Ma – Absence Gives Meaning To Existence

The Japanese concept of Ma is related to all aspects of life. It can be described as a pause in time, an interval or void in space. Ma is the fundamental time and space that life needs to grow. If we don’t have time and our space is limited, we cannot grow. How we use our time and what shape we give to our space directly influences our progress as people. These principles are universal, and when applied correctly, they improve the way we think and how we relate to our surroundings.

It is even possible to visualize the meaning of Ma from the kanji used for it. Ma combines the kanji for door門and the kanji for sun 日. These two kanji together show a door through which the sun’s rays enter,間.

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In Japan, Ma is a very important part of society and its identity, so much so that we even took the time to give this concept a name. Artistic values ​​that are deeply rooted in the mentality of society as part of its culture, connected in a complex way in its daily life. Decisions that are thought through deeply, never in a hurry. The Time and Space of contemplation are always considered. Intuition and sensation play a very important role in decision making, sometimes above logic and reasoning.

An everyday example of Ma can be bowing as a sign of respect in Japan. A pause is made when bowing, just before standing up again, to ensure that there is enough Ma to express one’s feelings.

Likewise, pauses in conversation, very common in verbal communication in Japan, are full of “gaps” where many things are left unmentioned explicitly. The clarity of each word is not always necessary, where reaching an intuitive understanding from a single pause is considered a sign of great intelligence and sophistication.

In Japan, attentive listening and detailed observation are more important values ​​than imposing an opinion, or speaking with the simple purpose of filling the silence so as not to feel uncomfortable. In fact, silence is not perceived as something uncomfortable. The time of silence is necessary to reflect and feel deeply the experience that is being lived. The sincerity of a feeling is usually best expressed with silence or a simple gesture.

In relation to Japanese society, Ma is a sense of place in relation to the whole, often mentioned in common expressions or phrases. For example, Ma-nuke , meaning “fool,” literally translated as “one who lacks Ma.” The term for “ human being ” combines the kanji for person and place, nin-gen (人間) . Where we can see that the person is conceived as part of a “greater whole”, instead of a totally separate entity. This often contrasts with Western philosophical trends where the human being is seen as a unique and indivisible being, complete in himself, who must be educated to distinguish himself from the rest, and rarely related as a part of a whole, a complete, that contains it.

Ma in traditional arts

Noh theater is often considered the highest artistic expression of Ma , combining all aspects in a single work. Senu tokoro ga omoshiroki is a Japanese expression used to describe Noh theater, which could be translated as “what the actor does not do is what is interesting.” Noh presents us at its maximum, the dynamic balance between object and space, action and inaction, sound and silence, movement and rest.

In the art of ikebana, space is an essential component, and sometimes the focal point of the arrangement. It is considered “invisible energy” that gives life to the form. The space is worked with great care, a balance between materials and emptiness. When we observe ikebana, it is important to step back to appreciate the complete form, reminding ourselves that in life it is important to slow down, fill our space and time not only with objects and actions, but with meaning and purpose.

In Japanese poetry, the Ma suggests a pause in time, it takes the mind to the moment that inspired the poet, suggesting we contemplate that moment, live it for ourselves. For example, the term ko-no-ma, meaning “between trees,” gives us a very vivid scene, while being a moment open to individual interpretation.

In sumi-e art, many areas of the painting are intentionally left unpainted. The mastery of this art is not only in the form of the “characters” captured, but also their relationship with what is not captured. The temporal dimension is a fundamental point in the appreciation of sumi-e. The marks of movement and its “tracks” of speed are highly valued as “marks of the rhythm of time”, where empty spaces provide even more energy to each stroke.

Ma in architecture.

In the architectural context, it refers to the space between structures inside. The layout is intentionally designed to frame empty spaces, energy full of possibilities. A traditional tea ceremony room can be an example of Ma in architecture. There are no fixed decorations, the structure itself is the basis for life to happen. The empty space inside offers greater energy to the ephemeral experience that will happen in the room. A space free of ties, the walls are that, but they frame and offer a space and time for life to happen in it.

Finally, as a philosophical concept, Ma is related to our intrinsic need as human beings to identify with a “purpose”, to give a unique and personal meaning to our lives. Ma is the space and time in which we exist, in which we begin and evolve, starting from the void of meaning, where it will be created by us.