5 stars for Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.
I have been eyeing this book for quite some time, but I only take action to buy it during a trip to Tokyo that was decided on a whim last November. The fact that "ikigai" is a Japanese concept makes buying this hardcover book in Japan even more memorable and meaningful to me.
I have no doubt that my choice to make this book my first read of the Year will turn out to be a life-changing decision. Even as I finish reading this book, I decide there and then, that this will be my go-to book should I - ever or again - lose sight of my purpose and meaning for living. Yes, this book is that inspirational!
Though the meaning of "ikigai" is explained by the authors in the book, I am still curious so that how a Japanese will exlain it, so I ask my Japanese friend what "ikigai" means. Below is what he says to me.
"Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means ‘a reason for being.’ It is about finding what makes your life meaningful and worth living."
There I have it - short and sweet.
This is a book about people searching for meaning in what they do and how they live. It shares with readers the tools to finding the purpose, meaning and satisfaction of living that will lead to a joyful journey through life. It provides insights from Japanese philosophy on the lasting health of body, mind and spirit. In a nutshell, this book is about discovering our ikigai.
Besides ikigai, this book also introduces two other Japanese concepts: ichi-go ichi-e and wabi-sabi. Again, I consulted the same Japanese friend and below is what was explained to me.
"Ichi-go ichi-e" means once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
"Wabi-sabi" means beauty in simplicity and imperfection.
To explain further, “Wabi-sabi” is a Japanese aesthetic concept that values the beauty found in simplicity and imperfection. For example, it appreciates the quiet elegance of an aged teacup or the tranquility of nature, focusing on understated beauty rather than extravagance or perfection.
To put it simply, I think it is the little things in life that add up to make a big difference in living.
Each of us has our own ikigai. Though it is different for all of us, we are all searching for meaning. When we spend our days feeling connected to what is meaningful to us, we live more fully; when we don't feel the connection, we live with despair.
We can find our ikigai by doing things we enjoy and get away from or change those we dislike. We can let our curiosity lead the way, and keep busy by doing things that fill us with meaning and happiness. It doesn’t need to be a big thing; we might find meaning in helping our friends or in pursuing a hobby such as learning a musical instrument or a new language.
There is no perfect strategy to connecting with our ikigai. We just need to remember to have something that keeps us busy doing what we love while being surrounded by the people who care for us.
This book concludes by sharing with readers "The ten rules of ikigai" that the authors learn from the long-living residents of Okinawa, Ogimi. Personally, I find these ten fules filled with much wisdom. At first glance, the rules may seem simple and easy enough to follow, yet it will take much determination from one to follow it through day by day. Ultimately, it all depends on how much value we place on what is important to us and making efforts to uphold the ten rules to make it our way of living.
What is your ikigai? Do you know it (or them)? If you do not know what your ikigai is yet, as Viktor E. Frankl, author of "Man's Search for Meaning" says, your mission is to discover it.
Whoever reads this review post, I hope you will find your ikigai if you have yet to discover it. I wish you a long, happy, and purposeful life. 🙏
Publisher: Penguin Life
Publication date: 29 Aug 2017
*** Favourite Quote 1 ***
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
— Aristotle
*** Favourite Quote 2 ***
Focus on enjoying your daily rituals, using them as tools to enter a state of flow. Don't worry about the outcome — it will come naturally. Happiness is in the doing, not in the result. As a rule of thumb, remind yourself: "Rituals over goals."
*** Favourite Quote 3 ***
The happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow.
*** Favourite Quote 4 ***
Flow is mysterious. It is like a muscle: the more you train it, the more you will flow, and the closer you will be to your ikigai.
*** Favourite Quote 5 ***
We're all going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you're born to die.
— Walter Breuning
*** Favourite Quote 6 ***
Art, in all its forms, is an ikigai that can bring happiness and purpose to our days. Enjoying or creating beauty is free, and something all human beings have access to.
*** Favourite Quote 7 ***
The sense of community, and the fact that Japanese people make an effort to stay active until the very end, are key elements of their secret to long life.
*** Favourite Quote 8 ***
If you want to stay busy even when there's no need to work, there has to be an ikigai on your horizon, a purpose that guides you throughout your life and pushes you to make things of beauty and utility for the community and yourself.
*** Favourite Quote 9 ***
The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
— George Washington Burnap
*** Favourite Quote 10 ***
.. the present is all that exists, and it is the only thing we can control. Instead of worrying about the past or the future, we should appreciate things just as they are in the moment, in the now.
*** Favourite Quote 11 ***
We should never forget that everything we have and all the people we love will disappear at some point. This is something we should keep in mind, but without giving in to pessimism. Being aware of the impermanence of things does not have to make us sad; it should help us love the present moment and those who surround us.
*** Favourite Quote 12 ***
Ichi-go ichi-e teaches us to focus on the present and enjoy each moment that life brings us. This is why it is so important to find and pursue our ikigai.
Wabi-sabi teaches us to appreciate the beauty of imperfection as an opportunity for growth.
*** Favourite Quote 13 ***
Life is pure imperfection, as the philosophy of wabi-sabi teaches us, and the passage of time shows us that everything is fleeting, but if you have a clear sense of your ikigai, each moment will hold so many possibilities that it will seem almost like an eternity.
*** Favourite Quote 14 ***
Once you discover your ikigai, pursuing it and nurturing it every day will bring meaning to your life. The moment your life has this purpose, you will achieve a happy state of flow in all you do, like the calligrapher at his canvas or the chef who, after half a century, still prepares sushi for his patrons with love.
~ The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
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The people of Japan believe that everyone has an ikigai – a reason to jump out of bed each morning. And according to the residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa – the world’s longest-living people – finding it is the key to a longer and more fulfilled life. Inspiring and comforting, this book will give you the life-changing tools to uncover your personal ikigai. It will show you how to leave urgency behind, find your purpose, nurture friendships and throw yourself into your passions.
*Blurb from Goodreads*
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