IKIGAI - A PASSION THAT GIVES VALUE AND JOY TO LIFE
IKIGAI - A PASSION THAT GIVES VALUE AND JOY TO LIFE
IKIGAI is a Japanese Secret to a Joyful Life.
The Japanese word Ikigai, which has recently gained attention worldwide and enjoys widespread use, refers to a passion that gives value and joy to life.
The author who prompted its craze speaks about the word’s appeal and the effects it has on mental and physical health.
Ikigai is the art of staying young while growing old.
According to Japanese, everyone has an Ikigai - what a French philosopher might call a raison d'etre.
Our Ikigai is hidden deep inside each one of us, and finding it requires a patient search.
According to those born on Okinawa, the island with the most centenarians in the world, our ikigai is the reason we get up in the morning.
Whatever you do, don't retire!
Having a clearly defined ikigai brings satisfaction, happiness, and meaning to our lives.
Ikigai is about the Japanese philosophy on the lasting health of body, mind, and spirit.
The centenarians from Okinawa live much longer than the rest of the world's population and they don't have fewer chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease; inflammatory disorders are also less common.
Many of these centenarians enjoy enviable levels of vitality and health that would be unthinkable for people of advanced age elsewhere.
The keys to longevity are diet, exercise, finding a purpose in life (an ikigai), and forming strong social ties - that is, having a broad circle of friends and good family relations.
They don't do strenuous exercise, but they do move every day, taking walks and working in their vegetable gardens.
The 80% secret:
One of the most common sayings in Japan is "Hara hachi bu,", which is repeated before or after eating and means something like "Fill your belly to 80%." Ancient wisdom advises against eating until we are full.
Members of these communities manage their time well in order to reduce stress, consume little meat or processed foods, and drink alcohol in moderation.
The Okinawan diet is rich in tofu, sweet potatoes, fish (three times per week), and vegetables (roughly 11 ounces per day).
Recent studies by nutritionists reveal that Okinawans consume a daily average of 1,800 to 1,900 calories, compared to 2,200 to 3,300 in the United States, and have a body mass index between 18 and 22, compared to 26 or 27 in the United States.
Numerous Japanese words have entered the global lexicon, such as mottainai and kawaii; one recent newcomer is ikigai. A broad concept, it refers to that which brings value and joy to life: from people, such as one’s children or friends, to activities including work and hobbies.
The book 'IKIGAI' authored by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles is an International best seller.
“There is no word like it anywhere in the world,” says Héctor Garcia, co-author of the book Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, which helped push ikigai into the global spotlight. Explaining that having an ikigai is the key to leading a happy life with a healthy body and mind, this book—which has been translated into 63 languages—has sold more than 3 million copies since its release in 2016. “When you feel down, just thinking about your ikigai will change something in you. I receive comments even now from readers who say their lives were transformed by this word,” says Garcia.
For this book, Garcia interviewed more than 100 elderly residents of Ogimi Village, Okinawa Prefecture, renowned for being a “village of longevity.” One thing that these healthy and active seniors have in common is that each has an ikigai, or something worth living for. “When we asked what their ikigai was, they gave us explicit answers, such as their friends, gardening, and art. Everyone knows what the source of their zest for life is, and is busily engaged in it every day,” says Garcia. Another distinguishing feature of this community is that the elders have strong social links with their peers and frequently get together to enjoy karaoke, birthday parties, and more. “Avoiding social isolation is linked to the motivation and confidence to lead active lives.”
Continuing to work or energetically enjoy hobbies is characteristic of many Japanese seniors. A national survey conducted in 2018 found that 47.5% of people aged 70 and older are active in ways such as working, enjoying hobbies, or participating in community activities. Another study conducted on people aged 65 and over revealed that those who work only for financial reasons, compared with those who work in pursuit of their ikigai, have a 1.55 times greater risk of decline in functional capacity two years later. Considering such data, the Japanese government is actively supporting the employment and social engagement of senior citizens. Borrowing the words of renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, “What man actually needs is not a tension-less state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him.”
Garcia believes that this applies not only to senior citizens but to young people as well. In a UNICEF survey conducted in 21 countries in 2021, about 36% of young people (aged 15-24) responded that they often felt nervous, worried, or anxious, and 19% also said that they often felt depressed or had little interest in doing things. For such young people, Garcia published a new book, Ikigai for Teens: Finding Your Reason for Being, in 2021. “When we were children, we all thought about what we wanted to be in the future, but it is also important to think about your ikigai from a young age. If I had known about ikigai when I was young, my life would have been different.”
THREE GRAND ESSENTIALS TO HAPPINESS IN THIS LIFE ARE :
SOMETHING TO DO,
SOMETHING TO LOVE,
AND, SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR.
If the word and all its edifying qualities are expanded across generations, ikigai may evolve to further heights as a universal term expressing a rich and fulfilling life.
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