By Sarthak Kulkarni
Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
– Reviews by Prittle Prattle News
IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret to Living a Long and Happy Life
The authors have explored and have found answers to the age-old question; “How to live a long and happy life?” or more commonly known as “How do I live happily ever after?” They considered the five blue zones where the people live longer and healthier lives than anywhere in the world. On studying these people, their lives, and culture, the authors have come to certain conclusions that will inevitably bring greater happiness and fulfillment. The authors have researched and found a direct relationship between the day to day happiness of the centenarian people and their longevity. These older people are young at heart. Getting up in the morning is as exciting and purposeful as to a young school kid whose summer vacations have just begun. On the contrary, older people worldwide are believed and found to be ill, grumpy, and even living without meaning or purpose. We see today people suffering and succumbing even in their young years to mental and physical illnesses.
Why is there such a vast difference? Throughout the book, many ideas are presented, which help us understand and bring in greater happiness and meaning. At the essence of the book is the word – IKIGAI (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/549469/ikigai-by-hector-garcia-and-francesc-miralles/). Passion is the intersection of what you love and what you are good at? A profession is something that you are good at and something that you can pay. Vocation is something that you do that the world needs, and you would pay. The mission is something that we love to do, while at the same time, the world needs it. Ikigai is the center stone of all of the above. It is the coalition of Passion, Mission, Profession, and Vocation and reflects our purpose in life. The general society rarely promotes this idea. Often, it is either profession or vocation for us. Sometimes it is passion, and rarer is the mission. However, that would not make us feel our life is complete for most of us and make us think something is missing.
Tuning in and living as per our Ikigai helps us identify and fill that void within. The reason we don’t find our Ikigai outside is that it is uniquely our own, and it is more of an unfolding rather than an immediate, definite answer. The book has shed light on the various therapies that ally with the concept of Ikigai, like Morita therapy and Logotherapy by Viktor Frankl, and is replete with practices of thought and movement, of attitudes and beliefs that help us move closer to it.
Some commonalities which are essential to it are as follows:
- 1. Going with the flow – We have heard it quite often, but do we genuinely go with the flow of life? We always have an upstream battle trying to control and wrestle the situation to the ground. We have to be entirely doing what we are doing while doing it—no other ideas or thoughts. Eventually, we are immersed in the activity and lose track of time. These states help us be in touch with our IKIGAI.
- 2. Diet – How to eat and how much to eat. What to eat and what not to it? When to it and when not to it. These are the critical things that help us maintain our healthy bodies and prevent and recover from ill-health.
- 3. Community – The Japanese people in Okinawa have a strong community and social connection that helps them multiply their celebrations and diminish their problems and worries. They emphasize to cherish our relationships.
- 4. Exercises – A healthy mind lives in a healthy body. The book mentions some simple yet effective activities to keep us moving, active, and well.
- 5. Resilience and Wabi Sabi – The centenarians live an unhurried life, quite uncommon in the better-known world. They are optimistic and resilient in the face of setbacks and challenges,
