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Copyright©2016byHéctorGarcíaandFrancescMirallesTranslationcopyright©2017byPenguinRandomHouseLLCPenguinsupportscopyright.Copyrightfuelscreativity,encouragesdiversevoices,promotesfreespeech,andcreatesavibrantculture.Thankyouforbuyinganauthorizededitionofthisbookandforcomplyingwithcopyrightlawsbynotreproducing,scanning,ordistributinganypartofitinanyformwithoutpermission.YouaresupportingwritersandallowingPenguintocontinuetopublishbooksforeveryreader.

OriginallypublishedinSpanishasIkigai:LossecretosdeJapónparaunavidalargayfelizbyEdicionesUrano,Barcelona.

Illustrationhere:Abbie/ShutterstockAllotherillustrationscopyright©2016byMarisaMartínezGraphicscopyright©2016byFloraBuki

LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATANames:García,Héctor,1981–author.|Miralles,Francesc,1968–author.Title:Ikigai:theJapanesesecrettoalongandhappylife/HéctorGarcíaandFrancescMiralles;translatedbyHeatherCleary.Othertitles:Ikigai.EnglishDescription:NewYork:PenguinBooks,[2017]|OriginallypublishedinSpanishas“Ikigai:LossecretosdeJapónparaunavidalargayfeliz”byEdicionesUranoin2016."|Includesbibliographicalreferences.|DescriptionbasedonprintversionrecordandCIPdataprovidedbypublisher;resourcenotviewed.Identifiers:LCCN2017005811(print)|LCCN2017022599(ebook)|ISBN9781524704551(ebook)|ISBN9780143130727(hardcover)Subjects:LCSH:Longevity—Japan.|Longevity.|Happiness.|QualityoflifeClassification:LCCRA776.75(ebook)|LCCRA776.75.G37132017(print)|DDC613—dc23LCrecordavailableathttps://lccn.loc.gov/2017005811

Neitherthepublishernortheauthorisengagedinrenderingprofessionaladviceorservicestotheindividualreader.Theideas,procedures,andsuggestionscontainedinthisbookarenotintendedasasubstituteforconsultingwithyourphysician.Allmattersregardingyourhealthrequiremedicalsupervision.Neithertheauthornorthepublishershallbeliableorresponsibleforanylossordamageallegedlyarisingfromanyinformationorsuggestioninthisbook.

Whiletheauthorhasmadeeveryefforttoprovideaccuratetelephonenumbers,Internetaddresses,andothercontactinformationatthetimeofpublication,neitherthepublishernortheauthorassumesanyresponsibilityforerrorsorforchangesthatoccurafterpublication.Further,thepublisherdoesnothaveanycontroloveranddoesnotassumeanyresponsibilityforauthororthird-partyWebsitesortheircontent.

CoverillustrationbyOlgaGrlicCoverartdirectionbyRoseanneSerra

Version_2

Formybrother,Aitor,who’ssaidtomemoreoftenthananyoneelse,“Idon’tknowwhattodowithmylife.”—HÉCTORGARCÍA

Forallmypast,present,andfuturefriends,forbeingmyhomeandmymotivationalongtheway.—FRANCESCMIRALLES

Onlystayingactivewillmakeyouwanttoliveahundredyears.

—Japaneseproverb

CONTENTS

TitlePage

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

PrologueIkigai:Amysteriousword

I.IkigaiTheartofstayingyoungwhilegrowingold

II.AntiagingSecretsLittlethingsthatadduptoalongandhappylife

III.FromLogotherapytoIkigaiHowtolivelongerandbetterbyfindingyourpurpose

IV.FindFlowinEverythingYouDoHowtoturnworkandfreetimeintospacesforgrowth

V.MastersofLongevityWordsofwisdomfromthelongest-livingpeopleintheworld

VI.LessonsfromJapan’sCentenariansTraditionsandproverbsforhappinessandlongevity

VII.TheIkigaiDietWhattheworld’slongest-livingpeopleeatanddrink

VIII.GentleMovements,LongerLifeExercisesfromtheEastthatpromotehealthandlongevity

IX.ResilienceandWabi-sabiHowtofacelife’schallengeswithoutlettingstressandworryageyou

EpilogueIkigai:Theartofliving

Notes

Suggestionsforfurtherreading

AbouttheAuthors

PROLOGUE

Ikigai:Amysteriousword

THISBOOKFIRSTcameintobeingonarainynightinTokyo,whenitsauthorssatdowntogetherforthefirsttimeinoneofthecity’stinybars.

Wehadreadeachother’sworkbuthadnevermet,thankstothethousandsofmilesthatseparateBarcelonafromthecapitalofJapan.Thenamutualacquaintanceputusintouch,launchingafriendshipthatledtothisprojectandseemsdestinedtolastalifetime.

Thenexttimewegottogether,ayearlater,westrolledthroughaparkindowntownTokyoandendeduptalkingabouttrendsinWesternpsychology,specificallylogotherapy,whichhelpspeoplefindtheirpurposeinlife.

WeremarkedthatViktorFrankl’slogotherapyhadgoneoutoffashionamongpracticingtherapists,whofavoredotherschoolsofpsychology,thoughpeoplestillsearchformeaninginwhattheydoandhowtheylive.Weaskourselvesthingslike:

Whatisthemeaningofmylife?Isthepointjusttolivelonger,orshouldIseekahigherpurpose?Whydosomepeopleknowwhattheywantandhaveapassionforlife,while

otherslanguishinconfusion?Atsomepointinourconversation,themysteriouswordikigaicameup.ThisJapaneseconcept,whichtranslatesroughlyas“thehappinessofalways

beingbusy,”islikelogotherapy,butitgoesastepbeyond.ItalsoseemstobeonewayofexplainingtheextraordinarylongevityoftheJapanese,especiallyontheislandofOkinawa,wherethereare24.55peopleovertheageof100forevery100,000inhabitants—farmorethantheglobalaverage.

ThosewhostudywhytheinhabitantsofthisislandinthesouthofJapanlivelongerthanpeopleanywhereelseintheworldbelievethatoneofthekeys—in

additiontoahealthfuldiet,asimplelifeintheoutdoors,greentea,andthesubtropicalclimate(itsaveragetemperatureislikethatofHawaii)—istheikigaithatshapestheirlives.

Whileresearchingthisconcept,wediscoveredthatnotasinglebookinthefieldsofpsychologyorpersonaldevelopmentisdedicatedtobringingthisphilosophytotheWest.

IsikigaithereasontherearemorecentenariansinOkinawathananywhereelse?Howdoesitinspirepeopletostayactiveuntiltheveryend?Whatisthesecrettoalongandhappylife?

Asweexploredthematterfurther,wediscoveredthatoneplaceinparticular,Ogimi,aruraltownonthenorthendoftheislandwithapopulationofthreethousand,boaststhehighestlifeexpectancyintheworld—afactthathasearneditthenicknametheVillageofLongevity.

OkinawaiswheremostofJapan’sshikuwasa—alimelikefruitthatpacksanextraordinaryantioxidantpunch—comesfrom.CouldthatbeOgimi’ssecrettolonglife?OrisitthepurityofthewaterusedtobrewitsMoringatea?

WedecidedtogostudythesecretsoftheJapanesecentenariansinperson.Afterayearofpreliminaryresearchwearrivedinthevillage—whereresidentsspeakanancientdialectandpracticeananimistreligionthatfeatureslong-hairedforestspritescalledbunagaya—withourcamerasandrecordingdevicesinhand.Assoonaswearrivedwecouldsensetheincrediblefriendlinessofitsresidents,wholaughedandjokedincessantlyamidlushgreenhillsfedbycrystallinewaters.

Asweconductedourinterviewswiththeeldestresidentsofthetown,werealizedthatsomethingfarmorepowerfulthanjustthesenaturalresourceswasatwork:anuncommonjoyflowsfromitsinhabitantsandguidesthemthroughthelongandpleasurablejourneyoftheirlives.

Again,themysteriousikigai.Butwhatisit,exactly?Howdoyougetit?Itneverceasedtosurpriseusthatthishavenofnearlyeternallifewaslocated

preciselyinOkinawa,wheretwohundredthousandinnocentliveswerelostattheendofWorldWarII.Ratherthanharboranimositytowardoutsiders,however,Okinawanslivebytheprincipleoficharibachode,alocalexpressionthatmeans“treateveryonelikeabrother,evenifyou’venevermetthembefore.”

ItturnsoutthatoneofthesecretstohappinessofOgimi’sresidentsisfeelinglikepartofacommunity.Fromanearlyagetheypracticeyuimaaru,orteamwork,andsoareusedtohelpingoneanother.

Nurturingfriendships,eatinglight,gettingenoughrest,anddoingregular,moderateexerciseareallpartoftheequationofgoodhealth,butattheheartofthejoiedevivrethatinspiresthesecentenarianstokeepcelebratingbirthdaysandcherishingeachnewdayistheirikigai.

ThepurposeofthisbookistobringthesecretsofJapan’scentenarianstoyouandgiveyouthetoolstofindyourownikigai.

Becausethosewhodiscovertheirikigaihaveeverythingtheyneedforalongandjoyfuljourneythroughlife.

Happytravels!HÉCTORGARCÍAANDFRANCESCMIRALLES

I

IKIGAI

Theartofstayingyoungwhilegrowingold

Whatisyourreasonforbeing?AccordingtotheJapanese,everyonehasanikigai—whataFrenchphilosophermightcallaraisond’être.Somepeoplehavefoundtheirikigai,whileothersarestilllooking,thoughtheycarryitwithinthem.

Ourikigaiishiddendeepinsideeachofus,andfindingitrequiresapatientsearch.AccordingtothosebornonOkinawa,theislandwiththemostcentenariansintheworld,ourikigaiisthereasonwegetupinthemorning.

Whateveryoudo,don’tretire!Havingaclearlydefinedikigaibringssatisfaction,happiness,andmeaningtoourlives.Thepurposeofthisbookistohelpyoufindyours,andtoshareinsightsfromJapanesephilosophyonthelastinghealthofbody,mind,andspirit.

Onesurprisingthingyounotice,livinginJapan,ishowactivepeopleremainaftertheyretire.Infact,manyJapanesepeopleneverreallyretire—theykeepdoingwhattheyloveforaslongastheirhealthallows.

Thereis,infact,nowordinJapanesethatmeansretireinthesenseof“leavingtheworkforceforgood”asinEnglish.AccordingtoDanBuettner,aNationalGeographicreporterwhoknowsthecountrywell,havingapurposeinlifeissoimportantinJapaneseculturethatourideaofretirementsimplydoesn’texistthere.

Theislandof(almost)eternalyouthCertainlongevitystudiessuggestthatastrongsenseofcommunityandaclearlydefinedikigaiarejustasimportantasthefamouslyhealthfulJapanesediet—perhapsevenmoreso.RecentmedicalstudiesofcentenariansfromOkinawaandotherso-calledBlueZones—thegeographicregionswherepeoplelivelongest—provideanumberofinterestingfactsabouttheseextraordinaryhumanbeings:

Notonlydotheylivemuchlongerthantherestoftheworld’spopulation,theyalsosufferfromfewerchronicillnessessuchascancerandheartdisease;inflammatorydisordersarealsolesscommon.Manyofthesecentenariansenjoyenviablelevelsofvitalityandhealththatwouldbeunthinkableforpeopleofadvancedageelsewhere.Theirbloodtestsrevealfewerfreeradicals(whichareresponsibleforcellularaging),asaresultofdrinkingteaandeatinguntiltheirstomachsareonly80percentfull.Womenexperiencemoremoderatesymptomsduringmenopause,andbothmenandwomenmaintainhigherlevelsofsexualhormonesuntilmuchlaterinlife.Therateofdementiaiswellbelowtheglobalaverage.

TheCharactersBehindIkigai

InJapanese,ikigaiiswrittenas生き甲斐,combining生き,whichmeans“life,”with甲斐,whichmeans“tobeworthwhile.”甲斐canbebrokendownintothecharacters甲,whichmeans“armor,”“numberone,”and“tobethefirst”(toheadintobattle,takinginitiativeasaleader),and斐,whichmeans“beautiful”or“elegant.”

Thoughwewillconsidereachofthesefindingsoverthecourseofthebook,researchclearlyindicatesthattheOkinawans’focusonikigaigivesasenseofpurposetoeachandeverydayandplaysanimportantroleintheirhealthandlongevity.

ThefiveBlueZonesOkinawaholdsfirstplaceamongtheworld’sBlueZones.InOkinawa,womeninparticularlivelongerandhavefewerdiseasesthananywhereelseintheworld.ThefiveregionsidentifiedandanalyzedbyDanBuettnerinhisbookTheBlueZonesare:

1. Okinawa,Japan(especiallythenorthernpartoftheisland).Thelocalseatadietrichinvegetablesandtofutypicallyservedonsmallplates.Inadditiontotheirphilosophyofikigai,themoai,orclose-knitgroupoffriends(seepage15),playsanimportantroleintheirlongevity.

2. Sardinia,Italy(specificallytheprovincesofNuoroandOgliastra).Localsonthisislandconsumeplentyofvegetablesandoneortwoglassesofwineperday.AsinOkinawa,thecohesivenatureofthiscommunityisanotherfactordirectlyrelatedtolongevity.

3. LomaLinda,California.ResearchersstudiedagroupofSeventh-dayAdventistswhoareamongthelongest-livingpeopleintheUnitedStates.

4. TheNicoyaPeninsula,CostaRica.Localsremainremarkablyactiveafterninety;manyoftheregion’solderresidentshavenoproblemgettingupatfivethirtyinthemorningtoworkinthefields.

5. Ikaria,Greece.OneofeverythreeinhabitantsofthisislandnearthecoastofTurkeyisoverninetyyearsold(comparedtolessthan1percentofthepopulationoftheUnitedStates),afactthathasearneditthenicknametheIslandofLongLife.Thelocalsecretseemstobealifestylethatdatesbackto500BC.

Inthefollowingchapters,wewillexamineseveralfactorsthatseemtobethekeystolongevityandarefoundacrosstheBlueZones,payingspecialattentiontoOkinawaanditsso-calledVillageofLongevity.First,however,itisworthpointingoutthatthreeoftheseregionsareislands,whereresourcescanbescarceandcommunitieshavetohelponeanother.

Formany,helpingothersmightbeanikigaistrongenoughtokeepthemalive.AccordingtoscientistswhohavestudiedthefiveBlueZones,thekeysto

longevityarediet,exercise,findingapurposeinlife(anikigai),andformingstrongsocialties—thatis,havingabroadcircleoffriendsandgoodfamilyrelations.

Membersofthesecommunitiesmanagetheirtimewellinordertoreducestress,consumelittlemeatorprocessedfoods,anddrinkalcoholinmoderation.1

Theydon’tdostrenuousexercise,buttheydomoveeveryday,takingwalksandworkingintheirvegetablegardens.PeopleintheBlueZoneswouldratherwalkthandrive.Gardening,whichinvolvesdailylow-intensitymovement,isapracticealmostallofthemhaveincommon.

The80percentsecretOneofthemostcommonsayingsinJapanis“Harahachibu,”whichisrepeatedbeforeoraftereatingandmeanssomethinglike“Fillyourbellyto80percent.”Ancientwisdomadvisesagainsteatinguntilwearefull.ThisiswhyOkinawansstopeatingwhentheyfeeltheirstomachsreach80percentoftheircapacity,ratherthanovereatingandwearingdowntheirbodieswithlongdigestiveprocessesthatacceleratecellularoxidation.

