Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Chapter 1: The art of staying young while growing old

– Ikigai is the reason for your living (why you wake up in the morning) → some people (like us) may not have novel reasons to wake up; as soon as we wake up, we want to go back to sleep, especially with everything going on in the world currently.

– Hara hachi bu : 80% rule of eating (don’t over eat – gluttony (Full-metal Alchemist))

– Moai – this talks about the connection for life- our primitive/genes/most humane characteristic of making and wanting connections in community

Chapter 2: Anti-aging Secrets

“Little things add up to a long and happy life”
Active mind- youthful body (it’s been insane that everything is so interconnected that we forget to take into account for the butterfly effect within us
So how do we keep our brains healthy and working in our busy lives: challenge yourself just enough so that your brain is not bored or too challenged that it checks out
- Don’t have a hobby? Perfect! Go and try things. If you like it, dig deeper; if you don’t, drop it.
Stress might as well be the aging serum that kills are all and guess what? In this day and age, all we do is stress. ( we are constantly in situations where stress is the key ingredient for living right now)
- How to be mindful about stress?
  - When you realize you’ve been sitting for more than 30 min – stand up. Just stand up and breath (believe it or not, it’ll decrease your stress)
  - When was the last time you got off your auto-pilot? Try to be present and more mindful throughout the day
  - Got pets? Play with them and it’ll reduce stress
  - We love to sleep so let’s sleep in an appropriate time for an appropriate hours
Anti-aging attitudes: positive attitude and emotional awareness (maybe that’s why women live longer)
- Stoic attitude- serenity in the face of set back

Chapter 3: How to live longer and better by finding your purpose

What is logotherapy?

Uno reverse in play (but use with caution) It helps you find reasons to live by asking questions that could be used as a double edged sword; the questions being “Why don’t you kill yourself?”
- In this way, many patients found reasons to live
Logothepray pushes the patients to search for their meaning in a way which is different from Psychoanalysis
The purpose of life is often lost in our busy and highly saturated days overwhelmed with options and not knowing what to do with them
According to Viktor Frankl, a change in perspective is the way to go in the feelings of being lost- instead or in addition of panicking and anxiety about your current state, use the feeling as a catalyst to change
- In logotherapy, the feelings that comes with not having a purpose is seen not as mental illness as it is in western culture but as a spiritual anguish
- Somehow calling it spiritual anguish really helped me see myself and the world in the different light (nothing is wrong with me – it is a natural phenomenon)
Existential crisis – in modern society, can look like people is despair not knowing what they want but rather being ‘told’ what they want through external sources (aka comparing yourself to other ppl on social media trying to achieve what they are achieving).
- I would go as far as to say that the noise of social media and external influences silences our ability to listen to ourselves hence the feelings of being lost

Better living through logotherapy: A few key ideas

We don’t create the meaning of life but rather we discover (I’ll want to take this back to our 8th grade science: energy is not created nor destroyed- it is only converted)
What i mean to say is that there is not only one grand reason for living- one goal and purpose: we all have unique reasons for living and it can and will change many times throughout our lives
There is such a thing called ‘hyper-intention’ where one is excessively focused on their desire to be fulfilled – that in fact, can keep the desire from benign fulfilled
HUMOR! Humor is the antidote to negativity and anxiety (if you can laugh about it, no matter how shit it is, you gain the ability to handle it better plus gain some distance from the situations)
Everything is in our control; everything is our decision (we all have choices for every situation in life ranging from terrible to noble). What matters is our decisions and our reaction to the situations, not the situation themselves. (The only thing we can control is our reactions)

