Let me begin with an example. My job required me to wake up at 5 in the morning and leave home to be at my stop five minutes early. While waiting for my bus, I would see mendicants sleeping peacefully on the footpath, amidst the chaotic honking of the passing vehicles. It was still a good-night-sleep-tight sleep for those people. The parity between us could be the feeling of joy – doing something we enjoyed : the disparity would be the purpose of life. (I doubt if mendicants have any purpose.)

So, how do we identify our purpose in life? 

This was also the question posed by one of my younger cousins during our conversation post my last blog. We were discussing Frankl’s book – Man’s Search For Meaning.  

In jest, I wanted to quote something similar to those cliché dialogues by hero’s friend in Hindi movies – “जब वो तुम्हारे सामने आऐगी, तब बैकग्राउंड में वायोलिन बजेगा!” “दिलमें घन्टी बजेगी!”

On a serious note, in essence, what is ‘ikigai’? 

Ikigai is a Japanese philosophy which is a combination of two words – ‘iki’ which means ‘life’ and ‘gai’ which means ‘worth’. This compound word roughly translates into that which ‘gives purpose to one’s life’. A life which not only provides you happiness and contentment, along with longevity, but also elevates the lives of the people around you.

However, the idea of ‘happiness’ and ‘contentment’ is relative. You may not be happy with the thing – tangible or intangible – that makes me happy. Having a cup of tea with lemongrass, mint and ginger sitting on a swing all by myself brightens my mood instantly. But for you it could just be having a cup of tea. Similarly, I can find my contentment in preparing a few food items cooked well that might be insignificant to others. These actions can be my ikigai. These actions, insignificant as they may sound, for sure make me feel joyful and energetic preparing me for my day ahead. 

If such is the case, how do we define our raison d’être in life? And do we actually need to identify a purpose in life?

Let’s explore and understand this concept in the Indian context. Ikigai could be related to what The Bhagavad Gita says, ” कर्म किए जा। फल की चिंता ना कर।।

The action or work you are passionate about and intrinsically motivates you to wake up every morning to begin your day with zest and zeal is your ikigai. Your raison d’être. Other than the morning tea or household chores, your action could also be taking care of you and your family, a morning walk or volunteering for some good cause and so on and so forth. Such actions may not help you grow economically though, however, it will still make you feel cheerful and lively.

In contrast, your job or business where you use your skills or education is your work which provides economic stability. When you are deeply involved in your work with all your senses in complete consciousness, it brings you happiness and satisfaction. Delving deep in such action or work (कर्म), you will not worry about the outcome (फल) because the outcome will always be good if any work is done with complete integrity and dedication. This work will make you experience exhilaration for most of the day so that you will feel confident enough to face any challenges that come in your way on that particular day or any other day in your life. Needless to say now that you need not wait to find your purpose in life. It will unfold as and how you keep doing your karma (work). 

Such an attitude towards your work or action will make you feel like living a purposeful life. It brings serenity to your life. As again said in The Bhagavad Gita, the happiness that provides you with a peace and tranquility of mind is true happiness. Ultimately, when you are in harmony with yourself and the world around you in any given situation, you will create happiness for others too. You will look for occasions which will bring joy in the life of others. Won’t it make you feel worthy in life? Won’t it make you feel that your life on the earth is justified? 

Eventually, when your mind attains certain equanimity, physical health is automatically taken care of. And when you are physically fit, the passion and vivaciousness to succeed more in life increase. It is all interwoven. If mind is the weft, your body is the warp and together they weave the fabric of your life. This is what ikigai is all about. It is the happiness that you find in your daily life which helps you and the society to live a happy, healthy long life. 

But can your purpose change?

Yes, in my opinion. Your ikigai can change with time, experience and the wisdom you gain in your journey of life. Forgive me the use of the cliché – ‘Change is the only constant in life’. Then why can’t your ikigai change? Though it is quite subjective. For example, A. R. Rahman was passionate about music from his childhood. He made his passion his vocation and the source of his livelihood. Now he shares his music with the world and spreads happiness. So, music is or seems to be his ikigai. It seems to be his constant ikigai. Who knows if he decides to change it in future! 

Nevertheless, it may not be the same for all. In life, you opt for a career that interests you. You get your dream job as well. However, with changing time and expectations, you seem to lose interest in it. It feels that life has come to a sudden, unexpected standstill. In this case, identifying another purpose in life can give you a reason for being. Life has to go on and hopefully happily. 

So, what’s your ikigai? Why not identify your reason to be!

Source: https://savvytokyo.scdn3.secure.raxcdn.com/app/uploads/2018/01/iStock-679938536-1007×1024.jpg

Source of the title image : https://www.trailblaze.marketing/hubfs/trailblaze-Blog-%28ikigai%29-01.jpg

Nikita Jhaveri