8. However, there is another major source for "doing nothing."

Looking at this only from the perspective of the intellectual history within spirituality does not fully explain the "doing nothing" in modern times. Another important factor is the counterculture movement that began in the 1960s. Hippies, anti-war movements, communes, a return to nature, Back-to-the-land, ecology, organic agriculture, Eastern philosophies, and anti-consumerism. These elements influenced each other and formed a massive counterculture.

Here, what was suspected wasn't just religion; it was modern society itself.

9. "Why must I work so hard?"

In modern society,

Working -> Earning money -> Buying food -> Buying or renting a house -> Living.

The following structure is naturally considered to be correct.

However, from the perspective of natural regression thinking, it seems strange.

• The sun shines freely.
• It rains.
• Plants grow.
• Seeds increase.
• Forests are formed even without humans creating them.
• Microorganisms create soil.

In nature, enormous amounts of "production" occur even before humans begin to work. Therefore, the question arises whether the modern concept that "humans create value" itself is incorrect.

10. Nature has already given it.

In this worldview, humans do not dominate nature; rather, it is considered that nature is already working. Therefore, what humans should do is not "work harder," but "not interfere with the workings of nature." This is very compatible with later spiritual concepts such as "the universe has already provided."

11. Fukuoka Masanobu's "Do-Nothing Farming" Method.

In Japan, Fukuoka Masanobu's natural farming method is important. Fukuoka, who is known for his 1975 book "The One-Straw Revolution," advocated a natural farming method based on principles such as no-till cultivation, no chemical fertilizers, no pesticides, and no herbicides. What is important is that Fukuoka's philosophy was not about finding ways to increase production, but rather about exploring what could be done without intervention.

Nature is originally in motion. Perhaps humans are creating problems by doing unnecessary things, and then performing further work to solve those problems. Therefore, we should reduce intervention. This also aligns with the Laozi philosophy of "wu wei."

12. However, "doing nothing" in natural farming does not actually mean doing absolutely nothing.

This is very important. Natural farmers are not doing nothing. They observe, sow seeds, harvest crops, read the environment, and accumulate years of experience.

In other words, it's not about "doing nothing," but rather "not having humans duplicate the work that nature can do." This requires advanced knowledge and experience. From an outside perspective, they appear to be working normally.

13. The people in the commune are actually working.

The same can be said for the communes of the 1960s and 70s. They may not have "worked as company employees," but they cultivated fields, cooked meals, built houses, performed repairs, raised children, and operated a community. In other words, they were engaged in considerable activity.

It is also possible that what was important to them was the distinction between Work and Life. They did not engage in wage labor, which involves selling one's time to a company. However, they engaged in activities necessary for life itself. Therefore, "not working" did not mean "doing nothing," but rather "not making wage labor the center of one's life."

14. Reasons why hemp, organic, and ecology connect with spirituality.

In this cultural sphere, hemp, natural farming, organic food, ecology, ecovillages, permaculture, alternative medicine, meditation, Eastern philosophy, NPOs/NGOs, etc., tend to gather together in a surprisingly similar way. What is the reason for this? Perhaps it is because they share a commonality: "distrust of artificial modern systems."

• Agriculture: Questions about pesticides, chemical fertilizers, agricultural cooperatives, and large-scale distribution.
• Food: Questions about processed foods, additives, and mass production.
• Healthcare: Questions about managing the body from the outside.
• Education: Questions about schools, qualifications, and academic scores.
• Economy: Questions about currency, mass consumption, and corporate employment.
• Spiritual world: Questions about controlling life through reason and self.

Each individual problem is completely different. However, they are all connected by a story that says, "A giant system created by humans is destroying the natural order that originally existed."

15. Therefore, "leaving it to nature" and "leaving it to the universe" are connected.

• In natural farming, it is said to "leave it to nature."
• In spirituality, it is said to "leave it to the universe."
• In psychology, it is said to "let go and let flow."
• In non-duality, it is said to "release the self as an actor."

Although the words are different, there is a similarity in that "the self excessively controls the world." Therefore, it is not so strange for these ideas to mix within the same cultural sphere.

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