Morita Therapy

Shoma Morita was a Zen Buddhist who created a spiritual-based therapy in Japan
Morita believes our emotions are learned through experiences and repetitions
Westen based therapy focuses on ‘controlling/modifying’ the emotions and feelings of patients whereas Morita therapy is build on embracing the emotions (emotions ranges from the good, the bad, and the ugly)
- Western thought process: our believes influences our thoughts which influence our feelings and this influence our actions
- Our believes → our thoughts → our feelings → our actions
In Morita Therapy: the focus comes from the acceptance of our feelings without trying to control them since our feelings will change (emotions are temporary/fleeting) as the result of our actions
- Observation/identification of feelings (meditations/journals) → acceptance of the feelings → checking in with self (do i like these feelings? If so, what can I do to continue it or do I hate feeling this way? What’s making me feel this way and how do I change it?
- Our feelings → actions → our believes → feelings
- Avoid intellectualizing the situation: Morita did not offer his patients explanations but rather allowed them to learn from the actions and activities (I know this sounds weird) But I think what the purpose of this is – not offering the patient with thousands of solutions (mediate/keep a journal); This method is a bit more organic in terms of letting the patient figure out what they want/need by themselves.
  - Adding the element of ‘discovery’ helps the patient build confidence and self-reliance. The question is how are the patients able to stumble across their own discoveries?
There are 4 phases of the Morita Therapy
- Isolation and rest (about a week): This is where you observe your emotions. You are not allowed to talk to anyone The purpose of this is to reset and completely be bored (only when you are so bored that you’d want to try and take actions to not be bored)
- Light occupational therapy (about a week): in this stage, the patients are only allowed to do repetitive and simple tasks (keeping diary, taking a walk outside with nature, drawing, gardening) You are only allowed to talk to the therapist
- Occupational therapy: here, you do tasks that engage physical movement. Dr. Morita takes his patients to chop wood in the mountains/make ceramics/paintings. You are able to talk to others while doing activities and only talk about the task at hand.
- The return to the real world: the patients are reentering society as a new person (one who takes walks in nature and breathes and mediates and draws and keeps a journal). This resets the person without the social pressure to be someone
Naikan meditation
- Much of Morita’s therapy is based on his meditation practice (Naikan meditation). The meditations are based around these three questions:
  - 1. What have I received from person X?
  - 2. What have I given to person X?
  - 3. What problems have I caused person X?
    - Another blog idea: keep a journal of this meditation techniques and record the process of it for a week/x-amount of time?
- These questions are formulated in such a way where you are no longer the victim but on equal playing field (gives an outlook for greater truth)

These are some of the methods in which you can find your ikigai but the question is will you do it?

Chapter 4: How to turn work and free time into spaces for growth

In this chapter, the book tackles flow: why is flow important and how to achieve flow in your work.

When we want to learn something new or complete a task, we need to choose the correct level.
1. If we set out to do a task and make our task too easy, we get bored and it leads to apathy toward our task
2. If we set our level too high, we get frustrated and unmotivated.
3. We need to hit the sweet spot – this idea is discussed in many other books- one of which is Atomic Habits by James Clear (put a link to Atomic Habits outline)
In order to achieve flow and find the perfect middle difficulty level, we first need to have a clear idea of what tasks we want to accomplish
1. If our idea is too vague, we waste energy on meaningless task and end up with wasted energy plus mental block
2. If we are too obsessive about achieving the goals, we focus of perfectionism and the result instead of allowing the process to come and we get mental block
3. We want to have a clear object that words our tasks in terms of the process instead of the product → this is when we achieve flow
Multitasking is not it. We want to focus on a single task → it might take us a bit to narrow down our tasks in a singular form.
1. The science of multitasking is basically that we are switching between different tasks in our brain very quickly→ this leads us to waste energy, lose focus and not get any of the work done
  1. How to avoid multitasking? First, we want to be in a distraction free environment and we want to have control over everything we are doing at every moment (meaning we are not choosing to scroll on insta/twitter, they are making us do this cross)
  2. Design your environment to work for you:
    1. turn -off/do not disturb your phone before achieving flow- there is nothing more important than the task at your hand
    2. Go to a cafe without wifi
    3. Pomodoro technique works wonders when giving a balance of task completion and reward
    4. Start task with a ritual and end with reward

Microflow: Enjoying mundane tasks
- We talked about flow in terms of doing the work we want/need to do but what happens when ti comes to the most daunting and dreaded chores such as laundry and cleaning and looking at paperworks
- Our main pivotal point is boredom. We get bored in class so we start to doodle or go into our heads playing out imaginary scenarios that’ll never happen- this is our natural way to add a layer of complexity to keep challenge/entertain ourselves
- Our ability to gain microflow in our routine task is a key to happiness
Instant Vacay: Meditation
- Meditation is the exercise for the brain; there are many types of meditation and all have the same mission: calming the mind, observing our thoughts and centering our focus on a single object (breath, mantra, etc)
- In our busy and non-stop world, this is a way to slow down and be present
Humans are ritualistic
- Us, humans, have always been doing something (we were never idle, that is, until now)
- Our lives are inherently the result of our rituals/habits which give us a bigger purpose than just goals. It gives us the process and the journey
  - Enjoying your rituals is a state of flow- the results are just a by product of your rituals

Just like everything in our lives, flow is a part of the learning process. It’s like a muscle- the more you train it, the easier you’ll be able to get into flow. Be patient and kind to yourself.

Activity:

What activities make you enter flow?
1. If this is too difficult of a question, then write down what activities do you like to do or would be interested in doing?
2. If you don’t have multiple, take your one activity and branch out to other things relating to your initial activity. For ex: if you like to doodle then maybe try painting or watercolor.
  1. Pro tip: try stacking your ‘new’ activity with your old one. If you like to paint, try photography. Take your own reference pics and draw them and vice versa.
Why do these activities drive you to flow?
Are there similarities between the activities that drive you to flow?

