Ikigai Book 5 Secret To A Long And Happy Life
If you are someone who is blinded by busyness, very depressed about your life, don’t know what to do in life, can’t make a decision about anything, or want to get motivation to live longer, I think this “Ikigai Book: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” will be very useful to read. Let’s start it…
I Have a Question for You
If I asked you, “What is the meaning and real purpose of your life? What are you living for? What inspires you to move forward in life?” Perhaps, besides a handful of people, no one would be able to answer or express it clearly.
Today, I’d like to talk about an amazing “Ikigai Book.” How do the Japanese manage to live happily and peacefully for many years?
The Japanese word “Ikigai” translates to “iki” meaning life and “gai” meaning purpose. “Ikigai” is a Japanese philosophy, a concept that teaches how to keep purpose at the forefront of life. Simply put, it’s the joy found amidst the busyness of life.
When Was Ikigai Invented?
The two authors of “Ikigai Book,” Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, met for the first time on a rainy evening, just like in a scene from a novel. They sat in one place and started conversing on various topics.
At one level of their conversation, they discovered a mysterious island in the southern part of Japan called Okinawa. There is a village on this island called Ogimi, also known as the “Village of Longevity,” where people live longer than anywhere else in the world or even compared to other parts of Japan.
The average life expectancy of the people on this island is much more than that of people from other regions of Japan. The people of this village primarily attribute their long and happy lives to the concept of Ikigai.
As the authors talked, they realized that no one had researched or talked about this topic before. So, they felt like going to that village and meeting those people who have lived more than 100 years to know how they live such a happy life.
They wanted to find out where people get the motivation to stay active until the end of life and uncover the secret behind their longevity. Thus, the journey of writing “Ikigai Book” began with this thought. And, as a result of their one-year research, we get this “Ikigai Book.”
The Ikigai Book guides readers through practical exercises and some inspiring stories to help them discover their own Ikigai.
What Is Ikigai?
The authors of this japanese “Ikigai Book” share a diagram that express a philosophy of the Japanese. According to them you should do what you like, and enjoy doing; sacrificed by good at.Then think about whether what you do is something the world really needs.
And lastly, are you getting paid for what you’re doing? Because there’s no point in doing it if you don’t get paid.
Whenever you’re doing something that you love, that you’re good at, that the world needs, and that you’re getting paid for, you will find what the Japanese call Ikigai.
The Ikigai Book contains my favorite 7 Japanese secrets that will inspire you to live happily and peacefully for many years.
Secret 1: Their Social Life
No matter what happens in their life or what happens to them, they always take things for granted.
They always remain positive and do not have ill feelings for anything. A care for each other and almost friendship among themselves.
2) Discover Meaning and Purpose For Your Life
Words of the Okinawan villagers, The lone reason for waking up early in morning is none but your Ikigai.There is no word for retirement in the Japanese dictionary.
Whatever their age, they want to continue their work until the end of their life. They believe that when you’re busy, you’re motivated to live longer.
Secret 3: Wabi-Sabi
Wabi-Sabi means everything incomplete in our world, the things that we do not like to see very much. That is, the things that have beauty are the real things, and that is the beauty of nature.
As you think about the human life cycle, you are born. Then you grow up, slowly your hair begins to grow, and your skin begins to shrivel. At some point, you become old. This is how your life ends at some point.
Accepting this universal process of nature is called Ikigai. They say true happiness lies in accepting everything. It is natural that you will be born, you will grow old, your skin will shrivel, and eventually, you will die.
They ask us to honor this natural law of nature. Then you will get motivation to live more years.
Secret 4: Food Habits
The Japanese are very conscious of their food habits. They keep 20% of their stomach empty during meals so that they can live more years. More healthy energy can remain normal.
Secret 5: Ichi-go-Ichi-e
Ichi-go-ichi-e means that the moment you are in only exists now. The moment that goes away will never come back. So we have to live every moment and live in the present moment.
What happened to us in the past and what will happen to us in the future, we don’t think about it. We live in our present moment and give time to it.
When you keep doing these things, you will be fine. You won’t have to worry about everything inside you. See, we never know our destination or what is going to happen next.
So, enjoy life as long as you live, celebrate it, and fulfill it.
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