Ofcourse,thereisnowaytoknowobjectivelyifyourstomachisat80percentcapacity.Thelessontolearnfromthissayingisthatweshouldstopeatingwhenwearestartingtofeelfull.Theextrasidedish,thesnackweeatwhenweknowinourheartswedon’treallyneedit,theapplepieafterlunch—allthesewill

giveuspleasureintheshortterm,butnothavingthemwillmakeushappierinthelongterm.

Thewayfoodisservedisalsoimportant.Bypresentingtheirmealsonmanysmallplates,theJapanesetendtoeatless.AtypicalmealinarestaurantinJapanisservedinfiveplatesonatray,fourofthemverysmallandthemaindishslightlybigger.Havingfiveplatesinfrontofyoumakesitseemlikeyouaregoingtoeatalot,butwhathappensmostofthetimeisthatyouendupfeelingslightlyhungry.ThisisoneofthereasonswhyWesternersinJapantypicallyloseweightandstaytrim.

RecentstudiesbynutritionistsrevealthatOkinawansconsumeadailyaverageof1,800to1,900calories,comparedto2,200to3,300intheUnitedStates,andhaveabodymassindexbetween18and22,comparedto26or27intheUnitedStates.

TheOkinawandietisrichintofu,sweetpotatoes,fish(threetimesperweek),andvegetables(roughly11ouncesperday).Inthechapterdedicatedtonutritionwewillseewhichhealthy,antioxidant-richfoodsareincludedinthis80percent.

Moai:ConnectedforlifeItiscustomaryinOkinawatoformclosebondswithinlocalcommunities.Amoaiisaninformalgroupofpeoplewithcommoninterestswholookoutforoneanother.Formany,servingthecommunitybecomespartoftheirikigai.

Themoaihasitsoriginsinhardtimes,whenfarmerswouldgettogethertosharebestpracticesandhelponeanothercopewithmeagerharvests.

Membersofamoaimakeasetmonthlycontributiontothegroup.Thispaymentallowsthemtoparticipateinmeetings,dinners,gamesofgoandshogi(Japanesechess),orwhateverhobbytheyhaveincommon.

Thefundscollectedbythegroupareusedforactivities,butifthereismoneyleftover,onemember(decidedonarotatingbasis)receivesasetamountfromthesurplus.Inthisway,beingpartofamoaihelpsmaintainemotionalandfinancialstability.Ifamemberofamoaiisinfinancialtrouble,heorshecangetanadvancefromthegroup’ssavings.Whilethedetailsofeachmoai’saccountingpracticesvaryaccordingtothegroupanditseconomicmeans,thefeelingofbelongingandsupportgivestheindividualasenseofsecurityandhelpsincreaselifeexpectancy.

•••

FOLLOWINGTHISBRIEFintroductiontothetopicscoveredinthisbook,welookatafewcausesofprematureaginginmodernlife,andthenexploredifferentfactorsrelatedtoikigai.

II

ANTIAGINGSECRETS

Littlethingsthatadduptoalongandhappylife

Aging’sescapevelocityFormorethanacentury,we’vemanagedtoaddanaverageof0.3yearstoourlifeexpectancyeveryyear.Butwhatwouldhappenifwehadthetechnologytoaddayearoflifeexpectancyeveryyear?Intheory,wewouldachievebiologicalimmortality,havingreachedaging’s“escapevelocity.”

Aging’sEscapeVelocityandtheRabbit

Imagineasignfaroffinthefuturewithanumberonitthatrepresentstheageofyourdeath.Everyyearthatyoulive,

youadvanceclosertothesign.Whenyoureachthesign,youdie.Nowimaginearabbitholdingthesignandwalkingtothefuture.Every

yearthatyoulive,therabbitishalfayearasfaraway.Afterawhile,youwillreachtherabbitanddie.

Butwhatiftherabbitcouldwalkatapaceofoneyearforeveryyearofyourlife?Youwouldneverbeabletocatchtherabbit,andthereforeyouwouldneverdie.

Thespeedatwhichtherabbitwalkstothefutureisourtechnology.Themoreweadvancetechnologyandknowledgeofourbodies,thefasterwecanmaketherabbitwalk.

Aging’sescapevelocityisthemomentatwhichtherabbitwalksatapaceofoneyearperyearorfaster,andwebecomeimmortal.

Researcherswithaneyetothefuture,suchasRayKurzweilandAubreydeGrey,claimthatwe’llreachthisescapevelocityinamatterofdecades.Otherscientistsarelessoptimistic,predictingthatwe’llreachalimit,amaximumagewewon’tbeabletosurpass,nomatterhowmuchtechnologywehave.Forexample,somebiologistsassertthatourcellsstopregeneratingafterabout120years.

Activemind,youthfulbodyThereismuchwisdomintheclassicsaying“menssanaincorporesano”(“a

Thereismuchwisdomintheclassicsaying“menssanaincorporesano”(“asoundmindinasoundbody”):Itremindsusthatbothmindandbodyareimportant,andthatthehealthofoneisconnectedtothatoftheother.Ithasbeenshownthatmaintaininganactive,adaptablemindisoneofthekeyfactorsinstayingyoung.

Havingayouthfulmindalsodrivesyoutowardahealthylifestylethatwillslowtheagingprocess.

Justasalackofphysicalexercisehasnegativeeffectsonourbodiesandmood,alackofmentalexerciseisbadforusbecauseitcausesourneuronsandneuralconnectionstodeteriorate—and,asaresult,reducesourabilitytoreacttooursurroundings.

Thisiswhyit’ssoimportanttogiveyourbrainaworkout.OnepioneerinadvocatingformentalexerciseistheIsraelineuroscientist

ShlomoBreznitz,whoarguesthatthebrainneedsalotofstimulationinordertostayinshape.AshestatedinaninterviewwithEduardPunsetfortheSpanishtelevisionprogramRedes:

Thereisatensionbetweenwhatisgoodforsomeoneandwhattheywanttodo.Thisisbecausepeople,especiallyolderpeople,liketodothingsasthey’vealwaysdonethem.Theproblemisthatwhenthebraindevelopsingrainedhabits,itdoesn’tneedtothinkanymore.Thingsgetdonequicklyandefficientlyonautomaticpilot,ofteninaveryadvantageousway.Thiscreatesatendencytosticktoroutines,andtheonlywayofbreakingtheseistoconfrontthebrainwithnewinformation.1

Presentedwithnewinformation,thebraincreatesnewconnectionsandisrevitalized.Thisiswhyitissoimportanttoexposeyourselftochange,evenifsteppingoutsideyourcomfortzonemeansfeelingabitofanxiety.

Theeffectsofmentaltraininghavebeenscientificallydemonstrated.AccordingtoCollinsHemingwayandShlomoBreznitzintheirbookMaximumBrainpower:ChallengingtheBrainforHealthandWisdom,mentaltrainingisbeneficialonmanylevels:“Youbeginexercisingyourbrainbydoingacertaintaskforthefirsttime,”hewrites.“Andatfirstitseemsverydifficult,butasyoulearnhowtodoit,thetrainingisalreadyworking.Thesecondtime,yourealizethatit’seasier,notharder,todo,becauseyou’regettingbetteratit.Thishasafantasticeffectonaperson’smood.Inandofitself,itisatransformationthataffectsnotonlytheresultsobtained,butalsohisorherself-image.”

Thisdescriptionofa“mentalworkout”mightsoundabitformal,butsimplyinteractingwithothers—playingagame,forexample—offersnewstimuliandhelpspreventthedepressionthatcancomewithsolitude.

Ourneuronsstarttoagewhilewearestillinourtwenties.Thisprocessis

Ourneuronsstarttoagewhilewearestillinourtwenties.Thisprocessisslowed,however,byintellectualactivity,curiosity,andadesiretolearn.Dealingwithnewsituations,learningsomethingneweveryday,playinggames,andinteractingwithotherpeopleseemtobeessentialantiagingstrategiesforthemind.Furthermore,amorepositiveoutlookinthisregardwillyieldgreatermentalbenefits.

Stress:AccusedofkillinglongevityManypeopleseemolderthantheyare.Researchintothecausesofprematureaginghasshownthatstresshasalottodowithit,becausethebodywearsdownmuchfasterduringperiodsofcrisis.TheAmericanInstituteofStressinvestigatedthisdegenerativeprocessandconcludedthatmosthealthproblemsarecausedbystress.

ResearchersattheHeidelbergUniversityHospitalconductedastudyinwhichtheysubjectedayoungdoctortoajobinterview,whichtheymadeevenmorestressfulbyforcinghimtosolvecomplexmathproblemsforthirtyminutes.Afterward,theytookabloodsample.Whattheydiscoveredwasthathisantibodieshadreactedtostressthesamewaytheyreacttopathogens,activatingtheproteinsthattriggeranimmuneresponse.Theproblemisthatthisresponsenotonlyneutralizesharmfulagents,italsodamageshealthycells,leadingthemtoageprematurely.

TheUniversityofCaliforniaconductedasimilarstudy,takingdataandsamplesfromthirty-ninewomenwhohadhighlevelsofstressduetotheillnessofoneoftheirchildrenandcomparingthemtosamplesfromwomenwithhealthychildrenandlowlevelsofstress.Theyfoundthatstresspromotescellularagingbyweakeningcellstructuresknownastelomeres,whichaffectcellularregenerationandhowourcellsage.Asthestudyrevealed,thegreaterthestress,thegreaterthedegenerativeeffectoncells.

Howdoesstresswork?Thesedays,peopleliveatafranticpaceandinanearlyconstantstateofcompetition.Atthisfeverpitch,stressisanaturalresponsetotheinformationbeingreceivedbythebodyaspotentiallydangerousorproblematic.

Theoretically,thisisausefulreaction,asithelpsussurviveinhostilesurroundings.Overthecourseofourevolution,wehaveusedthisresponseto

surroundings.Overthecourseofourevolution,wehaveusedthisresponsetodealwithdifficultsituationsandtofleefrompredators.

Thealarmthatgoesoffinourheadmakesourneuronsactivatethepituitarygland,whichproduceshormonesthatreleasecorticotropin,whichinturncirculatesthroughthebodyviathesympatheticnervoussystem.Theadrenalglandisthentriggeredtoreleaseadrenalineandcortisol.Adrenalineraisesourrespiratoryrateandpulseandpreparesourmusclesforaction,gettingthebodyreadytoreacttoperceiveddanger,whilecortisolincreasesthereleaseofdopamineandbloodglucose,whichiswhatgetsus“chargedup”andallowsustofacechallenges.

CaveDwellers ModernHumans

Wererelaxedmostofthetime. Workmostofthetimeandarealerttoanyandallthreats.

Feltstressonlyinveryspecificsituations.

Areonlineorwaitingfornotificationsfromtheircellphonestwenty-fourhoursaday.

Thethreatswerereal:Apredatorcouldendtheirlivesatanymoment.

Thebrainassociatesthepingofacellphoneorane-mailnotificationwiththethreatofapredator.

Highdosesofcortisolandadrenalineatmomentsofdangerkeptthebodyhealthy.

Lowdosesofcortisolflowconstantlythroughthebody,withimplicationsforarangeofhealthproblems,includingadrenalfatigueandchronicfatiguesyndrome.

Theseprocessesare,inmoderation,beneficial—theyhelpusovercomechallengesinourdailylives.Nonetheless,thestresstowhichhumanbeingsaresubjectedtodayisclearlyharmful.

Stresshasadegenerativeeffectovertime.Asustainedstateofemergencyaffectstheneuronsassociatedwithmemory,aswellasinhibitingthereleaseofcertainhormones,theabsenceofwhichcancausedepression.Itssecondaryeffectsincludeirritability,insomnia,anxiety,andhighbloodpressure.

Assuch,thoughchallengesaregoodforkeepingmindandbodyactive,weshouldadjustourhigh-stresslifestylesinordertoavoidtheprematureagingofourbodies.

BemindfulaboutreducingstressWhetherornotthethreatsweperceivearereal,stressisaneasilyidentifiableconditionthatnotonlycausesanxietybutisalsohighlypsychosomatic,affectingeverythingfromourdigestivesystemtoourskin.

Thisiswhypreventionissoimportantinavoidingthetollthatstresstakesonus—andwhymanyexpertsrecommendpracticingmindfulness.

Thecentralpremiseofthisstress-reductionmethodisfocusingontheself:noticingourresponses,eveniftheyareconditionedbyhabit,inordertobefullyconsciousofthem.Inthisway,weconnectwiththehereandnowandlimitthoughtsthattendtospiraloutofcontrol.

“Wehavetolearntoturnofftheautopilotthat’ssteeringusinanendlessloop.Weallknowpeoplewhosnackwhiletalkingonthephoneorwatchingthenews.Youaskthemiftheomelettheyjustatehadonioninit,andtheycan’ttellyou,”saysRobertoAlcibar,whoabandonedhisfast-pacedlifetobecomeacertifiedinstructorofmindfulnessafteranillnessthrewhimintoaperiodofacutestress.

Onewaytoreachastateofmindfulnessisthroughmeditation,whichhelpsfiltertheinformationthatreachesusfromtheoutsideworld.Itcanalsobeachievedthroughbreathingexercises,yoga,andbodyscans.

Achievingmindfulnessinvolvesagradualprocessoftraining,butwithabitofpracticewecanlearntofocusourmindcompletely,whichreducesstressandhelpsuslivelonger.

AlittlestressisgoodforyouWhilesustained,intensestressisaknownenemyoflongevityandbothmentalandphysicalhealth,lowlevelsofstresshavebeenshowntobebeneficial.

Afterobservingagroupoftestsubjectsformorethantwentyyears,Dr.HowardS.Friedman,apsychologyprofessorattheUniversityofCalifornia,Riverside,discoveredthatpeoplewhomaintainedalowlevelofstress,whofacedchallengesandputtheirheartandsoulintotheirworkinordertosucceed,livedlongerthanthosewhochoseamorerelaxedlifestyleandretiredearlier.Fromthis,heconcludedthatasmalldoseofstressisapositivething,asthosewholivewithlowlevelsofstresstendtodevelophealthierhabits,smokeless,anddrinklessalcohol.2

Giventhis,itisnotsurprisingthatmanyofthesupercentenarians—peoplewholivetobe110ormore—whomwe’llmeetinthisbooktalkabouthavinglivedintenselivesandworkingwellintooldage.

Alotofsittingwillageyou

IntheWesternworldinparticular,theriseinsedentarybehaviorhasledtonumerousdiseasessuchashypertensionandobesity,whichinturnaffectlongevity.

Spendingtoomuchtimeseatedatworkorathomenotonlyreducesmuscularandrespiratoryfitnessbutalsoincreasesappetiteandcurbsthedesiretoparticipateinactivities.Beingsedentarycanleadtohypertension,imbalancedeating,cardiovasculardisease,osteoporosis,andevencertainkindsofcancer.Recentstudieshaveshownaconnectionbetweenalackofphysicalactivityandtheprogressivedistortionoftelomeresintheimmunesystem,whichagesthosecellsand,inturn,theorganismasawhole.

