Boketto is a Japanese word loosely translated as the art of doing nothing. It means gazing out into the distance without thoughts and daydreaming and getting lost into the horizon.

What is Boketto?

It’s like a form of meditation, but you’re not focusing on your breathing or anything for that matter. It’s more like you’re looking through it, focusing on something behind the horizon. And you’re not thinking about anything or reciting any mantras. You are doing nothing.

What isn’t Boketto

Boketto is not the same as being bored. Boredom occurs when you feel energetic but have nowhere to direct your energy. It’s the frustration you feel when you want to engage in something but cannot.

Boketto is also not about mindfulness. I know what you are saying. Breathe Chile is based on mindfulness. With mindfulness, you still want to be attentive and have intention in the moment. With boketto, you want to just stare out and blank the brain. Boketto allows you to just be without thinking about how to be.

Why Should You Practice Boketto

One of the best reasons to sit and stare into space is to give your mind a chance to quieten down. In today’s society, we have the mindset that we must always be on the go. And if we are not doing something, then we are being lazy. But research shows that the frontal lobes of our brain, which deal with reasoning, planning, decision making, and judgment, are much more creative when our brains are still.

Boketto lets you disassociate from the world around you for a while, with no conscious thoughts or judgments. People who practice boketto report that it helps them to relax and calm down.

The satisfying art of doing nothing has proven mental and physical health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, relaxing your skeletal muscles, and sharpening focus, all for free.

3 Ways to Practice Boketto

The only rule to boketto is that you should be able to see into the distance (i.e., the horizon, the sky, or the blackness of space). Such times could include:

Take a break from your workday and stare out the window. Looking out a window can give us a quick cognitive boost because it provides a micro-break for our brains.

Sitting outside in nature is relaxing and can reduce blood pressure by lowering your heart rate and decreasing cortisol levels and muscle tension.

Next time you travel as a passenger in a car, on a plane, or train, let yourself go and stare off at the horizon while getting a little boketto in.

Conclusion

Boketto is a unique form of meditation that anybody can do. When you find yourself staring off into the distance and not doing anything in particular, absorb it, practice it right, and really integrate some Boketto into your life.