Chapter 5: Masters of Longevity: Words of wisdom from the longest-living people in the world

Misao Okawa (117 years old) – “Eat and sleep, and you’ll live a long time. You have to learn to relax”
1. Okawa was a daughter of a textile merchant born in 1898 and has seen 3 centuries in her lifetime.
Maria Capovilla (116 years old) – “I’ve never eaten meat in my life”
1. Born in Ecuador in 1889, she was recognized by Guinness as the world’s oldest person.
2. Her last interview was at 107 years old and while she was giving the interview, she began to dance- keep the heart young.
Jeanne Calmet (122 years old) – “ I see badly, I hear badly and I feel bad but everything’s fine”
1. She was born in Arles, France and the oldest person of verified age in history.
2. She kept smoking until 120 when she couldn’t lift up her cigarette due to her cataracts.
Walter Breuning (114 years old) – “Your mind and your body. You keep both busy and you’ll be here a long time”
1. Born in Minnesota, Breunin had a habit of helping others and didn’t fear death since death is the only certainty we have in life. We’re born to die.
Alexander Imich (111 years old) – “ I don’t know [the secret of a long life]. I just haven’t died yet”
1. Born in Poland, he never drank alcohol

Ikigai in Artists

No matter where people are form, art comes in multifaceted forms and all are forms of ikigai.
Be curious and never stop learning. Stay busy even if there’s no no need to ‘work’- you do what you love and the rest will happen by itself.

Chapter 6: Lessons from Japan’s Centenarians: Traditions and proverbs for happiness and longevity

In this chapter, we get to meet the people and the place in Japan with the highest percentage of elderly people. Ogimi, Okinawa, a place where time seems to have stopped: surrounded by the beach on the left and mountainous jungle to the right. The people in the village live an active and communal life where they keep both their mind and body young and nourished. Below are some of the life advice from some of the oldest people in the world.

Don’t worry
1. Keep your heart young and open
2. Smile and say hello to people to avoid anxiety
3. Spending time together and having fun is what matters
Cultivate good habits
1. Planting and taking care of their garden keeps the mind relaxed and gives body release
2. Eat bits of everything: variety is key
3. Work or else the body will break down
4. exercise comes in many forms (dancing/gardening/walking)
5. The three things to help live longer: exercise, healthy food and quality time with loved ones
Nurture your friendships everyday
1. Talking to your loved ones every day
2. Chatting and drinking tea with loved ones
Live an unhurried life
1. Slow down- deep breaths and relax
2. Engaging in different activities every day- stay busy but do things one at a time without getting overwhelmed
3. Go to bed early, wake up early and go for a walk
Be optimistic
1. Mantras and affirmations for a day full of energy and health
2. Laughter is medicine
3. There’s so secret- just live

Chapter 7: The Ikigai Diet

Life expectancy in Japan is overall high and Okinawa exceeds the national average, as shown below.

Okinawa’s Miracle Diet

Cardiovascular diseases are the lowest in Okinawa in terms of mortality rate. Diet plays an important role and is so important that the ‘Okinawan Diet’ is often in the world panels on nutrition.
The most published and through research on the Okinawan Diet has been written by a cardiologist, Makoto Suzuki
- Makoto Suzuki’s research team was joined by Bradley J. Willcox and D. Craig Willcox to publish a book, The Okinawa Program. The key conclusions are as follows:
  - Variety is key! A study showed that the Okinawan people ate 206 different foods, including spices and teas. They ate an average of 18 different foods each day
  - Eat the rainbow! They eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday- comprising more than 60% of their daily intake.
  - Grains are the foundation of their diet. White rice is a staple as well as noodles and other variations.
  - No sugar or cane sugar if needed. Okinawans consume ⅓ as much sugar as rest of Japan
  - Meats are rare (fish is eaten 3 times a week and pork is eaten once or twice a week).
  - Okinawans consume about ½ as much salt as the rest of japan.

Hara Hachi Bu

80% eating rule: when you notice you’re almost full but could have a little more, stop eating!
An ancient Zen Buddhist practice that recommends eating ⅔ as much as you might want to eat. This then begs the question, does eating less make us live longer?
- Well, there are some benefits of low calorie intake diets:
  - If the body regularly consume enough or too many calories to digest, the body becomes lethargic over time
  - lower calorie intake reduces levels of IGF-I (insulin-like growth factor 1) which is a protein that plays a roles in aging; an excess amount of IGF-1 in the blood is one of the reasons humans and animals age
An alternative to hara hachi bu is to fast: ideally, eating for 5 days and fasting for 2 days (less than 500 calories ). Fasting helps cleanse the digestive system and gives it rest.

15 Natural Antioxidants Found in the Okinawan Diet

Antioxidants are molecules that slow down the oxidation process in the cell. These 15 ingredients are eaten on a daily in Okinawa:

This along with green tea and shikuwasa.

