Seijaku: Calm in the Middle of Chaos

There is a Japanese word I recently came across: Seijaku. It is connected with silence, stillness, and finding peace even when life around us is busy. I like this idea because my life is rarely completely quiet. There is work, studying, languages, travelling, exercise, family, friends, and always something to do. For years, I became quite good at being busy. Finish one thing, move to the next, and keep going. But being good at being busy does not always mean being good at living.

I used to think peace would come later. After this busy week. After this course. After this problem is solved. But there is always another "after." Life never suddenly says, "Congratulations, everything is finished. You can relax now." 😅 Perhaps the challenge is finding small moments of stillness while life is happening. Drinking coffee without checking my phone. Walking home without rushing. Sitting quietly without feeling that I should be doing something productive.

Working as a nurse has probably taught me something about Seijaku without me knowing the word. Nursing can change from calm to chaotic within minutes. Several patients may need you at the same time, the phone is ringing, someone is worried, and suddenly your carefully planned day means absolutely nothing. In those moments, becoming stressed does not help anyone. You have to stop, look at the situation, decide what is most important, and act. Sometimes the calmest person in the room is not the person who cares the least. It may be the person who understands that panic will not make the situation better.

Seijaku also reminds me that not every problem deserves to become a crisis. A delayed bus, a difficult conversation, something breaking at home, or a plan suddenly changing can feel like the universe has personally decided to ruin Tuesday. Then Tuesday passes. Some problems are serious, but others are simply inconvenient or temporary. Nursing has probably strengthened this sense of perspective too. When you regularly meet people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, you slowly learn that some things deserve your full attention, while others can simply wait. And sometimes you just need another coffee. ☕

Of course, Seijaku does not mean becoming passive. If the fire alarm goes off, this is not the moment to sit peacefully with your coffee and admire your inner Zen. Please leave the building. 😂 Sometimes we need to act quickly, say no, make difficult decisions, change direction, or walk away. The same is true in nursing. Being calm does not mean being slow or indifferent. It means being able to respond without allowing the chaos around you to become chaos inside you.

Perhaps this is what Seijaku means to me now. I still want a full life. I want to work, learn, travel, eat well, stay curious, and have meaningful conversations. I am definitely not planning to become a monk. My calendar would strongly disagree. 😅 But I am becoming less interested in noise for the sake of noise. Not every silence needs to be filled. Not every weekend needs a plan. I cannot control everything around me, at work or in life, but I can choose what deserves my energy. Maybe Seijaku is simply standing in the middle of a busy life, breathing normally, and remembering that just because the world around me is chaotic, I do not have to be.

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