本神奈川推廣心靈產品的店舖。
在日文中，自（“shi”）意為“自己的”，而禅（“zen”）指的是涉及許多實踐冥想的日本佛教流派(禪宗)。然而，“shizen”也可以寫作自然，意思是“自然的”。
Shi-Zen is a Japanese-style meditation shop in Kanagawa, Japan.
In Japanese, 自(“shi”) means “one’s own” and 禅 (“zen”) refers to the Japanese school of Buddhism that involves many meditative practices. However, “shizen” can also be written as 自然, meaning “natural”.
Shi-Zen 的產品着重自然保育且充滿日本傳統美學，展現簡約、工藝和設計之美。它們的蠟燭採用一種珍貴的日本天然蠟，稱為「木蝋」，是從日本櫨樹/蠟樹的果實中壓榨而成。這些蠟燭採用日本傳統方法製作，且不添加任何化學物質。這種天然材料燃燒旺盛，產生的煙塵極少和禦火之美在於它如同櫻花般轉瞬即逝、純潔無瑕。人們在轉瞬即逝的事物中發現如此之美，便會為之動容。
Shi-Zen's items are environmental friendly and also full of Japan aesthetic - their simplicity, craftsmanship and design. Their mindfulness candles are made from a precious natural Japanese wax called "mokuro", which is pressed from the drupes of the Japanese "haze" tree.
And the candles are made from Japan traditional method with no chemicals added. This natural material creates a powerful flame that produces very little soot. The beauty of flame is that it has the same transience and purity as sakura blossoms. People are moved when they find such beauty in evanescence. And being touched by something creates space in your heart, and that is spiritually fulfilling.
同時，Shi-Zen 強調冥想練習，並希望我們利用蠟燭作計時器，讓我們在冥想中關閉電子產品。Shi-Zen有3款蠟燭，分別燃燒 10、20 或 30 分鐘。（建議初學者從 10 分鐘的冥想開始。）
Simultaneously, Shi-Zen emphasizes meditation techniques and uses candles as timers to help us keep our electronics off. Candles can be burned for ten, twenty, or thirty minutes. (It is advised that the beginners start with a 10-minute session.)
Brass "Shokudai" Candle Holder and 10 - Minutes Mindfulness Candles
他們還為蠟燭設計了銅燭台，這些燭台由日本新潟縣的三條市工坊的工匠手工製作。由於每個燭台都是手工打造，沒有兩個完全相同的作品。隨著時間的推移和使用，銅材會逐漸老化和變色，展現出一種侘寂的美感。
They also design the brass candle holder for the mindfulness candles, which also is shaped by hand by a craftsman in a workshop in Tsubame-sanjo, Niigata prefecture. Since each piece is made by hand, and no two are exactly alike. The brass will age and discolor with time and use, giving it a wabi-sabi aspect.
Lon_th. 非常榮幸能在店中引進Shi-Zen的產品，並有機會與 Shi-Zen 的創始人 Misaki 和 Chris 進行訪談。
It is our honor to have their high quality products in Lon_th. online shop and having a chance to have an interview with the founder of Shi-Zen - Misaki and Chris.
1. 為什麼開始冥想的練習？
Why did you start meditative practices?
Misaki：
我的思緒總是很忙，每天都在不斷地吸收信息。我想找一種方式來清空我的頭腦，更好地專注。冥想幫助我放慢步伐，為我的思維創造一些空間，這對我日常的感受有很大影響。
My mind is always busy, and I’m constantly taking in information every day. I wanted a way to clear my head and be able to focus better. Meditation helps me slow things down and create a little space in my mind, which makes a big difference in how I feel day to day.
Chris：
我開始冥想是因為我想更好地理解現實的真實本質。過去，我曾通過不同的經歷獲得短暫的洞察，但我希望有一種更規律和踏實的方式來連結那種感覺。
當你真正看見現實的真實本質時，我們擔心的許多事情會變得毫無意義，甚至有點可笑。最初的探索已經變成了一種習慣。這是對那種更深層現實的每日提醒，而這種提醒對我來說非常重要。
I started meditative practices because I wanted to better understand the true nature of reality. In the past, I had brief glimpses of it through different experiences, but I wanted a more regular and grounded way to connect with that feeling.
When you really see the true nature of reality, many of the things we worry about start to feel pretty meaningless—or even a bit silly. What began as a search has now become a habit. It’s a daily reminder of that deeper reality, and that reminder feels very important to me.
2. 為什麼 Shi-Zen 決定製作相關產品？
Why Shi-Zen decided to make the products for it?
我們一直熱愛日本的工藝，尤其是日本的傳統工藝。許多工藝品使用天然材料，植根於古老的製作方式。這種與自然的聯繫和簡約感與禪宗的理念非常契合。
但在日本以外的地方，找到真正與冥想相關的日本物品卻出奇地困難。我們認為海外一定有許多人會喜歡這些物品，不僅因為它們的功能，還因為它們的簡約、工藝和設計。
我們的想法是對的。許多人與這些物品的靜謐和低調的特性深有共鳴，並且對日本工藝背後的用心感到特別和獨特。
We’ve always loved Japanese craftsmanship, especially traditional crafts here in Japan. Many of them use natural materials and are rooted in old-fashioned ways of making things. That connection to nature and simplicity feels very aligned with Zen.
Outside of Japan, though, it’s surprisingly difficult to find truly authentic Japanese items related to meditation. We felt there must be people overseas who would appreciate these kinds of objects, not just for their function, but for their simplicity, craftsmanship, and design.
And we were right. Many people resonate deeply with the quiet, understated nature of these items and with the thoughtfulness behind Japanese craftsmanship, which feels quite special and different.
3. 尋找傳統工廠以製作自然保育的產品有什麼困難嗎？
Is/are there any difficulty/difficulties to find the traditional factory to make such environmental friendly products?
最大的挑戰之一就是通信渠道的缺乏。許多傳統作坊在網上沒什麼資料，依然以很老式的方式運營，這本身就很難找到他們。
對於如蠟燭和香這類產品，更是充滿挑戰。即使在傳統製作者中，許多人也不再使用傳統的日本材料，而是經常從東南亞其他地方進口原料。
因此，找到不僅是傳統的，還是依然使用日本自然材料的工匠是非常稀有的，這使得這一過程既具挑戰性又富有意義。
One of the biggest challenges is simply a lack of information. Many traditional makers don’t have much of an online presence and are still operating in very old-fashioned ways. Just finding them can be difficult in itself.
When it comes to products like candles and incense, it becomes even more challenging. Even among traditional makers, many are no longer using traditional Japanese ingredients. Instead, materials are often imported from other parts of Southeast Asia.
So finding Japanese artisans who are not only traditional, but who are also still using Japanese, natural ingredients is quite rare—and that makes the process both challenging and meaningful.
Shi-Zen 的 Brass "Shokudai" Candle Holder、Candles和Simple Japanese Incense現在已在 Lon_th 網店中上架。 Shi-Zen's Brass "Shokudai" Candle Holder, Candles and Simple Japanese Incense are available in Lon_th. online shop now.
All rights reserved by Lon_th. studio Limited and Shi-Zen.
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