Kako kažu žitelji Okinave, ostrva s najvećim brojem stogodišnjaka, ikigai je skriven duboko u nama, pa je, da bismo do njega došli, neophodno da strpljivo istražujemo dubine našeg bića
According to the inhabitants of Okinawa, the islands with the largest number of centenarians, Ikigai is hidden deep inside us, so in order to reach it, it is necessary to patiently explore the depths of our being W e live fast. Most often we spend most of the day in the bluish light of screens – be they computer, tablet, mobile phone or TV screens. We want to achieve more and pos- sess more – forgetting the wisdom of “less is more”. How to find balance in all of this? e Japanese say - try ikigai. And what is that exactly? e linguistic etymological explanation is that it is a compound term that’s created by combining two words - “iki”, meaning “to live”, and “gai”, meaning “reason”. Accurate translations into other languages are difficult and would most closely be defined through the terms purpose, value and a sense of meaning to life. Fortunately for those of us who don’t speak Japanese, books ex- plaining the finer details of this art of living have been appear-
Have you already found your SECRET FROM JAPAN
ing in bookshops in recent years. One of them is ‘Ikigai: e Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life’, co-authored by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. Héctor, a resident of Barcelona who spent 13 years living in Tokyo, gives his own summarised interpreta- tion of the ikigai principle. “Ikigai can be translated as a reason for existing, something that compels you to get out of bed every morning.” In order to deter- mine what your Ikigai is, experts recommend that you answer the following four questions: 1. What do you really love to do? 2. What are you good at?
3. What does the world, your surroundings, or the community in which you live, need from you? 4. What can you be paid for? You can compile a list of the four aforemen-
tioned elements and work out what lies at the heart of all the answers, but finding your own ikigai can also be simpler than that. It is enough to simply stop at some point during the day and ask yourself, “why am I doing this?” - Once you notice which tasks you do with to- tal enthusiasm, like a child at play, you will focus on things that have more meaning to you. “For example, I felt better in my daily work when I learnt to say no to things that I felt I didn’t like, while on the oth- er hand I started putting myself in situations in which I could do things that I love and am good at,” said García. “I also devot- ed more time to my hobbies (yoga and photography), and I enjoy them more than ever.” e Japanese know well that adopting ikigai can’t be a quick pro- cess. Ikigai changes with age - that which drives a young person develops with the acquiring of new experiences and gains support through the har- mony of personal satisfaction and the different roles that each of us has in the community. Its driving force is such that you can function with ease in various situations. It requires sufficient knowledge, patience and person- al development, while the aforementioned money earned is by no means at the centre of attention. Considering that Japan is known for having the world’s oldest inhab- itants, within an average life expectancy of 87 for women and 81 for men, Ikigai could be a secret source of their longevity. It’s worth a try, right?
People worldwide are placing their hopes in Ikigai, a Japanese skill that uses a series of principles of self-knowledge to provide calmness in
chaos and convert everyday agitations into a purpose
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