The powerful shikuwasa

Shikuwasa is a citrus fruit bearing something that resembles somewhere between lime and mandarin oranges. The fruit is extremely acidic, so much so that it is diluted in water first.

“All citrus fruits – grapefruits, oranges, lemons– are high in nobiletin, a flavonoid rich in antioxidants [and] Okinawa’s shikuwasas have forty times as much as oranges.”

The Western Version:

Many may not be familiar or get their hands on these items so these are some of the western options presented to us by the book.

Broccoli and chard = high concentration of water, minerals and fiber
Oily fish
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Tuna
- Sardine
Citrus berries and apricots = full of vitamins and help eliminate toxins
Oats and wheat = energy and minerals
Olive oil
Red wine = antioxidants (in moderation)

Of course, avoid sugar and processed food as much as possible

Chapter 8: Gentle Movements, Longer Life: Exercises from the East that Promote Health and Longevity

The people of Ogimi, Okinawa, the Village of Longevity, people who are over 80 and 90 years old are still highly active. The people love to take walks, do karaoke with neighbors, and garden. Almost everyone in Ogimi has gadens they tend to. The people don’t necessarily go to the gym or do intense exercises, but they aren’t idle either.

Movement is built into their daily routines and it’s as easy as getting out of our chairs.

90% of our metabolism slows down after 30 mins- getting up of 5 minutes is good enough to get our metabolism going again

In modern days, it’s a little hard to get moving. The newly western obsession with the balance of body, mind and soul has been used for ages in their countries of origin to promote health. Yoga, and qigong and tai chi– originated from India and China, respectively.

Gentle exercises offer great benefits for the body and mind. Tai for example has been shown to slow development of osteoporosis and Parkinson’s disease, promote flexibility and shield against stress and depression.

We’ll next look into some practices that promote health and longevity:

Radio Taiso – the simple act of raising your arms above your head and bringing them down in a circular motion
1. Low intensity and easy mobility workout
2. Strengthen muscle, joints and memory
Yoga – popular in Japan and in the West, has something to offer for everyone. Yoga strives to unite the body and mind, bringing us closer to our human nature.
Tai chi – a Chinese martial art focused on self-defense and agility. It is also seen as a means to heal the body and mind to foster health and inner peace.
Qigong – qi (life) and gong (work): static and dynamic physical exercise that stimulate respiration in standing, steadied or reclined positions to strengthen and regenerate qi.

Chapter 9: Resilience and Wabi-Sabi: How to face life’s challenges without letting stress and worry age you

Resilience is a guide: everyone with a clear ikigai will pursue their passion, no matter what. There are two things in life that’s for certain: death and setbacks. Resilience is the ability to deal with such setbacks and keep focused on their passion.

Emotional resilience is talked about through the lens of Buddhism and Stoicism: both believe in regulating our negative emotions instead of completely eliminating them. Negativity will arise when pursuing ikigai but how we indulge ourselves in the negativity is key.

Our pleasures and desires are not the problem: it is only a problem when negativity/pleasure/desires/temptations take control of our lives. The book talks about two ways to deal with our insatiableness.

Negative visualization: a Stoic practice where one visualizes the worst that can happen in order to grow appreciation and awareness of privileges and pleasures in one’s current life. ( This is something to be taken with a grain of salt for people dealing with anxiety, depression and other mental struggles).
Meditation: though meditation is now trending, the practice has existed for centuries. Meditation teaches us to pause and take back control of our thoughts and emotions while accepting and letting go of factors we cannot control. Everyone can benefit from meditation.

Wabi-Sabi and ichi-go ichi-e

The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi is that beauty is fleeting, changeable and imperfect. This idea embraces the natural world. Instead of searching for beauty in perfection, the flawed, incomplete are the true beauty because only those resemble the natural world. Cracked teacups that are rejoined with gold is an example of wabi-sabi.

Ichi-go ichi-e is another Japanese concept complementary to wabi-sabi which translates as “‘This moment exists only now and won’t come again.’” This is often said in social gatherings– be it with family, friends, or even strangers. Every encounter is unique and will never be repeated.

Beyond resilience: Antifragility

Antifragility is a word to describe the concept of things that become stronger when harmed much like the Hydra that Hercules faced. Resilience talks about the ability to withstand harm while antifragility tries to take advantage of harm being done.

How can we implement this into our lives?

Have multiple sources of income so in the face of adversity, you won’t be left helpless. The Japanese sentients interviewed in the book all have primary and secondary jobs.

Quotes:

“What we need, then, is not a peaceful existence, but a challenge we can strive to meet by applying all the skills at our disposal.” – chapter 3

Additional Books:

Morita Therapy and the True Nature of Anxiety-Based Disorders by Shoma Morita
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Okinawa Program by Makoto Suzuki, Bradley J. Willcox and D. Craig Willcox

Ten Books on the Cultivation of Perfection (Unknown)