ikigai

Pronounced (ee-kee-gah-ee) this Japanese concept roughly translate into reason for being. It is thought to be derived from the Heian period 794-1185, from then capital city Heian kyo, modern day Kyoto. At this time Taoism and Buddhism had a strong influence on the culture. Composing of 2 words : Ik (life)and gai (value). Gai is thought to be related to kai or shell which were valued at the time. Each of these 4 interlocking circles ask a fundamental question that seeks to add a value to our lives.

1 What do you love: What replenishes our dopamine, and fills us with joy. What is the reward itself, what we love to do despite the outcome.

2 What are we good at: Not what have we mastered, but rather what can we do with competence. Anything, Fry an egg, drum, keep plants green, network, think under pressure. Whatever on your list, brainstorm everyday, come up with a flood of random skills that you have learned over the course of your life. I was very surprised I never asked myself this question prior to starting this meditation. I would have trouble believing you if you said you did not have healthier self esteem (estimate) after a few minutes with this question.

3 What you can be paid for: Again go wild. Liberate yourself from asking what I want to be paid for. Nothing on this list has to be permanent, or part of your identity. You don't need to do act on anything on this list. Rather think of it as training your mind to see possibilities. Not all will be ideal, but they exist. To get to our peaks we may have to traverse a few vallies

4 What does the world need: I find the easiest way to answer this is to acknowledge what continually frustrates us. It is there that we will find what the world is deficient in. Architect and futurist Bucky Fuller taught that we cannot make meaningful change by criticizing problems. Rather we must examine what we do not like and see the socal need it is filling . Once we do this we are free to engineer the quenching of that need in a better way. We are free to out compete our frustrations rather than mearley complain.

I am new to playing with an Ikigai, and been surprised at how quickly it has focused my intentions, while opening me up to so many strategic possibilities . If you feel as if your like your lived life should be closer to how you dream it should be, I invite you to explore this meditation.