Thisisaproblematalllifestages,notonlyamongadults.Sedentarychildrensufferfromhighratesofobesityandallitsassociatedhealthissuesandrisks,whichiswhyit’ssoimportanttodevelopahealthyandactivelifestyleatanearlyage.

It’seasytobelesssedentary;itjusttakesabitofeffortandafewchangestoyourroutine.Wecanaccessamoreactivelifestylethatmakesusfeelbetterinsideandout—wejusthavetoaddafewingredientstooureverydayhabits:

Walktowork,orjustgoonawalkforatleasttwentyminuteseachday.Useyourfeetinsteadofanelevatororescalator.Thisisgoodforyourposture,yourmuscles,andyourrespiratorysystem,amongotherthings.Participateinsocialorleisureactivitiessothatyoudon’tspendtoomuchtimeinfrontofthetelevision.Replaceyourjunkfoodwithfruitandyou’llhavelessofanurgetosnack,andmorenutrientsinyoursystem.Gettherightamountofsleep.Seventoninehoursisgood,butanymorethanthatmakesuslethargic.Playwithchildrenorpets,orjoinasportsteam.Thisnotonlystrengthensthebodybutalsostimulatesthemindandboostsself-esteem.Beconsciousofyourdailyroutineinordertodetectharmfulhabitsandreplacethemwithmorepositiveones.

Bymakingthesesmallchanges,wecanbegintorenewourbodiesandmindsandincreaseourlifeexpectancy.

Amodel’sbest-keptsecret

Amodel’sbest-keptsecretThoughweagebothexternallyandinternally,bothphysicallyandmentally,oneofthethingsthattellusthemostaboutpeople’sageistheirskin,whichtakesondifferenttexturesandcolorsaccordingtoprocessesgoingonbeneaththesurface.Mostofthosewhomaketheirlivingasmodelsclaimtosleepbetweennineandtenhoursthenightbeforeafashionshow.Thisgivestheirskinataut,wrinkle-freeappearanceandahealthy,radiantglow.

Sciencehasshownthatsleepisakeyantiagingtool,becausewhenwesleepwegeneratemelatonin,ahormonethatoccursnaturallyinourbodies.Thepinealglandproducesitfromtheneurotransmitterserotoninaccordingtoourdiurnalandnocturnalrhythms,anditplaysaroleinoursleepandwakingcycles.

Apowerfulantioxidant,melatoninhelpsuslivelonger,andalsooffersthefollowingbenefits:

Itstrengthenstheimmunesystem.Itcontainsanelementthatprotectsagainstcancer.Itpromotesthenaturalproductionofinsulin.ItslowstheonsetofAlzheimer’sdisease.Ithelpspreventosteoporosisandfightheartdisease.

Forallthesereasons,melatoninisagreatallyinpreservingyouth.Itshouldbenoted,however,thatmelatoninproductiondecreasesafteragethirty.Wecancompensateforthisby:

Eatingabalanceddietandgettingmorecalcium.Soakingupamoderateamountofsuneachday.Gettingenoughsleep.Avoidingstress,alcohol,tobacco,andcaffeine,allofwhichmakeithardertogetagoodnight’srest,deprivingusofthemelatoninweneed.

Expertsaretryingtodeterminewhetherartificiallystimulatingproductionofmelatoninmighthelpslowtheagingprocess...whichwouldconfirmthetheorythatwealreadycarrythesecrettolongevitywithinus.

Antiagingattitudes

Themindhastremendouspoweroverthebodyandhowquicklyitages.Mostdoctorsagreethatthesecrettokeepingthebodyyoungiskeepingthemindactive—akeyelementofikigai—andinnotcavinginwhenwefacedifficultiesthroughoutourlives.

Onestudy,conductedatYeshivaUniversity,foundthatthepeoplewholivethelongesthavetwodispositionaltraitsincommon:apositiveattitudeandahighdegreeofemotionalawareness.Inotherwords,thosewhofacechallengeswithapositiveoutlookandareabletomanagetheiremotionsarealreadywellontheirwaytowardlongevity.

Astoicattitude—serenityinthefaceofasetback—canalsohelpkeepyouyoung,asitlowersanxietyandstresslevelsandstabilizesbehavior.Thiscanbeseeninthegreaterlifeexpectanciesofcertaincultureswithunhurried,deliberatelifestyles.

Manycentenariansandsupercentenarianshavesimilarprofiles:Theyhavehadfulllivesthatweredifficultattimes,buttheyknewhowtoapproachthesechallengeswithapositiveattitudeandnotbeoverwhelmedbytheobstaclestheyfaced.

AlexanderImich,whoin2014becametheworld’soldestlivingmanatage111,knewhehadgoodgenesbutunderstoodthatotherfactorscontributed,too:“Thelifeyouliveisequallyormoreimportantforlongevity,”hesaidinaninterviewwithReutersafterbeingaddedtoGuinnessWorldRecordsin2014.

AnodetolongevityDuringourstayinOgimi,thevillagethatholdstheGuinnessrecordforlongevity,awomanwhowasabouttoturn100yearsoldsangthefollowingsongforusinamixtureofJapaneseandthelocaldialect:

Tokeephealthyandhavealonglife,eatjustalittleofeverythingwithrelish,gotobedearly,getupearly,andthengooutforawalk.Weliveeachdaywithserenityandweenjoythejourney.Tokeephealthyandhavealonglife,wegetonwellwithallofourfriends.Spring,summer,fall,winter,wehappilyenjoyalltheseasons.Thesecretistonotgetdistractedbyhowoldthefingersare;

Thesecretistonotgetdistractedbyhowoldthefingersare;fromthefingerstotheheadandbackonceagain.Ifyoukeepmovingwithyourfingersworking,100yearswillcometoyou.*

Wecannowuseourfingerstoturnthepagetothenextchapter,wherewewilllookatthecloserelationshipbetweenlongevityanddiscoveringourlife’smission.

III

FROMLOGOTHERAPYTOIKIGAI

Howtolivelongerandbetterbyfindingyourpurpose

Whatislogotherapy?AcolleagueonceaskedViktorFrankltodefinehisschoolofpsychologyinasinglephrase,towhichFranklreplied,“Well,inlogotherapythepatientsitsupstraightandhastolistentothingsthatare,onoccasion,hardtohear.”Thecolleaguehadjustdescribedpsychoanalysistohiminthefollowingterms:“Inpsychoanalysis,thepatientliesdownonacouchandtellsyouthingsthatare,onoccasion,hardtosay.”

Franklexplainsthatoneofthefirstquestionshewouldaskhispatientswas“Whydoyounotcommitsuicide?”Usuallythepatientfoundgoodreasonsnotto,andwasabletocarryon.What,then,doeslogotherapydo?1

Theanswerisprettyclear:Ithelpsyoufindreasonstolive.Logotherapypushespatientstoconsciouslydiscovertheirlife’spurposein

ordertoconfronttheirneuroses.Theirquesttofulfilltheirdestinythenmotivatesthemtopressforward,breakingthementalchainsofthepastandovercomingwhateverobstaclestheyencounteralongtheway.

SomethingtoLiveFor

AstudyconductedbyFranklinhisViennaclinicfoundthatamongbothpatientsandpersonnel,around80percentbelievedthathumanbeingsneededareasonforliving,andaround60percentfelttheyhadsomeoneorsomethingintheirlivesworthdyingfor.2

ThesearchformeaningThesearchforpurposebecameapersonal,drivingforcethatallowedFrankltoachievehisgoals.Theprocessoflogotherapycanbesummarizedinthesefivesteps:

1. Apersonfeelsempty,frustrated,oranxious.2. Thetherapistshowshimthatwhatheisfeelingisthedesiretohavea

meaningfullife.3. Thepatientdiscovershislife’spurpose(atthatparticularpointintime).4. Ofhisownfreewill,thepatientdecidestoacceptorrejectthatdestiny.5. Thisnewfoundpassionforlifehelpshimovercomeobstaclesandsorrows.

Franklhimselfwouldliveanddieforhisprinciplesandideals.HisexperiencesasaprisoneratAuschwitzshowedhimthat“Everythingcanbetakenfromamanbutonething:thelastofthehumanfreedoms—tochooseone’sattitudeinanygivensetofcircumstances,tochooseone’sownway.”3Itwassomethinghehadtogothroughalone,withoutanyhelp,anditinspiredhimfortherestofhislife.

TenDifferencesBetweenPsychoanalysisandLogotherapy

Psychoanalysis Logotherapy

Thepatientreclinesonacouch,likeapatient. Thepatientsitsfacingthetherapist,whoguideshimorherwithoutpassingjudgment.

Isretrospective:Itlookstothepast. Lookstowardthefuture.

Isintrospective:Itanalyzesneuroses. Doesnotdelveintothepatient’sneuroses.

Thedriveistowardpleasure. Thedriveistowardpurposeandmeaning.

Centersonpsychology. Includesaspiritualdimension.

Worksonpsychogenicneuroses. Alsoworksonnoogenic,orexistential,neuroses.

Analyzestheunconsciousoriginofconflicts(instinctualdimension).

Dealswithconflictswhenandwheretheyarise(spiritualdimension).

Limitsitselftothepatient’sinstincts. Alsodealswithspiritualrealities.

Isfundamentallyincompatiblewithfaith. Iscompatiblewithfaith.

Seekstoreconcileconflictsandsatisfyimpulsesandinstincts.

Seekstohelpthepatientfindmeaninginhislifeandsatisfyhismoralprinciples.

FightforyourselfExistentialfrustrationariseswhenourlifeiswithoutpurpose,orwhenthatpurposeisskewed.InFrankl’sview,however,thereisnoneedtoseethisfrustrationasananomalyorasymptomofneurosis;instead,itcanbeapositivething—acatalystforchange.

thing—acatalystforchange.Logotherapydoesnotseethisfrustrationasmentalillness,thewayotherforms

oftherapydo,butratherasspiritualanguish—anaturalandbeneficialphenomenonthatdrivesthosewhosufferfromittoseekacure,whetherontheirownorwiththehelpofothers,andinsodoingtofindgreatersatisfactioninlife.Ithelpsthemchangetheirowndestiny.

Logotherapyentersthepictureifthepersonneedshelpdoingthis,ifheneedsguidanceindiscoveringhislife’spurposeandlaterinovercomingconflictssohecankeepmovingtowardhisobjective.InMan’sSearchforMeaning,FranklcitesoneofNietzsche’sfamousaphorisms:“Hewhohasawhytoliveforcanbearwithalmostanyhow.”

Basedonhisownexperience,Franklbelievedthatourhealthdependsonthatnaturaltensionthatcomesfromcomparingwhatwe’veaccomplishedsofarwithwhatwe’dliketoachieveinthefuture.Whatweneed,then,isnotapeacefulexistence,butachallengewecanstrivetomeetbyapplyingalltheskillsatourdisposal.

Existentialcrisis,ontheotherhand,istypicalofmodernsocietiesinwhichpeopledowhattheyaretoldtodo,orwhatothersdo,ratherthanwhattheywanttodo.Theyoftentrytofillthegapbetweenwhatisexpectedofthemandwhattheywantforthemselveswitheconomicpowerorphysicalpleasure,orbynumbingtheirsenses.Itcanevenleadtosuicide.

Sundayneurosis,forexample,iswhathappenswhen,withouttheobligationsandcommitmentsoftheworkweek,theindividualrealizeshowemptyheisinside.Hehastofindasolution.Aboveall,hehastofindhispurpose,hisreasonforgettingoutofbed—hisikigai.

“IFeelEmptyInside”

InastudyconductedattheViennaPolyclinicHospital,Frankl’steamfoundthat55percentofthepatientstheyinterviewedwereexperiencingsomedegreeofexistentialcrisis.4

Accordingtologotherapy,discoveringone’spurposeinlifehelpsanindividualfillthatexistentialvoid.Frankl,amanwhofacedhisproblemsandturnedhisobjectivesintoactions,couldlookbackonhislifeinpeaceashegrewold.He

didnothavetoenvythosestillenjoyingtheiryouth,becausehehadamassedabroadsetofexperiencesthatshowedhehadlivedforsomething.

Betterlivingthroughlogotherapy:AfewkeyideasWedon’tcreatethemeaningofourlife,asSartreclaimed—wediscoverit.Weeachhaveauniquereasonforbeing,whichcanbeadjustedortransformedmanytimesovertheyears.Justasworryoftenbringsaboutpreciselythethingthatwasfeared,excessiveattentiontoadesire(or“hyper-intention”)cankeepthatdesirefrombeingfulfilled.Humorcanhelpbreaknegativecyclesandreduceanxiety.Weallhavethecapacitytodonobleorterriblethings.Thesideoftheequationweendupondependsonourdecisions,notontheconditioninwhichwefindourselves.

Inthepagesthatfollow,wewilllookatfourcasesfromFrankl’sownpracticeinordertobetterunderstandthesearchformeaningandpurpose.

Casestudy:ViktorFranklInGermanconcentrationcamps,asinthosethatwouldlaterbebuiltinJapanandKorea,psychiatristsconfirmedthattheprisonerswiththegreatestchanceofsurvivalwerethosewhohadthingstheywantedtoaccomplishoutsidethecamp,thosewhofeltastrongneedtogetoutoftherealive.ThiswastrueofFrankl,who,afterbeingreleasedandsuccessfullydevelopingtheschooloflogotherapy,realizedhehadbeenthefirstpatientofhisownpractice.

Franklhadagoaltoachieve,anditmadehimpersevere.HearrivedatAuschwitzcarryingamanuscriptthatcontainedallthetheoriesandresearchhehadcompiledoverthecourseofhiscareer,readyforpublication.Whenitwasconfiscated,hefeltcompelledtowriteitalloveragain,andthatneeddrovehimandgavehislifemeaningamidtheconstanthorroranddoubtoftheconcentrationcamp—somuchsothatovertheyears,andespeciallywhenhefellillwithtyphus,hewouldjotdownfragmentsandkeywordsfromthelostworkonanyscrapofpaperhefound.

Casestudy:TheAmericandiplomatAnimportantNorthAmericandiplomatwenttoFrankltopickupwhereheleftoffwithacourseoftreatmenthehadstartedfiveyearsearlierintheUnitedStates.WhenFranklaskedhimwhyhe’dstartedtherapyinthefirstplace,thediplomatansweredthathehatedhisjobandhiscountry’sinternationalpolicies,whichhehadtofollowandenforce.HisAmericanpsychoanalyst,whomhe’dbeenseeingforyears,insistedhemakepeacewithhisfathersothathisgovernmentandhisjob,bothrepresentationsofthepaternalfigure,wouldseemlessdisagreeable.Frankl,however,showedhiminjustafewsessionsthathisfrustrationwasduetothefactthathewantedtopursueadifferentcareer,andthediplomatconcludedhistreatmentwiththatideainmind.

Fiveyearslater,theformerdiplomatinformedFranklthathehadbeenworkingduringthattimeinadifferentprofession,andthathewashappy.

InFrankl’sview,themannotonlydidn’tneedallthoseyearsofpsychoanalysis,healsocouldn’tevenreallybeconsidereda“patient”inneedoftherapy.Hewassimplysomeoneinsearchofanewlife’spurpose;assoonashefoundit,hislifetookondeepermeaning.

Casestudy:ThesuicidalmotherThemotherofaboywhohaddiedatageelevenwasadmittedtoFrankl’sclinicaftershetriedtokillherselfandherotherson.Itwasthisotherson,paralyzedsincebirth,whokeptherfromcarryingoutherplan:Hedidbelievehislifehadapurpose,andifhismotherkilledthemboth,itwouldkeephimfromachievinghisgoals.

