When people share thoughts, they commonly listen to each other’s opinions rather than throwing information at each other

Successful communication depends on how well we listen, rather than how well we push our opinions on the person seated before us

Human being who come in contact with papers latent potential are naturally driven to express themselves

Holding a piece of white paper, so full of creative possibility, would bring about a surge of human imagination

Culture is a reflection of human desire

Design involves controlling differences. It is important to limit those differences, retaining only those that are most essentialb

Books are repositories of human wisdom in linguistic form

Communication is commonly assumed to involve a meaningful linguistic exchange of some sort, yet there are times when words and content are unnecessary: eye contact, for example, can be a very effective way of sharing thoughts and ideas

Japanese people call ideal condition 'a breath of alpha and omega' (a-un no kokyu)

In terms of communication, 'a' 'un' is described as a process of sending and receiving

'A-un' signifies an instant and mutual understanding

Nemawashi: a delicate and often painstaking process of consensus-building

Haragei: the implicit signaling of one's intentions

No particular person makes the decision by himself, but those present, as participants, share the responsibility for the decision equally, their silence being understood as a sign of approval

Removing a crucial issue from discussion as a communication technique is like a skillful elimination of traffic signs from an intersection

The red circle on the national flag of Japan creates no meaning, only interpretation. Because the simple and abstract quality of a red circle on a white background is so equivocal, it can be filled with various images. Its composition is one case where a figure signifies something only in its relation to the background. The circle appears red when contrasted with white and its shape is circular in its relation to the rectangular background

Symbols' receptivity makes them attract attention and they can represent innumerable meanings. There is no right or wrong reading of a symbol. Since the symbol itself is empty to begin with, it can be neither evil nor good

Individuals create their own environment, a sense of beauty, and value based on the idea of practicality and the maximization of resources

The Japanese seek beauty in simplicity

Simplicity and tranquility are paramount in a creative approach. Because the objects are so simple, they lead us to imagine things through our senses. They are receptive in their communicative power, as well as in the countless ideas they inspire

One's imagination expands in uncluttered, simple space

Sen no Rikyu's '7 Rules for the Way of Tea'

Arrange flowers as if they are growing in the field

Lay the charcoal so that it heats the water well

In the summer, suggest coolness

In the winter, warmth

Be ready ahead of time

Prepare for rain just in case

Treat guests with the utmost consideration

Try to creatively understand each other's intentions during communication. Emptiness is a part of this process of communication, since our brains move to fill in that which is missing. In other words, communication and ideas emerge from emptiness

Emptiness carries our thinking process forward

Silence is eloquent

Silence, when used effectively, actually secures meaning; it is a necessary part of communication, and wisdom

Emptiness provides space within which our imaginations can run free, vastly enriching our powers of perception and our mutual comprehension

The ideal that we strive for is the realization of a plan that will evoke the imaginative powers of our audience

Creativity and 'questioning' are made of the same stuff. A creative question is a form of expression – it requires no definite answer. That is because it holds countless answers within itself

The true nature of the net is that it enables people to co-own synthetic knowledge despite the presupposition of the imperfections introduced by participating individuals. Each individual is invited to express their thoughts

In the past, experts in each different field were responsible for organizing scrupulously detailed information systems like the encyclopedia. Now, anyone can touch up and correct information. Incorrect or useless information, heterodox opinions, and inappropriate expression are being exposed to people all over the world instantaneously

It is the possibility of failures that lies behind all this creative energy. At the same time, the basis of the artistic mind is the overcoming of human error through strenuous practice and training

Tsurezuregusa by Yoshida Kenko contains a famous attack on the teaching that you should 'carry two arrows in your hand when facing a target.' An archer should carry only one arrow, Kenko admonishes; if he carries two, his concentration will be hampered by his unconscious dependence on the second one. It is within this total focus required of the archer that we encounter white

Beauty is discovered through the cleaning and polishing we do to preserve things as they are

Refined beauty cannot be produced by short-term effort – it can only be established through a long process of cleaning and polishing that enables a human being and his natural surroundings to coexist as one body

What we receive from nature is a blessing; we can immerse ourselves in something that cannot possibly be matched by human artifice

In the struggle to preserve order from chaos, human beings and nature exist without boundaries. The Japanese garden embodies this delicate coexistence of mankind and nature

Innovation comes from the consciousness that tries to maintain things as they are. The power of transformation is not something new; nature transforms itself continuously. It requires much energy and consistency to preserve beautiful things, so we must observe transforming nature closely, capturing its stillness while advocating its immutable and universal features

Zen temples are instructive, for they embody the commitment that is needed to preserve beauty through daily effort