The Stillness Between Moments | The Story Behind the Momiji Tee

It was a windy October morning when I noticed this leaf by my front door, deep red with fine, intricate veins running through it. Something about it made me pause.

I found myself drawn to the richness of its colour, that beautiful, understated red, crisp against the white of the step. It had a harmony to it, a quiet elegance that felt effortlessly balanced, both strong and delicate. In that small moment, I realised how much I wanted to capture it, to carry that feeling onto a T-shirt.

But what struck me most wasn’t just the leaf, it was the act of stopping to notice it. The stillness it invited.

As I stood there, Eckhart Tolle’s teachings came to mind, his reminder to find the quiet between thoughts, to rest in awareness rather than constant activity. That brief pause, before the next thought, before the next thing to do, is where we reconnect to something deeper. It’s in that space of stillness that we see more clearly, feel more deeply, and notice beauty in its purest form.

That was exactly what happened when I saw this leaf. My mind was still, open, receptive, unhurried. And in that stillness, I saw something simple yet profound.

Later, I discovered that in Japanese, Momiji (紅葉) means both “maple leaf” and “autumn.” It also carries a spiritual depth — in Japan, there’s a tradition called momijigari, which means “maple-leaf viewing.” It’s the mindful act of pausing to admire the turning leaves, an appreciation of beauty in change and the fleeting nature of life.

That understanding felt so aligned with the moment I had at my door. I wasn’t searching or striving - I had simply stopped. And in that pause, meaning revealed itself.

The Momiji tee grew from that space, a piece that carries the spirit of quiet awareness. Its hidden mantra, “Rest in awareness. Be in the moment.” is a personal philosophy, a reminder to pause, breathe, and reconnect with that gentle space between thoughts.

For me, Momiji isn’t just about a leaf. It’s about what happens when we notice, when we pause long enough to let life reveal its quiet beauty.

You can find the Momiji Tee in the Hidden Mantra Collection, a reminder to rest in awareness each time you wear it.