Thewomansharedherstoryinagroupsession.Tohelpher,Franklaskedanotherwomantoimagineahypotheticalsituationinwhichshelayonherdeathbed,oldandwealthybutchildless.Thewomaninsistedthat,inthatcase,shewouldhavefeltherlifehadbeenafailure.

Whenthesuicidalmotherwasaskedtoperformthesameexercise,imaginingherselfonherdeathbed,shelookedbackandrealizedthatshehaddoneeverythinginherpowerforherchildren—forbothofthem.Shehadgivenherparalyzedsonagoodlife,andhehadturnedintoakind,reasonablyhappyperson.Tothissheadded,crying,“Asformyself,Icanlookbackpeacefullyonmylife;forIcansaymylifewasfullofmeaning,andIhavetriedhardtoliveitfully;Ihavedonemybest—Ihavedonemybestformyson.Mylifewasnofailure!”

havedonemybest—Ihavedonemybestformyson.Mylifewasnofailure!”Inthisway,byimaginingherselfonherdeathbedandlookingback,the

suicidalmotherfoundthemeaningthat,thoughshewasnotawareofit,herlifealreadyhad.

Casestudy:Thegrief-strickendoctorAnelderlydoctor,unabletoovercomethedeepdepressionintowhichhe’dfallenafterthedeathofhiswifetwoyearsearlier,wenttoFranklforhelp.

Insteadofgivinghimadviceoranalyzinghiscondition,Franklaskedhimwhatwouldhavehappenedifhehadbeentheonewhodiedfirst.Thedoctor,horrified,answeredthatitwouldhavebeenterribleforhispoorwife,thatshewouldhavesufferedtremendously.TowhichFranklresponded,“Yousee,doctor?Youhavesparedherallthatsuffering,butthepriceyouhavetopayforthisistosurvive,andmournher.”

Thedoctordidn’tsayanotherword.HeleftFrankl’sofficeinpeace,aftertakingthetherapist’shandinhisown.Hewasabletotoleratethepaininplaceofhisbelovedwife.Hislifehadbeengivenapurpose.

MoritatherapyInthesamedecadethatlogotherapycameintobeing—afewyearsearlier,infact—ShomaMoritacreatedhisownpurpose-centeredtherapy,inJapan.Itprovedtobeeffectiveinthetreatmentofneurosis,obsessive-compulsivedisorder,andposttraumaticstress.

Inadditiontobeingapsychotherapist,ShomaMoritawasaZenBuddhist,andhistherapyleftalastingspiritualmarkonJapan.

ManyWesternformsoftherapyfocusoncontrollingormodifyingthepatient’semotions.IntheWest,wetendtobelievethatwhatwethinkinfluenceshowwefeel,whichinturninfluenceshowweact.Incontrast,Moritatherapyfocusesonteachingpatientstoaccepttheiremotionswithouttryingtocontrolthem,sincetheirfeelingswillchangeasaresultoftheiractions.

Inadditiontoacceptingthepatient’semotions,Moritatherapyseeksto“create”newemotionsonthebasisofactions.AccordingtoMorita,theseemotionsarelearnedthroughexperienceandrepetition.

Moritatherapyisnotmeanttoeliminatesymptoms;insteaditteachesustoacceptourdesires,anxieties,fears,andworries,andletthemgo.AsMoritawritesinhisbookMoritaTherapyandtheTrueNatureofAnxiety-BasedDisorders,“Infeelings,itisbesttobewealthyandgenerous.”

Moritaexplainedtheideaoflettinggoofnegativefeelingswiththefollowingfable:Adonkeythatistiedtoapostbyaropewillkeepwalkingaroundthepostinanattempttofreeitself,onlytobecomemoreimmobilizedandattachedtothepost.Thesamethingappliestopeoplewithobsessivethinkingwhobecomemoretrappedintheirownsufferingwhentheytrytoescapefromtheirfearsanddiscomfort.5

ThebasicprinciplesofMoritatherapy

1.Acceptyourfeelings.Ifwehaveobsessivethoughts,weshouldnottrytocontrolthemorgetridofthem.Ifwedo,theybecomemoreintense.Regardinghumanemotions,theZenmasterwouldsay,“Ifwetrytogetridofonewavewithanother,weendupwithaninfinitesea.”Wedon’tcreateourfeelings;theysimplycometous,andwehavetoacceptthem.Thetrickiswelcomingthem.Moritalikenedemotionstotheweather:Wecan’tpredictorcontrolthem;wecanonlyobservethem.Tothispoint,heoftenquotedtheVietnamesemonkThichNhatHanh,whowouldsay,“Hello,solitude.Howareyoutoday?Come,sitwithme,andIwillcareforyou.”6

2.Dowhatyoushouldbedoing.Weshouldn’tfocusoneliminatingsymptoms,becauserecoverywillcomeonitsown.Weshouldfocusinsteadonthepresentmoment,andifwearesuffering,onacceptingthatsuffering.Aboveall,weshouldavoidintellectualizingthesituation.Thetherapist’smissionistodevelopthepatient’scharactersoheorshecanfaceanysituation,andcharacterisgroundedinthethingswedo.Moritatherapydoesnotofferitspatientsexplanations,butratherallowsthemtolearnfromtheiractionsandactivities.Itdoesn’ttellyouhowtomeditate,orhowtokeepadiarythewayWesterntherapiesdo.Itisuptothepatienttomakediscoveriesthroughexperience.

3.Discoveryourlife’spurpose.Wecan’tcontrolouremotions,butwecantakechargeofouractionseveryday.Thisiswhyweshouldhaveaclearsenseofourpurpose,andalwayskeepMorita’smantrainmind:“Whatdoweneedtobedoingrightnow?Whatactionshouldwebetaking?”Thekeytoachievingthisishavingdaredtolookinsideyourselftofindyourikigai.

ThefourphasesofMoritatherapy

Morita’soriginaltreatment,whichlastsfifteentotwenty-onedays,consistsofthefollowingstages:

1.Isolationandrest(fivetosevendays).Duringthefirstweekoftreatment,thepatientrestsinaroomwithoutanyexternalstimuli.Notelevision,books,family,friends,orspeaking.Allthepatienthasishisthoughts.Heliesdownformostofthedayandisvisitedregularlybythetherapist,whotriestoavoidinteractingwithhimasmuchaspossible.Thetherapistsimplyadvisesthepatienttocontinueobservingtheriseandfallofhisemotionsasheliesthere.Whenthepatientgetsboredandwantstostartdoingthingsagain,heisreadytomoveontothenextstageoftherapy.

2.Lightoccupationaltherapy(fivetosevendays).Inthisstage,thepatientperformsrepetitivetasksinsilence.Oneoftheseiskeepingadiaryabouthisthoughtsandfeelings.Thepatientgoesoutsideafteraweekofbeingshutin,takeswalksinnature,anddoesbreathingexercises.Healsostartsdoingsimpleactivities,suchasgardening,drawing,orpainting.Duringthisstage,thepatientisstillnotallowedtotalktoanyone,exceptthetherapist.

3.Occupationaltherapy(fivetosevendays).Inthisstage,thepatientperformstasksthatrequirephysicalmovement.Dr.Moritalikedtotakehispatientstothemountainstochopwood.Inadditiontophysicaltasks,thepatientisalsoimmersedinotheractivities,suchaswriting,painting,ormakingceramics.Thepatientcanspeakwithothersatthisstage,butonlyaboutthetasksathand.

4.Thereturntosociallifeandthe“real”world.Thepatientleavesthehospitalandisreintroducedtosociallife,butmaintainsthepracticesofmeditationandoccupationaltherapydevelopedduringtreatment.Theideaistoreentersocietyasanewperson,withasenseofpurpose,andwithoutbeingcontrolledbysocialoremotionalpressures.

NaikanmeditationMoritawasagreatZenmasterofNaikanintrospectivemeditation.Muchofhistherapydrawsonhisknowledgeandmasteryofthisschool,whichcentersonthreequestionstheindividualmustaskhim-orherself:

1. WhathaveIreceivedfrompersonX?2. WhathaveIgiventopersonX?3. WhatproblemshaveIcausedpersonX?

Throughthesereflections,westopidentifyingothersasthecauseofourproblemsanddeepenourownsenseofresponsibility.AsMoritasaid,“Ifyouareangryandwanttofight,thinkaboutitforthreedaysbeforecomingtoblows.Afterthreedays,theintensedesiretofightwillpassonitsown.”7

Andnow,ikigaiLogotherapyandMoritatherapyarebothgroundedinapersonal,uniqueexperiencethatyoucanaccesswithouttherapistsorspiritualretreats:themissionoffindingyourikigai,yourexistentialfuel.Onceyoufindit,itisonlyamatterofhavingthecourageandmakingtheefforttostayontherightpath.

Inthefollowingchapters,we’lltakealookatthebasictoolsyou’llneedtogetmovingalongthatpath:findingflowinthetasksyou’vechosentodo,eatinginabalancedandmindfulway,doinglow-intensityexercise,andlearningnottogiveinwhendifficultiesarise.Inordertodothis,youhavetoacceptthattheworld—likethepeoplewholiveinit—isimperfect,butthatitisstillfullofopportunitiesforgrowthandachievement.

Areyoureadytothrowyourselfintoyourpassionasifitwerethemostimportantthingintheworld?

IV

FINDFLOWINEVERYTHINGYOUDO

Howtoturnworkandfreetimeintospacesforgrowth

Wearewhatwerepeatedlydo.Excellence,then,isnotanactbutahabit.

—Aristotle

GoingwiththeflowImagineyouareskiingdownoneofyourfavoriteslopes.Powderysnowfliesuponbothsidesofyoulikewhitesand.Conditionsareperfect.

Youareentirelyfocusedonskiingaswellasyoucan.Youknowexactlyhowtomoveateachmoment.Thereisnofuture,nopast.Thereisonlythepresent.Youfeelthesnow,yourskis,yourbody,andyourconsciousnessunitedasasingleentity.Youarecompletelyimmersedintheexperience,notthinkingaboutordistractedbyanythingelse.Youregodissolves,andyoubecomepartofwhatyouaredoing.

ThisisthekindofexperienceBruceLeedescribedwithhisfamous“Bewater,myfriend.”

We’veallfeltoursenseoftimevanishwhenweloseourselvesinanactivityweenjoy.Westartcookingandbeforeweknowit,severalhourshavepassed.Wespendanafternoonwithabookandforgetabouttheworldgoingbyuntilwenoticethesunsetandrealizewehaven’teatendinner.Wegosurfinganddon’trealizehowmanyhourswehavespentinthewateruntilthenextday,whenourmusclesache.

Theoppositecanalsohappen.Whenwehavetocompleteataskwedon’twanttodo,everyminutefeelslikealifetimeandwecan’tstoplookingatourwatch.AsthequipattributedtoEinsteingoes,“Putyourhandonahotstoveforaminuteanditseemslikeanhour.Sitwithaprettygirlforanhour,anditseemslikeaminute.Thatisrelativity.”

Thefunnythingisthatsomeoneelsemightreallyenjoythesametask,butwewanttofinishasquicklyaspossible.

Whatmakesusenjoydoingsomethingsomuchthatweforgetaboutwhateverworrieswemighthavewhilewedoit?Whenarewehappiest?Thesequestionscanhelpusdiscoverourikigai.

ThepowerofflowThesequestionsarealsoattheheartofpsychologistMihalyCsikszentmihalyi’sresearchintotheexperienceofbeingcompletelyimmersedinwhatwearedoing.Csikszentmihalyicalledthisstate“flow,”anddescribeditasthepleasure,delight,creativity,andprocesswhenwearecompletelyimmersedinlife.

Thereisnomagicrecipeforfindinghappiness,forlivingaccordingtoyourikigai,butonekeyingredientistheabilitytoreachthisstateofflowand,throughthisstate,tohavean“optimalexperience.”

Inordertoachievethisoptimalexperience,wehavetofocusonincreasingthetimewespendonactivitiesthatbringustothisstateofflow,ratherthanallowingourselvestogetcaughtupinactivitiesthatofferimmediatepleasure—likeeatingtoomuch,abusingdrugsoralcohol,orstuffingourselveswithchocolateinfrontoftheTV.

AsCsikszentmihalyiassertsinhisbookFlow:ThePsychologyofOptimalExperience,flowis“thestateinwhichpeoplearesoinvolvedinanactivitythatnothingelseseemstomatter;theexperienceitselfissoenjoyablethatpeoplewilldoitevenatgreatcost,forthesheersakeofdoingit.”

Itisnotonlycreativeprofessionalswhorequirethehighdosesofconcentrationthatpromoteflow.Mostathletes,chessplayers,andengineersalsospendmuchoftheirtimeonactivitiesthatbringthemtothisstate.

AccordingtoCsikszentmihalyi’sresearch,achessplayerfeelsthesamewayuponenteringastateofflowasamathematicianworkingonaformulaorasurgeonperforminganoperation.Aprofessorofpsychology,Csikszentmihalyianalyzeddatafrompeoplearoundtheworldanddiscoveredthatflowisthesameamongindividualsofallagesandcultures.InNewYorkandOkinawa,weallreachastateofflowinthesameway.

Butwhathappenstoourmindwhenweareinthatstate?Whenweflow,wearefocusedonaconcretetaskwithoutanydistractions.

Ourmindis“inorder.”Theoppositeoccurswhenwetrytodosomethingwhileourmindisonotherthings.

Ifyouoftenfindyourselflosingfocuswhileworkingonsomethingyouconsiderimportant,thereareseveralstrategiesyoucanemploytoincreaseyourchancesofachievingflow.

TheSevenConditionsforAchievingFlow

AccordingtoresearcherOwenSchafferofDePaulUniversity,the

AccordingtoresearcherOwenSchafferofDePaulUniversity,therequirementsforachievingfloware:

1. Knowingwhattodo2. Knowinghowtodoit3. Knowinghowwellyouaredoing4. Knowingwheretogo(wherenavigationisinvolved)5. Perceivingsignificantchallenges6. Perceivingsignificantskills7. Beingfreefromdistractions1

Strategy1:Chooseadifficulttask(butnottoodifficult!)Schaffer’smodelencouragesustotakeontasksthatwehaveachanceofcompletingbutthatareslightlyoutsideourcomfortzone.

Everytask,sport,orjobhasasetofrules,andweneedasetofskillstofollowthem.Iftherulesforcompletingataskorachievingapurposearetoobasicrelativetoourskillset,wewilllikelygetbored.Activitiesthataretooeasyleadtoapathy.

If,ontheotherhand,weassignourselvesataskthatistoodifficult,wewon’thavetheskillstocompleteitandwillalmostcertainlygiveup—andfeelfrustrated,toboot.

Theidealistofindamiddlepath,somethingalignedwithourabilitiesbutjustabitofastretch,soweexperienceitasachallenge.ThisiswhatErnestHemingwaymeantwhenhesaid,“SometimesIwritebetterthanIcan.”2

Wewanttoseechallengesthroughtotheendbecauseweenjoythefeelingofpushingourselves.BertrandRussellexpressedasimilarideawhenhesaid,“Tobeabletoconcentrateforaconsiderableamountoftimeisessentialtodifficultachievement.”3

Ifyou’reagraphicdesigner,learnanewsoftwareprogramforyournextproject.Ifyou’reaprogrammer,useanewprogramminglanguage.Ifyou’readancer,trytoincorporateintoyournextroutineamovementthathasseemedimpossibleforyears.

