Could the secret to good health and happiness be linked to your ikigai! Are you living your life’s purpose?
Could the secret to good health and happiness be linked to your ikigai! Are you living your life’s purpose?
The Danish word hygge describes a feeling of coziness. In Sweden lagom means that something is ‘just right’. And have you heard about the popular Japanese concept of ikigai (prounounced ick-ee-guy)?
Similar to the French phrase raison d’être meaning ‘a reason to be’, the Japanese believe that finding one’s ikigai brings satisfaction and meaning to life. It is a reason to get out of bed in the morning, a personal mission to live a life that is worthwhile, one that might even help us to sleep better and to live longer (there are a high number of people over 100 years of age living on the Japanese island of Okinawa for example).
Here’s the ikigai formula:
And some ideas to get the ball rolling:
Stop and slow down – The pace of modern life is impossibly fast and intense, don’t let your life whizz by.
Pay attention – Notice what enriches your life and makes you feel joy. What would you be happily immersed in that would make you lose all track of time?
Start small and don’t limit yourself – Ask yourself: What do I have? What do I want? What do I need? What is my biggest fear? What would I do if I didn’t have that fear, and if time and resources were unlimited? How do I want to feel?
Be open and stay curious – Your life’s purpose is something unique and personal to you. Thoughts become things, where your attention goes your energy flows. What kind of life are you creating for yourself?
Make every moment count and let go of what no longer serves you – Enjoy the journey and don’t forget to have some love, compassion and acceptance for yourself along the way.
And remember that we don’t have to revamp our whole life in one fell swoop. Incorporating a regular meditation and yoga practice can help us to find balance and stillness within ourselves, and create time for reflection, healing and growth.
What steps could you take to find your ikigai, and to start living your life’s purpose?
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. “ Pablo Picasso
Mary Dowling
For information about a new Sunday restorative yoga course in the Novara Centre, starting on February 18th, click here.