In Western culture, the center of our being is the heart such as in the expression “ a matter of the heart.” However, in many Asian cultures, the center of one’s being is the stomach or abdomen.

It’s the belly, not the heart

Japan provides a good example. In that culture, the stomach is the source of kindness, compassion, courage, temper, generosity, and so forth. It is also where a person’s instinctive or telepathic abilities to read other people’s minds reside. This ability is known as “haragei” or “the art of the belly.” It’s also one of the most important and essential skills needed in human relations.

That sixth sense or intuitive feeling

Another term referring to the stomach is “hara no mushi” which literally translates to stomach worms. These stomach worms are the source of a person’s sixth sense or intuitive feeling. The Western equivalent would be our “gut feeling.” The thought of having worms in the stomach is most likely not very appealing to us Westerners.

Worms

The word “mushi” or worms, is found in numerous expressions. The equivalent of our saying “ a little bird told me” is “a little stomach worm (bug) told me.” When Japanese describe a person as having a big stomach it doesn’t mean the person is fat but that the person is big-hearted and kind. Whereas if we are told we have a big stomach we would see this as an insult. And finally, when a Japanese is in a bad mood it’s because their worm is in the wrong place.