Addalittlesomethingextra,somethingthattakesyououtofyourcomfortzone.

zone.Evendoingsomethingassimpleasreadingmeansfollowingcertainrules,

havingcertainabilitiesandknowledge.Ifwesetouttoreadabookonquantummechanicsforspecialistsinphysicswithoutbeingspecialistsinphysicsourselves,we’llprobablygiveupafterafewminutes.Ontheotherendofthespectrum,ifwealreadyknoweverythingabookhastotellus,we’llgetboredrightaway.

However,ifthebookisappropriatetoourknowledgeandabilities,andbuildsonwhatwealreadyknow,we’llimmerseourselvesinourreading,andtimewillflow.Thispleasureandsatisfactionareevidencethatweareintunewithourikigai.

Easy Challenging BeyondOurAbilities

Boredom Flow Anxiety

Strategy2:Haveaclear,concreteobjectiveVideogames—playedinmoderation—boardgames,andsportsaregreatwaystoachieveflow,becausetheobjectivetendstobeveryclear:Beatyourrivaloryourownrecordwhilefollowingasetofexplicitlydefinedrules.

Unfortunately,theobjectiveisn’tquiteasclearinmostsituations.AccordingtoastudybyBostonConsultingGroup,whenaskedabouttheir

bosses,thenumberonecomplaintofemployeesatmultinationalcorporationsisthattheydon’t“communicatetheteam’smissionclearly,”andthat,asaresult,theemployeesdon’tknowwhattheirobjectivesare.

Whatoftenhappens,especiallyinbigcompanies,isthattheexecutivesgetlostinthedetailsofobsessiveplanning,creatingstrategiestohidethefactthattheydon’thaveaclearobjective.It’slikeheadingouttoseawithamapbutnodestination.

Itismuchmoreimportanttohaveacompasspointingtoaconcreteobjectivethantohaveamap.JoiIto,directoroftheMITMediaLab,encouragesustousetheprincipleof“compassovermaps”asatooltonavigateourworldofuncertainty.InthebookWhiplash:HowtoSurviveOurFasterFuture,heandJeffHowewrite,“Inanincreasinglyunpredictableworldmovingevermorequickly,adetailedmapmayleadyoudeepintothewoodsatanunnecessarilyhighcost.Agoodcompass,though,willalwaystakeyouwhereyouneedtogo.Itdoesn’tmeanthatyoushouldstartyourjourneywithoutanyideawhereyou’regoing.

Whatitdoesmeanisunderstandingthatwhilethepathtoyourgoalmaynotbestraight,you’llfinishfasterandmoreefficientlythanyouwouldhaveifyouhadtrudgedalongapreplannedroute.”

Inbusiness,thecreativeprofessions,andeducationalike,it’simportanttoreflectonwhatwehopetoachievebeforestartingtowork,study,ormakesomething.Weshouldaskourselvesquestionssuchas:

Whatismyobjectivefortoday’ssessioninthestudio?HowmanywordsamIgoingtowritetodayforthearticlecomingoutnextmonth?Whatismyteam’smission?HowfastwillIsetthemetronometomorrowinordertoplaythatsonataatanallegrotempobytheendoftheweek?

Havingaclearobjectiveisimportantinachievingflow,butwealsohavetoknowhowtoleaveitbehindwhenwegetdowntobusiness.Oncethejourneyhasbegun,weshouldkeepthisobjectiveinmindwithoutobsessingoverit.

WhenOlympicathletescompeteforagoldmedal,theycan’tstoptothinkhowprettythemedalis.Theyhavetobepresentinthemoment—theyhavetoflow.Iftheylosefocusforasecond,thinkinghowproudthey’llbetoshowthemedaltotheirparents,they’llalmostcertainlycommitanerroratacriticalmomentandwillnotwinthecompetition.

Onecommonexampleofthisiswriter’sblock.Imaginethatawriterhastofinishanovelinthreemonths.Theobjectiveisclear;theproblemisthatthewritercan’tstopobsessingoverit.Everydayshewakesupthinking,“Ihavetowritethatnovel,”andeverydayshesetsaboutreadingthenewspaperandcleaningthehouse.Everyeveningshefeelsfrustratedandpromisesshe’llgettoworkthenextday.

Days,weeks,andmonthspass,andthewriterstillhasn’tgottenanythingdownonthepage,whenallitwouldhavetakenwastositdownandgetthatfirstwordout,thenthesecond...toflowwiththeproject,expressingherikigai.

Assoonasyoutakethesefirstsmallsteps,youranxietywilldisappearandyouwillachieveapleasantflowintheactivityyou’redoing.GettingbacktoAlbertEinstein,“ahappymanistoosatisfiedwiththepresenttodwellonthefuture.”4

VagueObjective ClearlyDefinedObjectiveandaFocusonProcess

ObsessiveDesiretoAchieveaGoalWhileIgnoringProcess

Confusion;timeandenergywastedon Fixationontheobjectiveratherthangetting

Confusion;timeandenergywastedonmeaninglesstasks

Flow Fixationontheobjectiveratherthangettingdowntobusiness

Mentalblock Flow Mentalblock

Strategy3:ConcentrateonasingletaskThisisperhapsoneofthegreatestobstacleswefacetoday,withsomuchtechnologyandsomanydistractions.We’relisteningtoavideoonYouTubewhilewritingane-mail,whensuddenlyachatpromptpopsupandweanswerit.Thenoursmartphonevibratesinourpocket;justassoonaswerespondtothatmessage,we’rebackatourcomputer,loggingontoFacebook.

Prettysoonthirtyminuteshavepassed,andwe’veforgottenwhatthee-mailwewerewritingwassupposedtobeabout.

Thisalsohappenssometimeswhenweputonamoviewithdinneranddon’trealizehowdeliciousthesalmonwasuntilwe’retakingthelastbite.

Weoftenthinkthatcombiningtaskswillsaveustime,butscientificevidenceshowsthatithastheoppositeeffect.Eventhosewhoclaimtobegoodatmultitaskingarenotveryproductive.Infact,theyaresomeoftheleastproductivepeople.

Ourbrainscantakeinmillionsofbitsofinformationbutcanonlyactuallyprocessafewdozenpersecond.Whenwesaywe’remultitasking,whatwe’rereallydoingisswitchingbackandforthbetweentasksveryquickly.Unfortunately,we’renotcomputersadeptatparallelprocessing.Weendupspendingallourenergyalternatingbetweentasks,insteadoffocusingondoingoneofthemwell.

Concentratingononethingatatimemaybethesinglemostimportantfactorinachievingflow.

AccordingtoCsikszentmihalyi,inordertofocusonataskweneed:

1. Tobeinadistraction-freeenvironment2. Tohavecontroloverwhatwearedoingateverymoment

Technologyisgreat,ifwe’reincontrolofit.It’snotsogreatifittakescontrolofus.Forexample,ifyouhavetowritearesearchpaper,youmightsitdownatyourcomputeranduseGoogletolookuptheinformationyouneed.However,ifyou’renotverydisciplined,youmightendupsurfingtheWebinsteadofwritingthatpaper.Inthatcase,GoogleandtheInternetwillhavetakenover,pullingyou

thatpaper.Inthatcase,GoogleandtheInternetwillhavetakenover,pullingyououtofyourstateofflow.

Ithasbeenscientificallyshownthatifwecontinuallyaskourbrainstoswitchbackandforthbetweentasks,wewastetime,makemoremistakes,andrememberlessofwhatwe’vedone.

SeveralstudiesconductedatStanfordUniversitybyCliffordIvarNassdescribeourgenerationassufferingfromanepidemicofmultitasking.Onesuchstudyanalyzedthebehaviorofhundredsofstudents,dividingthemintogroupsbasedonthenumberofthingstheytendedtodoatonce.Thestudentswhowerethemostaddictedtomultitaskingtypicallyalternatedamongmorethanfourtasks;forexample,takingnoteswhilereadingatextbook,listeningtoapodcast,answeringmessagesontheirsmartphone,andsometimescheckingtheirTwittertimeline.

Eachgroupofstudentswasshownascreenwithseveralredandseveralbluearrows.Theobjectiveoftheexercisewastocounttheredarrows.

Atfirst,allthestudentsansweredcorrectlyrightaway,withoutmuchtrouble.Asthenumberofbluearrowsincreased(thenumberofredarrowsstayedthesame;onlytheirpositionchanged),however,thestudentsaccustomedtomultitaskinghadserioustroublecountingtheredarrowsinthetimeallotted,orasquicklyasthestudentswhodidnothabituallymultitask,foroneverysimplereason:Theygotdistractedbythebluearrows!Theirbrainsweretrainedtopayattentiontoeverystimulus,regardlessofitsimportance,whilethebrainsoftheotherstudentsweretrainedtofocusonasingletask—inthiscase,countingtheredarrowsandignoringtheblueones.5

Otherstudiesindicatethatworkingonseveralthingsatoncelowersourproductivitybyatleast60percentandourIQbymorethantenpoints.

OnestudyfundedbytheSwedishCouncilforWorkingLifeandSocialResearchfoundthatasamplegroupofmorethanfourthousandyoungadultsbetweentheagesoftwentyandtwenty-fourwhowereaddictedtotheirsmartphonesgotlesssleep,feltlessconnectedtotheircommunityatschool,andweremorelikelytoshowsignsofdepression.6

ConcentratingonaSingleTask Multitasking

Makesachievingflowmorelikely Makesachievingflowimpossible

Increasesproductivity Decreasesproductivityby60percent(thoughitdoesn’tseemto)

Increasesourpowerofretention Makesithardertorememberthings

Makesuslesslikelytomakemistakes Makesusmorelikelytomakemistakes

Helpsusfeelcalmandincontrolofthetaskat

Helpsusfeelcalmandincontrolofthetaskathand

Makesusfeelstressedbythesensationthatwe’relosingcontrol,thatourtasksarecontrollingus

Causesustobecomemoreconsiderateaswepayfullattentiontothosearoundus

Causesustohurtthosearoundusthroughour“addiction”tostimuli:alwayscheckingourphones,alwaysonsocialmedia...

Increasescreativity Reducescreativity

Whatcanwedotoavoidfallingvictimtothisflow-impedingepidemic?Howcanwetrainourbrainstofocusonasingletask?Hereareafewideasforcreatingaspaceandtimefreeofdistractions,toincreaseourchancesofreachingastateofflowandtherebygettingintouchwithourikigai:

Don’tlookatanykindofscreenforthefirsthouryou’reawakeandthelasthourbeforeyougotosleep.Turnoffyourphonebeforeyouachieveflow.Thereisnothingmoreimportantthanthetaskyouhavechosentododuringthistime.Ifthisseemstooextreme,enablethe“donotdisturb”functionsoonlythepeopleclosesttoyoucancontactyouincaseofemergency.Designateonedayoftheweek,perhapsaSaturdayorSunday,adayoftechnological“fasting,”makingexceptionsonlyfore-readers(withoutWi-Fi)orMP3players.Gotoacaféthatdoesn’thaveWi-Fi.Readandrespondtoe-mailonlyonceortwiceperday.Definethosetimesclearlyandsticktothem.TrythePomodoroTechnique:Getyourselfakitchentimer(somearemadetolooklikeapomodoro,ortomato)andcommittoworkingonasingletaskaslongasit’srunning.ThePomodoroTechniquerecommends25minutesofworkand5minutesofrestforeachcycle,butyoucanalsodo50minutesofworkand10minutesofrest.Findthepacethat’sbestforyou;themostimportantthingistobedisciplinedincompletingeachcycle.Startyourworksessionwitharitualyouenjoyandenditwithareward.Trainyourmindtoreturntothepresentwhenyoufindyourselfgettingdistracted.Practicemindfulnessoranotherformofmeditation,goforawalkoraswim—whateverwillhelpyougetcenteredagain.Workinaspacewhereyouwillnotbedistracted.Ifyoucan’tdothisathome,gotoalibrary,acafé,or,ifyourtaskinvolvesplayingthesaxophone,amusicstudio.Ifyoufindthatyoursurroundingscontinuetodistractyou,keeplookinguntilyoufindtherightplace.

Divideeachactivityintogroupsofrelatedtasks,andassigneachgroupitsownplaceandtime.Forexample,ifyou’rewritingamagazinearticle,youcoulddoresearchandtakenotesathomeinthemorning,writeinthelibraryintheafternoon,andeditonthecouchatnight.Bundleroutinetasks—suchassendingoutinvoices,makingphonecalls,andsoon—anddothemallatonce.

AdvantagesofFlow DisadvantagesofDistraction

Afocusedmind Awanderingmind

Livinginthepresent Thinkingaboutthepastandthefuture

Wearefreefromworry Concernsaboutourdailylifeandthepeoplearoundusinvadeourthoughts

Thehoursflyby Everyminuteseemsendless

Wefeelincontrol Welosecontrolandfailtocompletethetaskathand,orothertasksorpeoplekeepusfromourwork

Wepreparethoroughly Weactwithoutbeingprepared

Weknowwhatweshouldbedoingatanygivenmoment Wefrequentlygetstuckanddon’tknowhowtoproceed

Ourmindisclearandovercomesallobstaclestotheflowofthought Weareplaguedbydoubts,concerns,andlowself-esteem

It’spleasant It’sboringandexhausting

Ouregofades:Wearenottheonescontrollingtheactivityortaskwe’redoing—thetaskisleadingus

Constantself-criticism:Ouregoispresentandwefeelfrustrated

FlowinJapan:Takumis,engineers,geniuses,andotakus

Whatdotakumis(artisans),engineers,inventors,andotakus(fansofanimeandmanga)haveincommon?Theyallunderstandtheimportanceofflowingwiththeirikigaiatalltimes.

OnewidespreadstereotypeaboutpeopleinJapanisthatthey’reexceptionallydedicatedandhardworking,eventhoughsomeJapanesepeoplesaytheylooklikethey’reworkingharderthantheyreallyare.Thereisnodoubt,though,abouttheirabilitytobecompletelyabsorbedinatask,orabouttheirperseverancewhenthereisaproblemtobesolved.OneofthefirstwordsonelearnswhenstartingJapaneselessonsisganbaru,whichmeans“topersevere”or“tostayfirmbydoingone’sbest.”

Japanesepeopleoftenapplythemselvestoeventhemostbasictaskswithanintensitythatbordersonobsession.Weseethisinallkindsofcontexts,fromthe“retirees”takingmeticulouscareoftheirricefieldsinthemountainsofNaganotothecollegestudentsworkingtheweekendshiftinconveniencestoresknownaskonbinis.IfyougotoJapan,you’llexperiencethisattentiontodetailfirsthandinalmosteverytransaction.

WalkintooneofthestoresthatsellhandcraftedobjectsinNaha,Kanazawa,orKyotoandyou’llalsodiscoverthatJapanisatreasuretroveoftraditionalcraftwork.ThepeopleofJapanhaveauniquetalentforcreatingnewtechnologieswhilepreservingartisanaltraditionsandtechniques.

