Why the Japanese philosophy of ‘Nintai’ could be the secret to staying calm

3 min readDelhiJun 20, 2026 10:00 PM IST

The Japanese concept of Nintai is grabbing eyeballs as it teaches people to ease up a bit and stay calm in stressful situations. In times when instant gratification and non-stop productivity are valued the most, Nintai comes as a saviour. It fosters patience and resilience through mindfulness and grace. And the Japanese are adapting to the practice quite well.

To understand its significance further, indianexpress.com reached out to Saamdu Chetri, Director of the Yogananda School of Spirituality and Happiness at Shoolini University, who shared that the practice is a great way to enhance one’s overall well-being.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.

How Nintai differs from modern resilience

Derived from two Japanese words — Nin (to endure) and Tai (to push through) — Nintai translates to “patient endurance with dignity.” According to Chetri, while modern psychology defines resilience as the ability to “bounce back” from adversity, Nintai takes a deeper, more spiritual approach.

“It’s not about rebounding, but about being with the challenge — enduring it calmly, with inner grace and mindfulness. Western psychology often focuses on coping strategies and recovering from the outside. In contrast, Nintai centres on acceptance, awareness, and inner change. It reminds us that resilience does not always have to be a reaction; it can be calm and steady, emanating from a sense of peace rather than struggle,” Chetri says.

What is Nintai (Photo: AI)

How Nintai reduces stress

Practising Nintai can greatly improve mental health and help us manage our emotions. “When we cultivate Nintai through the five endowments of the divine—imagination, awareness, memory, will, and conscience—we slow the restless mind and become proactive rather than reactive,” Chetri notes.

This change helps calm the body’s stress response, lowers stress hormones, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the body’s natural state of rest and recovery. Over time, practising Nintai builds emotional endurance, reduces anxiety, and supports inner stability. “Nintai clearly tells us that peace lies in living in the moment,” he adds, “not in escaping discomfort.”

Practising Nintai in Everyday Life

You don’t need to make big changes to develop Nintai; it grows through small, mindful actions. Chetri suggests simple habits like pausing before replying to a message, taking deep breaths while waiting at a red light, or noticing your surroundings without judgment. Daily habits, such as slow breathing, mindful walking, writing down things you’re grateful for, and quiet reflection, help build inner calm. “Nature, meditation, and conscious observation of thoughts,” he says, “nurture Nintai—the choice of calm over haste, understanding over reaction, and faith over fear.”

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.