TheartofthetakumiToyotaemploys“artisans”whoareabletomakeacertaintypeofscrewbyhand.Thesetakumi,orexpertsinaparticularmanualskill,areextremelyimportanttoToyota,andtheyarehardtoreplace.Someofthemaretheonlypeoplewhoknowhowtoperformtheirexactskill,anditdoesn’tseemasthoughanewgenerationisgoingtotakeupthemantle.

Turntableneedlesareanotherexample:They’reproducedalmostexclusivelyinJapan,whereyoucanfindthelastremainingpeoplewhoknowhowtousethemachineryrequiredtomaketheseprecisionneedles,andwhoaretryingtopassontheirknowledgetotheirdescendants.

WemetatakumionavisittoKumano,asmalltownnearHiroshima.Weweretherefortheday,workingonaphotoessayforoneofthemostfamousbrandsofmakeupbrushesintheWest.ThebillboardwelcomingvisitorstoKumanoshowsamascotholdingalargebrush.Inadditiontothebrushfactories,thetownisfulloflittlehousesandvegetablegardens;headingfartherin,youcanseeseveralShintoshrinesatthebaseofthemountainsthatsurroundthetown.

Wespenthourstakingphotosinfactoriesfullofpeopleinorderlyrows,eachdoingasingletask—suchaspaintingthehandlesofthebrushesorloadingboxesofthemontotrucks—beforewerealizedwestillhadn’tseenanyoneactuallyputtingbristlesintothebrushheads.

Afterweaskedaboutthisandgottherunaroundseveraltimes,thepresidentofonecompanyagreedtoshowushowitwasdone.Heledusoutofthebuildingandaskedustogetintohiscar.Afterafive-minutedriveweparkednexttoanother,smallerstructureandclimbedthestairs.Heopenedadoorandwewalkedintoasmallroomfilledwithwindowsthatletinlovelynaturallight.

walkedintoasmallroomfilledwithwindowsthatletinlovelynaturallight.Inthemiddleoftheroomwasawomanwearingamask.Youcouldseeonly

hereyes.Shewassofocusedonchoosingindividualbristlesforthebrushes—gracefullymovingherhandsandfingers,usingscissorsandcombstosortthebristles—thatshedidn’tevennoticeourpresence.Hermovementsweresoquickitwashardtotellwhatshewasdoing.

Thepresidentofthecompanyinterruptedhertoletherknowthatwe’dbetakingphotosassheworked.Wecouldn’tseehermouth,buttheglintinhereyeandthecheerfulinflectioninherspeechletusknowshewassmiling.Shelookedhappyandproudtalkingaboutherworkandresponsibilities.

Wehadtouseextremelyfastshutterspeedstocapturehermovements.Herhandsdancedandflowedinconcertwithhertoolsandthebristlesshewassorting.

Thepresidenttoldusthatthistakumiwasoneofthemostimportantpeopleinthecompany,eventhoughshewashiddenawayinaseparatebuilding.Everybristleofeverybrushthecompanymadepassedthroughherhands.

SteveJobsinJapanApplecofounderSteveJobswasabigfanofJapan.NotonlydidhevisittheSonyfactoriesinthe1980sandadoptmanyoftheirmethodswhenhefoundedApple,hewasalsocaptivatedbythesimplicityandqualityofJapaneseporcelaininKyoto.

Itwasnot,however,anartisanfromKyotowhowonSteveJobs’sdevotion,butratheratakumifromToyamanamedYukioShakunaga,whousedatechniquecalledEtchuSeto-yaki,knownbyonlyafew.

OnavisittoKyoto,JobsheardofanexhibitionofShakunaga’swork.HeimmediatelyunderstoodthattherewassomethingspecialaboutShakunaga’sporcelain.Asamatteroffact,heboughtseveralcups,vases,andplates,andwentbacktotheshowthreetimesthatweek.

JobsreturnedtoKyotoseveraltimesoverthecourseofhislifeinsearchofinspiration,andendedupmeetingShakunagainperson.ItissaidthatJobshadmanyquestionsforhim—almostallofthemaboutthefabricationprocessandthetypeofporcelainheused.

ShakunagaexplainedthatheusedwhiteporcelainheextractedhimselffrommountainsintheToyamaprefecture,makinghimtheonlyartistofhisilk

familiarwiththefabricationprocessofporcelainobjectsfromtheiroriginsinthemountainstotheirfinalform—anauthentictakumi.

JobswassoimpressedthatheconsideredgoingtoToyamatoseethemountainwhereShakunagagothisporcelain,butthoughtbetterofitwhenheheardthatitwasmorethanfourhoursbytrainfromKyoto.

InaninterviewafterJobs’sdeath,ShakunagasaidhewasveryproudthathisworkhadbeenappreciatedbythemanwhocreatedtheiPhone.HeaddedthatJobs’slastpurchasefromhimhadbeenasetoftwelveteacups.Jobshadaskedforsomethingspecial,“anewstyle.”Tosatisfythisrequest,Shakunagamade150teacupsintheprocessoftestingoutnewideas.Ofthese,hechosethetwelvebestandsentthemtotheJobsfamily.

EversincehisfirsttriptoJapan,Jobswasfascinatedandinspiredbythecountry’sartisans,engineers(especiallyatSony),philosophy(especiallyZen),andcuisine(especiallysushi).7

SophisticatedsimplicityWhatdoJapaneseartisans,engineers,Zenphilosophy,andcuisinehaveincommon?Simplicityandattentiontodetail.Itisnotalazysimplicitybutasophisticatedonethatsearchesoutnewfrontiers,alwaystakingtheobject,thebodyandmind,orthecuisinetothenextlevel,accordingtoone’sikigai.

AsCsikszentmihalyiwouldsay,thekeyisalwayshavingameaningfulchallengetoovercomeinordertomaintainflow.

ThedocumentaryJiroDreamsofSushigivesusanotherexampleofatakumi,thistimeinthekitchen.Itsprotagonisthasbeenmakingsushieverydayformorethaneightyyears,andownsasmallsushirestaurantneartheGinzasubwaystationinTokyo.HeandhissongoeverydaytothefamousTsukijifishmarketandchoosethebestfishtobringbacktotherestaurant.

Inthedocumentary,weseeoneofJiro’sapprenticeslearningtomaketamago(athin,slightlysweetomelet).Nomatterhowhardhetries,hecan’tgetJiro’sapproval.Hekeepspracticingforyearsuntilhefinallydoes.

Whydoestheapprenticerefusetogiveup?Doesn’thegetboredcookingeggseveryday?No,becausemakingsushiishisikigai,too.

BothJiroandhissonareculinaryartists.Theydon’tgetboredwhentheycook—theyachieveastateofflow.Theyenjoythemselvescompletelywhentheyare

inthekitchen;thatistheirhappiness,theirikigai.They’velearnedtotakepleasureintheirwork,tolosetheirsenseoftime.

Beyondthecloserelationshipbetweenfatherandson,whichhelpsthemkeepthechallengegoingeachday,theyalsoworkinaquiet,peacefulenvironmentthatallowsthemtoconcentrate.Evenafterreceivingathree-starratingfromMichelin,theyneverconsideredopeningotherlocationsorexpandingthebusiness.Theyservejusttenpatronsatatimeatthebaroftheirsmallrestaurant.Jiro’sfamilyisn’tlookingtomakemoney;insteadtheyvaluegoodworkingconditionsandcreatinganenvironmentinwhichtheycanflowwhilemakingthebestsushiintheworld.

Jiro,likeYukioShakunaga,beginshisworkat“thesource.”Hegoestothefishmarkettofindthebesttuna;Shakunagagoestothemountainstofindthebestporcelain.Whentheygetdowntowork,bothbecomeonewiththeobjecttheyarecreating.ThisunitywiththeobjectthattheyreachinastateofflowtakesonspecialmeaninginJapan,where,accordingtoShintoism,forests,trees,andobjectshaveakami(spiritorgod)withinthem.

Whensomeone—whetheranartist,anengineer,orachef—setsouttocreatesomething,hisorherresponsibilityistousenaturetogiveit“life”whilerespectingthatnatureateverymoment.Duringthisprocess,theartisanbecomesonewiththeobjectandflowswithit.Anironworkerwouldsaythatmetalhasalifeofitsown,justassomeonemakingceramicswouldsaythattheclaydoes.TheJapaneseareskilledatbringingnatureandtechnologytogether:notmanversusnature,butratheraunionofthetwo.

ThepurityofGhibliTherearethosewhosaythattheShintovalueofbeingconnectedwithnatureisvanishing.Oneoftheharshestcriticsofthislossisanotherartistwithaclearlydefinedikigai:HayaoMiyazaki,thedirectoroftheanimatedfilmsproducedbyStudioGhibli.

Innearlyallhisfilmsweseehumans,technology,fantasy,andnatureinastateofconflict—and,intheend,comingtogether.OneofthemostpoignantmetaphorsinhisfilmSpiritedAwayisanobesespiritcoveredintrashthatrepresentsthepollutionoftherivers.

InMiyazaki’sfilms,forestshavepersonalities,treeshavefeelings,androbotsbefriendbirds.ConsideredanationaltreasurebytheJapanesegovernment,

Miyazakiisanartistcapableofbecomingcompletelyabsorbedinhisart.Heusesacellphonefromthelate1990s,andhemakeshisentireteamdrawbyhand.He“directs”hisfilmsbyrenderingonpapereventhetiniestdetail,achievingflowbydrawing,notbyusingacomputer.Thankstothisobsessiononthedirector’spart,StudioGhibliisoneoftheonlystudiosintheworldwherealmosttheentireproductionprocessiscarriedoutusingtraditionaltechniques.

ThosewhohavevisitedStudioGhibliknowthatitisfairlytypical,onagivenSundaytoseeasolitaryindividualtuckedawayinacorner,hardatwork—amaninsimpleclotheswhowillgreetthemwithanohayo(hello)withoutlookingup.

MiyazakiissopassionateabouthisworkthathespendsmanySundaysinthestudio,enjoyingthestateofflow,puttinghisikigaiaboveallelse.VisitorsknowthatundernocircumstancesisonetobotherMiyazaki,whoisknownforhisquicktemper—especiallyifheisinterruptedwhiledrawing.

In2013,Miyazakiannouncedhewasgoingtoretire.Tocommemoratehisretirement,thetelevisionstationNHKmadeadocumentaryshowinghiminhislastdaysatwork.Heisdrawinginnearlyeverysceneofthefilm.Inonescene,severalofhiscolleaguesareseencomingoutofameeting,andthereheis,drawinginacorner,payingnoattentiontothem.Inanotherscene,heisshownwalkingtoworkonDecember30(anationalholidayinJapan)andopeningthedoorsofStudioGhiblisohecanspendthedaythere,drawingalone.

Miyazakican’tstopdrawing.Thedayafterhis“retirement,”insteadofgoingonvacationorstayingathome,hewenttoStudioGhibliandsatdowntodraw.Hiscolleaguesputontheirbestpokerfaces,notknowingwhattosay.Oneyearlater,heannouncedhewouldn’tmakeanymorefeaturefilmsbutthathewouldkeepondrawinguntilthedayhedied.

Cansomeonereallyretireifheispassionateaboutwhathedoes?

ThereclusesItisnotonlytheJapanesewhohavethiscapacity;thereareartistsandscientistsallovertheworldwithstrong,clearikigais.Theydowhattheyloveuntiltheirdyingday.

ThelastthingEinsteinwrotebeforeclosinghiseyesforeverwasaformulathatattemptedtounitealltheforcesoftheuniverseinasingletheory.Whenhedied,hewasstilldoingwhatheloved.Ifhehadn’tbeenaphysicist,hesaid,hewouldhavebeenhappyasamusician.Whenhewasn’tfocusedonphysicsor

mathematics,heenjoyedplayingtheviolin.Reachingastateofflowwhileworkingonhisformulasorplayingmusic,histwoikigais,broughthimendlesspleasure.

Manysuchartistsmightseemmisanthropicorreclusive,butwhattheyarereallydoingisprotectingthetimethatbringsthemhappiness,sometimesattheexpenseofotheraspectsoftheirlives.Theyareoutlierswhoapplytheprinciplesofflowtotheirlivestoanextreme.

AnotherexampleofthiskindofartististhenovelistHarukiMurakami.Heseesonlyaclosecircleoffriends,andappearsinpublicinJapanonlyonceeveryfewyears.

Artistsknowhowimportantitistoprotecttheirspace,controltheirenvironment,andbefreeofdistractionsiftheywanttoflowwiththeirikigai.

Microflow:EnjoyingmundanetasksButwhathappenswhenwehaveto,say,dothelaundry,mowthelawn,orattendtopaperwork?Isthereawaytomakethesemundanetasksenjoyable?

NeartheShinjukusubwaystation,inoneoftheneuralcentersofTokyo,thereisasupermarketthatstillemployselevatoroperators.Theelevatorsarefairlystandardandcouldeasilybeoperatedbythecustomers,butthestorepreferstoprovidetheserviceofsomeoneholdingthedooropenforyou,pushingthebuttonforyourfloor,andbowingasyouexit.

Ifyouaskaround,you’lllearnthatthereisoneelevatoroperatorwhohasbeendoingthesamejobsince2004.Sheisalwayssmilingandenthusiasticaboutherwork.Howissheabletoenjoysuchajob?Doesn’tshegetboreddoingsomethingsorepetitive?

Oncloserinspection,itbecomesclearthattheelevatoroperatorisnotjustpushingbuttonsbutisinsteadperformingawholesequenceofmovements.Shebeginsbygreetingthecustomerswithasonglikesalutationfollowedbyabowandawelcomingwaveofthehand.Thenshepressestheelevatorbuttonwithagracefulmovement,asthoughsheisageishaofferingaclientacupoftea.

Csikszentmihalyicallsthismicroflow.We’veallbeenboredinaclassorataconferenceandstarteddoodlingtokeep

ourselvesentertained.Orwhistledwhilepaintingawall.Ifwe’renottrulybeingchallenged,wegetboredandaddalayerofcomplexitytoamuseourselves.Ourabilitytoturnroutinetasksintomomentsofmicroflow,intosomethingweenjoy,iskeytoourbeinghappy,sinceweallhavetodosuchtasks.

iskeytoourbeinghappy,sinceweallhavetodosuchtasks.EvenBillGateswashesthedisheseverynight.Hesaysheenjoysit—thatit

helpshimrelaxandclearhismind,andthathetriestodoitalittlebettereachday,followinganestablishedorderorsetofruleshe’smadeforhimself:platesfirst,forkssecond,andsoon.

It’soneofhisdailymomentsofmicroflow.RichardFeynman,oneofthemostimportantphysicistsofalltime,alsotook

pleasureinroutinetasks.W.DanielHillis,oneofthefoundersofthesupercomputermanufacturerThinkingMachines,hiredFeynmantoworkonthedevelopmentofacomputerthatcouldhandleparallelprocessingwhenhewasalreadyworldfamous.HesaysFeynmanshoweduponhisfirstdayofworkandsaid,“OK,boss,what’smyassignment?”Theydidn’thaveanythingprepared,sotheyaskedhimtoworkonacertainmathematicalproblem.Heimmediatelyrealizedtheyweregivinghimanirrelevanttasktokeephimbusyandsaid,“Thatsoundslikeabunchofbaloney—givemesomethingrealtodo.”

Sotheysenthimtoanearbyshoptobuyofficesupplies,andhecompletedhisassignmentwithasmileonhisface.Whenhedidn’thavesomethingimportanttodoorneededtoresthismind,Feynmandedicatedhimselftomicroflowing—say,paintingtheofficewalls.

Weekslater,aftervisitingtheThinkingMachinesofficesagroupofinvestorsdeclared,“YouhaveaNobellaureateintherepaintingwallsandsolderingcircuits.”8

Instantvacations:GettingtherethroughmeditationTrainingthemindcangetustoaplaceofflowmorequickly.Meditationisonewaytoexerciseourmentalmuscles.

Therearemanytypesofmeditation,buttheyallhavethesameobjective:calmingthemind,observingourthoughtsandemotions,andcenteringourfocusonasingleobject.

Thebasicpracticeinvolvessittingwithastraightbackandfocusingonyourbreath.Anyonecandoit,andyoufeeladifferenceafterjustonesession.Byfixingyourattentionontheairmovinginandoutofyournose,youcanslowthetorrentofthoughtsandclearyourmentalhorizons.

TheArcher’sSecret

Thewinnerofthe1988Olympicgoldmedalforarcherywasaseventeen-year-oldwomanfromSouthKorea.Whenaskedhowsheprepared,sherepliedthatthemostimportantpartofhertrainingwasmeditatingfortwohourseachday.

Ifwewanttogetbetteratreachingastateofflow,meditationisanexcellentantidotetooursmartphonesandtheirnotificationsconstantlyclamoringforourattention.

Oneofthemostcommonmistakesamongpeoplestartingtomeditateisworryingaboutdoingit“right,”achievingabsolutementalsilence,orreaching“nirvana.”Themostimportantthingistofocusonthejourney.

Sincethemindisaconstantswirlofthoughts,ideas,andemotions,slowingdownthe“centrifuge”—evenforjustafewseconds—canhelpusfeelmorerestedandleaveuswithasenseofclarity.

Infact,oneofthethingswelearninthepracticeofmeditationisnottoworryaboutanythingthatflitsacrossourmentalscreen.Theideaofkillingourbossmightflashintoourmind,butwesimplylabelitasathoughtandletitpasslikeacloud,withoutjudgingorrejectingit.Itisonlyathought—oneofthesixtythousandwehaveeveryday,accordingtosomeexperts.

Meditationgeneratesalphaandthetabrainwaves.Forthoseexperiencedinmeditation,thesewavesappearrightaway,whileitmighttakeahalfhourforabeginnertoexperiencethem.Theserelaxingbrainwavesaretheonesthatareactivatedrightbeforewefallasleep,aswelieinthesun,orrightaftertakingahotbath.

Weallcarryaspawithuseverywherewego.It’sjustamatterofknowinghowtogetin—somethinganyonecando,withabitofpractice.

HumansasritualisticbeingsLifeisinherentlyritualistic.Wecouldarguethathumansnaturallyfollowritualsthatkeepusbusy.Insomemoderncultures,wehavebeenforcedoutofourritualisticlivestopursuegoalaftergoalinordertobeseenassuccessful.Butthroughouthistory,humanshavealwaysbeenbusy.Wewerehunting,cooking,farming,exploring,andraisingfamilies—activitiesthatwerestructuredasritualstokeepusbusythroughoutourdays.

Butinanunusualway,ritualsstillpermeatedailylifeandbusinesspracticesin

Butinanunusualway,ritualsstillpermeatedailylifeandbusinesspracticesinmodernJapan.ThemainreligionsinJapan—Confucianism,Buddhism,andShintoism—areallonesinwhichtheritualsaremoreimportantthanabsoluterules.

WhendoingbusinessinJapan,process,manners,andhowyouworkonsomethingismoreimportantthanthefinalresults.Whetherthisisgoodorbadfortheeconomyisbeyondthescopeofthisbook.Whatisindisputable,though,isthatfindingflowina“ritualisticworkplace”ismucheasierthaninoneinwhichwearecontinuallystressedouttryingtoachieveuncleargoalssetbyourbosses.

Ritualsgiveusclearrulesandobjectives,whichhelpusenterastateofflow.Whenwehaveonlyabiggoalinfrontofus,wemightfeellostoroverwhelmedbyit;ritualshelpusbygivingustheprocess,thesubsteps,onthepathtoachievingagoal.Whenconfrontedwithabiggoal,trytobreakitdownintopartsandthenattackeachpartonebyone.

Focusonenjoyingyourdailyrituals,usingthemastoolstoenterastateofflow.Don’tworryabouttheoutcome—itwillcomenaturally.Happinessisinthedoing,notintheresult.Asaruleofthumb,remindyourself:“Ritualsovergoals.”

Thehappiestpeoplearenottheoneswhoachievethemost.Theyaretheoneswhospendmoretimethanothersinastateofflow.

UsingflowtofindyourikigaiAfterreadingthischapteryoushouldhaveabetterideaofwhichactivitiesinyourlifemakeyouenterflow.Writeallofthemonapieceofpaper,thenaskyourselfthesequestions:Whatdotheactivitiesthatdriveyoutoflowhaveincommon?Whydothoseactivitiesdriveyoutoflow?Forexample,arealltheactivitiesyoumostlikedoingonesthatyoupracticealoneorwithotherpeople?Doyouflowmorewhendoingthingsthatrequireyoutomoveyourbodyorjusttothink?

Intheanswerstothesequestionsyoumightfindtheunderlyingikigaithatdrivesyourlife.Ifyoudon’t,thenkeepsearchingbygoingdeeperintowhatyoulikebyspendingmoreofyourtimeintheactivitiesthatmakeyouflow.Also,trynewthingsthatarenotonthelistofwhatmakesyouflowbutthataresimilarandthatyouarecuriousabout.Forexample,ifphotographyissomethingthatdrivesyouintoflow,youcouldalsotrypainting;youmightevenlikeitmore!Orifyoulovesnowboardingandhavenevertriedsurfing...

Flowismysterious.Itislikeamuscle:themoreyoutrainit,themoreyouwillflow,andthecloseryouwillbetoyourikigai.

V

MASTERSOFLONGEVITY

Wordsofwisdomfromthelongest-livingpeopleintheworld

WHENWESTARTEDworkingonthisbook,wedidn’twanttojustresearchthefactorsthatcontributetoalongandhappylife;wewantedtohearfromthetruemastersofthisart.

TheinterviewsweconductedinOkinawamerittheirownchapter,butinthesectionthatprecedesitwehaveprovidedanoverviewofthelifephilosophiesofafewinternationalchampionsoflongevity.We’retalkingaboutsupercentenarians—peoplewholiveto110yearsofageormore.

Thetermwascoinedin1970byNorrisMcWhirter,editorofTheGuinnessBookofWorldRecords.Itsusebecamemorewidespreadinthe1990s,afteritappearedinWilliamStraussandNeilHowe’sGenerations.Todaythereareanestimated300to450supercentenariansintheworld,althoughtheageofonlyaround75ofthemhasbeenconfirmed.Theyaren’tsuperheroes,butwecouldseethemassuchforhavingspentfarmoretimeonthisplanetthantheaveragelifeexpectancywouldpredict.

Giventheriseinlifeexpectancyaroundtheworld,thenumberofsupercentenariansmightalsoincrease.Ahealthyandpurposefullifecouldhelpusjointheirranks.

Let’stakealookatwhatafewofthemhavetosay.

MisaoOkawa(117)“Eatandsleep,andyou’lllivealongtime.Youhavetolearntorelax.”

AccordingtotheGerontologyResearchGroup,untilApril2015,theoldestlivingpersonintheworldwasMisaoOkawa,whopassedawayinacarefacilityinOsaka,Japan,afterlivingfor117yearsand27days.

Thedaughterofatextilemerchant,shewasbornin1898,whenSpainlostitscoloniesinCubaandthePhilippines,andtheUnitedStatesannexedHawaiiandlaunchedPepsi-Cola.Untilshewas110,thiswoman—wholivedinthreedifferentcenturies—caredforherselfunassisted.

Whenspecialistsaskedaboutherself-careroutine,Misaoansweredsimply,“Eatingsushiandsleeping,”towhichweshouldadd,havingatremendousthirst

forlife.Whentheyinquiredabouthersecretforlongevity,sheansweredwithasmile,“Iaskmyselfthesamething.”1

ProofthatJapancontinuestobeafactoryoflonglife:InJulyofthesameyearSakariMomoipassedawayat112yearsand150daysold.Atthetimehewastheoldestmanintheworld,thoughhewasyoungerthanfifty-sevenwomen.

MaríaCapovilla(116)“I’venevereatenmeatinmylife.”

BorninEcuadorin1889,MaríaCapovillawasrecognizedbyGuinnessastheworld’soldestperson.Shediedofpneumoniain2006,at116yearsand347daysold,leavingbehindthreechildren,twelvegrandchildren,andtwentygreat-andgreat-great-grandchildren.

Shegaveoneofherlastinterviewsatage107,sharinghermemoriesandherthoughts:

I’mhappy,andIgivethankstoGod,whokeepsmegoing.IneverthoughtI’dlivesolong,IthoughtI’ddielongago.Myhusband,AntonioCapovilla,wasthecaptainofaship.Hepassedawayat84.Wehadtwodaughtersandason,andnowIhavemanygrandchildrenandgreat-grandchildren.

Thingswerebetter,backintheolddays.Peoplebehavedbetter.Weusedtodance,butweweremorerestrained;therewasthisonesongIloveddancingto:“María”byLuisAlarcón.Istillremembermostofthewords.Ialsoremembermanyprayers,andsaythemeveryday.

Ilikethewaltz,andcanstilldanceit.Ialsostillmakecrafts,IstilldosomeofthethingsIdidwhenIwasinschool.2

Whenshehadfinishedrecallingherpast,shebegantodance—oneofhergreatpassions—withanenergythatmadeherseemdecadesyounger.

Whenaskedabouthersecretforlongevity,sherespondedsimply,“Idon’tknowwhatthesecrettolonglifeis.TheonlythingIdoisI’venevereatenmeatinmylife.Iattributeittothat.”

JeanneCalment(122)“Everything’sfine.”

BorninArles,France,inFebruary1875,JeanneCalmentliveduntilAugust4,1997,makingher,at122,theoldestpersonofverifiedageinhistory.Shejokinglysaidthatshe“competedwithMethuselah,”andthereisnoquestionthat

jokinglysaidthatshe“competedwithMethuselah,”andthereisnoquestionthatshebrokenumerousrecordsasshewentoncelebratingbirthdays.

Shediedofnaturalcausesattheendofahappylifeduringwhichshedeniedherselfalmostnothing.Sherodeabicycleuntilsheturned100.Shelivedonherownuntil110,whensheagreedtomoveintoanursinghomeafteraccidentallystartingasmallfireinherapartment.Shestoppedsmokingat120,whenhercataractsstartedmakingithardforhertobringacigarettetoherlips.

Oneofhersecretsmayhavebeenhersenseofhumor.Asshesaidonher120thbirthday,“Iseebadly,Ihearbadly,andIfeelbad,buteverything’sfine.”3

WalterBreuning(114)“Ifyoukeepyourmindandbodybusy,you’llbearoundalongtime.”

BorninMinnesotain1896,WalterBreuningwasabletoseethreecenturiesinhislifetime.HediedinMontanain2011,fromnaturalcauses;he’dhadtwowivesandafifty-yearcareerontherailroad.Ateighty-threeheretiredtoanassistedlivingcenterinMontana,whereheremaineduntilhisdeath.Heisthesecond-oldestman(ofverifiedage)everbornintheUnitedStates.

Hegavemanyinterviewsinhisfinalyears,insistingthathislongevitystemmedfrom,amongotherthings,hishabitofeatingonlytwomealsperdayandworkingforasmanyyearsashecould.“Yourmindandyourbody.Youkeepbothbusy,”hesaidonhis112thbirthday,“you’llbeherealongtime.”Backthen,hewasstillexercisingeveryday.

AmongBreuning’sothersecrets:Hehadahabitofhelpingothers,andhewasn’tafraidofdying.Ashedeclaredina2010interviewwiththeAssociatedPress,“We’reallgoingtodie.Somepeoplearescaredofdying.Neverbeafraidtodie.Becauseyou’reborntodie.”4

Beforepassingawayin2011,heissaidtohavetoldapastorthathe’dmadeadealwithGod:Ifhewasn’tgoingtogetbetter,itwastimetogo.

AlexanderImich(111)“Ijusthaven’tdiedyet.”

BorninPolandin1903,AlexanderImichwasachemistandparapsychologistresidingintheUnitedStateswho,afterthedeathofhispredecessorin2014,

residingintheUnitedStateswho,afterthedeathofhispredecessorin2014,becametheoldestmanofauthenticatedageintheworld.Imichhimselfdiedshortlythereafter,inJuneofthatyear,leavingbehindalongliferichwithexperiences.

Imichattributedhislongevityto,amongotherthings,neverdrinkingalcohol.“It’snotasthoughI’dwontheNobelPrize,”hesaiduponbeingdeclaredtheworld’soldestman.“IneverthoughtI’dgettobesoold.”Whenaskedabouthissecrettolivingsolong,hisanswerwas“Idon’tknow.Ijusthaven’tdiedyet.”5

IkigaiartistsThesecrettolonglife,however,isnotheldbysupercentenariansalone.Therearemanypeopleofadvancedagewho,thoughtheyhaven’tmadeitintoGuinnessWorldRecords,offerusinspirationandideasforbringingenergyandmeaningtoourlives.

Artists,forexample,whocarrythetorchoftheirikigaiinsteadofretiring,havethispower.

Art,inallitsforms,isanikigaithatcanbringhappinessandpurposetoourdays.Enjoyingorcreatingbeautyisfree,andsomethingallhumanbeingshaveaccessto.

Hokusai,theJapaneseartistwhomadewoodblockprintsintheukiyo-estyleandlivedfor88years,fromthemid-eighteenthtothemid-nineteenthcentury,addedthispostscripttothefirsteditionofhisOneHundredViewsofMountFuji:6

AllthatIhaveproducedbeforetheageof70isnotworthbeingcounted.Itisattheageof73thatIhavesomewhatbeguntounderstandthestructureoftruenature,ofanimalsandgrasses,andtreesandbirds,andfishesandinsects;consequentlyat80yearsofageIshallhavemadestillmoreprogress;at90Ihopetohavepenetratedintothemysteryofthings;at100yearsofageIshouldhavereacheddecidedlyamarvelousdegree,andwhenIshallbe110,allthatIdo,everypointandeveryline,shallbeinstinctwithlife.

Inthepagesthatfollow,we’vecollectedsomeofthemostinspirationalwordsfromartistsinterviewedbyCamilleSweeneyfortheNewYorkTimes.7Ofthosestillliving,nonehaveretired,andallstillenjoytheirpassion,whichtheyplantopursueuntiltheirfinalbreath,demonstratingthatwhenyouhaveaclearpurpose,noonecanstopyou.

TheactorChristopherPlummer,stillworkingateighty-six,revealsadarkdesiresharedbymanywholovetheprofession:“Wewanttodropdeadonstage.Thatwouldbeanicetheatricalwaytogo.”8

OsamuTezuka,thefatherofmodernJapanesemanga,sharedthisfeeling.Beforehediedin1989,hislastwordsashedrewonefinalcartoonwere“Please,justletmework!”9

Theeighty-six-year-oldfilmmakerFrederickWisemandeclaredonastrollthroughParisthathelikestowork,whichiswhyhedoesitwithsuchintensity.“Everybodycomplainsabouttheirachesandpainsandallthat,butmyfriendsareeitherdeadorarestillworking,”hesaid.10

CarmenHerrera,apainterwhojustenteredheronehundredthyear,soldherfirstcanvasatageeighty-nine.TodayherworkisinthepermanentcollectionsoftheTateModernandtheMuseumofModernArt.Whenaskedhowsheviewedherfuture,sheresponded,“Iamalwayswaitingtofinishthenextthing.Absurd,Iknow.Igodaybyday.”11

NeverStopLearning

“Youmaygrowoldandtremblinginyouranatomies,youmaylieawakeatnightlisteningtothedisorderofyourveins,youmaymissyouronlylove,youmayseetheworldaboutyoudevastatedbyevillunatics,orknowyourhonourtrampledinthesewersofbaserminds.Thereisonlyonethingforitthen—tolearn.Learnwhytheworldwagsandwhatwagsit.Thatistheonlythingwhichthemindcanneverexhaust,neveralienate,neverbetorturedby,neverfearordistrust,andneverdreamofregretting.”

—T.H.White,TheOnceandFutureKing

Forhispart,naturalistandauthorEdwardO.Wilsonasserted,“IfeelIhaveenoughexperiencetojointhosewhoareaddressingbigquestions.Abouttenyearsago,whenIbeganreadingandthinkingmorebroadlyaboutthequestionsofwhatarewe,wheredidwecomefromandwherearewegoing,Iwasastonishedathowlittlethiswasbeingdone.”12

EllsworthKelly,anartistwhopassedawayin2015attheageofninety-two,assuredusthattheideathatweloseourfacultieswithageis,inpart,amyth,

becauseinsteadwedevelopagreaterclarityandcapacityforobservation.“It’sonethingaboutgettingolder,youseemore....EverydayI’mcontinuingtoseenewthings.That’swhytherearenewpaintings.”13

Ateighty-six,thearchitectFrankGehryremindsusthatsomebuildingscantakesevenyears“fromthetimeyou’rehireduntilyou’refinished,”14afactthatfavorsapatientattitudewithregardtothepassageoftime.ThemanresponsiblefortheGuggenheimMuseumBilbao,however,knowshowtoliveinthehereandnow:“Youstayinyourtime.Youdon’tgobackward.Ithinkifyourelatetothetimeyou’rein,youkeepyoureyesandearsopen,readthepaper,seewhat’sgoingon,staycuriousabouteverything,youwillautomaticallybeinyourtime.”15

LongevityinJapan

Becauseofitsrobustcivilregistry,manyofthoseverifiedashavinglivedthelongestarefoundintheUnitedStates;however,therearemanycentenarianslivinginremotevillagesinothercountries.Apeacefullifeinthecountrysideseemsprettycommonamongpeoplewhohavewatchedacenturypass.

Withoutquestion,theinternationalsuperstaroflongevityisJapan,whichhasthehighestlifeexpectancyofanycountryintheworld.Inadditiontoahealthydiet,whichwewillexploreindetail,andanintegratedhealthcaresysteminwhichpeoplegotothedoctorforregularcheckupstopreventdisease,longevityinJapaniscloselytiedtoitsculture,aswewillseelateron.

Thesenseofcommunity,andthefactthatJapanesepeoplemakeanefforttostayactiveuntiltheveryend,arekeyelementsoftheirsecrettolonglife.

Ifyouwanttostaybusyevenwhenthere’snoneedtowork,therehastobeanikigaionyourhorizon,apurposethatguidesyouthroughoutyourlifeandpushesyoutomakethingsofbeautyandutilityforthecommunityandyourself.

VI

LESSONSFROMJAPAN’SCENTENARIANS

Traditionsandproverbsforhappinessandlongevity

TOGETTOOgimi,wehadtoflynearlythreehoursfromTokyotoNaha,thecapitalofOkinawa.SeveralmonthsearlierwehadcontactedthetowncouncilofaplaceknownastheVillageofLongevitytoexplainthepurposeofourtripandourintentiontointerviewtheoldestmembersofthecommunity.Afternumerousconversations,wefinallygotthehelpwewerelookingforandwereabletorentahousejustoutsidethetown.

Oneyearafterstartingthisproject,wefoundourselvesonthedoorstepofsomeofthelongest-livingpeopleintheworld.

Werealizedrightawaythattimeseemstohavestoppedthere,asthoughtheentiretownwerelivinginanendlesshereandnow.

ArrivinginOgimiAftertwohoursontheroadfromNaha,we’refinallyabletostopworryingaboutthetraffic.Toourleftaretheseaandanemptystretchofbeach;toourright,themountainousjungleofOkinawa’sYanbaruforests.

OnceRoute58passesNago,whereOrionbeer—theprideofOkinawa—ismade,itskirtsthecoastuntilitreachesOgimi.Everynowandthenafewlittlehousesandstorescropupinthenarrowstretchoflandbetweentheroadandthebaseofthemountain.

WepasssmallclustersofhousesscatteredhereandthereasweenterthemunicipalityofOgimi,butthetowndoesn’treallyseemtohaveacenter.OurGPSfinallyguidesustoourdestination:theCenterfortheSupportandPromotionofWell-Being,housedinanunattractivecinderblockbuildingrightoffthehighway.

Wegointhroughthebackdoor,whereamannamedTairaiswaitingforus.Besidehimisapetite,cheerfulwomanwhointroducesherselfasYuki.Twootherwomenimmediatelygetupfromdesksandshowustoaconferenceroom.Theyserveuseachacupofgreenteaandafewshikuwasa,asmallcitrusfruitthatpacksabignutritionalpunch,aswewillseelateron.

Tairasitsdownacrossfromusinhisformalsuitandopensupalargeplannerandathree-ringbinder.Yukisitsnexttohim.Thebindercontainsalistofallthetown’sresidents,organizedbyageand“club,”ormoai.TairapointsoutthatthesegroupsofpeoplewhohelponeanotherarecharacteristicofOgimi.Themoaiare

notorganizedaroundanyconcreteobjective;theyfunctionmorelikeafamily.Tairaalsotellsusthatvolunteerwork,ratherthanmoney,drivesmuchofwhathappensinOgimi.Everyoneofferstopitchin,andthelocalgovernmenttakescareofassigningtasks.Thisway,everyonecanbeusefulandfeelslikeapartofthecommunity.

OgimiisthepenultimatetownbeforeCapeHedo,thenorthernmostpointofthelargestislandinthearchipelago.

FromthetopofoneofOgimi’smountains,we’reabletolookdownoverthewholetown.AlmosteverythingisthegreenoftheYanbarujungle,makinguswonderwherethenearlythirty-twohundredresidentsarehiding.Wecanseeafewhouses,butthey’rescatteredinlittleclustersneartheseaorinsmallvalleysaccessiblebysideroads.

CommunallifeWe’reinvitedtoeatinoneofOgimi’sfewrestaurants,butwhenwearrivetheonlythreetablesarealreadyreserved.

“Don’tworry,we’llgotoChuraumiinstead.Itneverfillsup,”saysYuki,walkingbacktohercar.

She’sstilldrivingatageeighty-eight,andtakesgreatprideinthat.Hercopilotisninety-nine,andhasalsodecidedtospendthedaywithus.Wehavetodrivefasttokeepupwiththemonahighwaythatissometimesmoredirtthanasphalt.Finallyreachingtheotherendofthejungle,wecanatlastsitdowntoeat.

“Idon’treallygotorestaurants,”Yukisaysaswetakeourseats.“AlmosteverythingIeatcomesfrommyvegetablegarden,andIbuymyfishfromTanaka,who’sbeenmyfriendforever.”

TherestaurantisrightbytheseaandseemslikesomethingfromtheplanetTatooine,fromStarWars.Themenuboastsinlargelettersthatitserves“slowfood”preparedwithorganicvegetablesgrowninthetown.

“Butreally,”Yukicontinues,“foodistheleastimportantthing.”Sheisextroverted,andratherpretty.Shelikestotalkaboutherroleasthedirectorofseveralassociationsrunbythelocalgovernment.

“Foodwon’thelpyoulivelonger,”shesays,bringingtoherlipsabiteofthediminutiveconfectionthatfollowedourmeal.“Thesecretissmilingandhavingagoodtime.”

TherearenobarsandonlyafewrestaurantsinOgimi,butthosewholivethereenjoyarichsociallifethatrevolvesaroundcommunitycenters.Thetownis

thereenjoyarichsociallifethatrevolvesaroundcommunitycenters.Thetownisdividedintoseventeenneighborhoods,andeachonehasapresidentandseveralpeopleinchargeofthingslikeculture,festivals,socialactivities,andlongevity.

Residentspaycloseattentiontothislastcategory.We’reinvitedtothecommunitycenterofoneoftheseventeenneighborhoods.

ItisanoldbuildingrightnexttooneofthemountainsoftheYanbarujungle,hometobunagaya,thetown’siconicsprites.

TheBunagayaSpiritsoftheYanbaruJungle

BunagayaaremagicalcreaturesthatinhabittheYanbarujunglenearOgimianditssurroundingtowns.Theymanifestaschildrenwithlongredhair,andliketohideinthejungle’sgajumaru(banyan)treesandgofishingonthebeach.

ManyofOkinawa’sstoriesandfablesareaboutbunagayasprites.Theyaremischievous,playful,andunpredictable.Localssaythatthebunagayalovethemountains,rivers,sea,trees,earth,wind,andanimals,andthatifyouwanttobefriendthem,youhavetoshowrespectfornature.

AbirthdaypartyWhenwearriveattheneighborhood’scommunitycenter,we’regreetedbyagroupofabouttwentypeoplewhoproudlyproclaim,“Theyoungestamongusiseighty-three!”

Weconductourinterviewsatalargetablewhiledrinkinggreentea.Whenwefinish,we’rebroughttoaneventspace,wherewecelebratethebirthdaysofthreemembersofthegroup.Onewomanisturningninety-nine,anotherninety-four,andone“youngman”hasjustreachedeighty-nine.

Wesingafewsongspopularinthevillageandfinishupwith“HappyBirthday”inEnglish.Thewomanturningninety-nineblowsoutthecandlesandthankseveryoneforcomingtoherparty.Weeathomemadeshikuwasacakeandendupdancingandcelebratingasthoughitwerethebirthdayofatwentysomething.

It’sthefirstparty,butnotthelast,thatwe’llattendduringourweekinthevillage.We’llalsodokaraokewithagroupofseniorswhosingbetterthanwedo,andattendatraditionalfestivalwithlocalbands,dancers,andfoodstandsatthe

andattendatraditionalfestivalwithlocalbands,dancers,andfoodstandsatthefootofamountain.

Celebrateeachday,togetherCelebrationsseemtobeanessentialpartoflifeinOgimi.

We’reinvitedtowatchagameofgateball,oneofthemostpopularsportsamongOkinawa’solderresidents.Itinvolveshittingaballwithamallet-likestick.Itisalow-impactsportthatcanbeplayedanywhere,andisagoodexcusetomovearoundandhavefunasagroup.Theresidentsholdlocalcompetitions,andthereisnoagelimitforparticipants.

Weparticipateintheweeklygameandlosetoawomanwhorecentlyturned104.Everyonecheers,andthedefeatedlookonourfaceselicitslaughter.

Inadditiontoplayingandcelebratingasacommunity,spiritualityisalsoessentialtothehappinessofthevillage’sresidents.

ThegodsofOkinawaThemainreligioninOkinawaisknownasRyukyuShinto.RyukyuistheoriginalnameoftheOkinawaarchipelago,andShintomeans“thepathofthegods.”1RyukyuShintocombineselementsofChineseTaoism,Confucianism,Buddhism,andShintoismwithshamanisticandanimisticelements.

Accordingtothisancientfaith,theworldispopulatedbyaninfinitenumberofspiritsdividedintoseveraltypes:spiritsofthehome,oftheforest,ofthetrees,andofthemountains.Itisimportanttoappeasethesespiritsthroughritualsandfestivals,andbyconsecratingsacredgrounds.

Okinawaisfullofsacredjunglesandforests,wheremanyofthetwomainkindsoftemplesarefound:theutakiandtheuganju.Wevisitedanuganju,orsmall,open-airtempleadornedwithincenseandcoins,nexttoawaterfallinOgimi.Theutakiisacollectionofstoneswherepeoplegotoprayandwhere,supposedly,spiritsgather.

InOkinawa’sreligiouspractice,womenareconsideredspirituallysuperiortomen,whereastheoppositeistrueoftraditionalShintoismintherestofJapan.Yutaarewomenchosenasmediumsbytheircommunitiestomakecontactwiththespiritrealmthroughtraditionalrites.

AncestorworshipisanotherimportantfeatureofspiritualpracticeinOkinawa,andinJapaningeneral.Thehomeofeachgeneration’sfirstbornusuallycontainsabutsudan,orsmallaltar,usedtoprayforandmakeofferingstothefamily’sancestors.

Mabui

Everypersonhasanessence,ormabui.Thismabuiisourspiritandthesourceofourlifeforce.Itisimmortalandmakesuswhoweare.

Sometimes,themabuiofsomeonewhohasdiedistrappedinthebodyofalivingperson.Thissituationrequiresaseparationritualtofreethemabuiofthedeceased;itoftenhappenswhenapersondiessuddenly—especiallyatayoungage—andhisorhermabuidoesnotwanttomoveontotherealmofthedead.

Amabuicanalsobepassedfrompersontopersonbyphysicalcontact.Agrandmotherwholeaveshergranddaughteraringtransfersapartofhermabuitoher.Photographscanalsobeamediumforpassingmabuiamongpeople.

Theolder,thestrongerLookingback,ourdaysinOgimiwereintensebutrelaxed—sortoflikethelifestyleofthelocals,whoalwaysseemedtobebusywithimportanttasksbutwho,uponcloserinspection,dideverythingwithasenseofcalm.Theywerealwayspursuingtheirikigai,buttheywereneverinarush.

Notonlydidtheyseemtobehappilybusy,butwealsonoticedthattheyfollowedtheotherprinciplesforhappinessthatWashingtonBurnapstatedtwohundredyearsago:“Thegrandessentialstohappinessinthislifearesomethingtodo,somethingtolove,andsomethingtohopefor.”2

Onourlastday,wewenttobuygiftsatasmallmarketattheedgeoftown.Theonlythingssoldtherearelocalvegetables,greentea,andshikuwasajuice,alongwithbottlesofwaterfromaspringhiddenintheYanbaruforests,bearinglabelsthatread“LongevityWater.”

WeboughtourselvessomeofthisLongevityWateranddrankitintheparkinglot,lookingoutovertheseaandhopingthatthelittlebottlesthatpromiseda

magicelixirwouldbringushealthandlonglife,andwouldhelpusfindourownikigai.Thenwetookaphotowithastatueofabunagaya,andwalkeduptoitonelasttimetoreadtheinscription:

ADeclarationfromtheTownWherePeopleLiveLongest

At80Iamstillachild.WhenIcometoseeyouat90,sendmeawaytowaituntilI’m100.Theolder,thestronger;letusnotdependtoomuchonourchildrenasweage.Ifyouseeklonglifeandhealth,youarewelcomeinourvillage,whereyouwillbeblessedbynature,andtogetherwewilldiscoverthesecrettolongevity.

April23,1993OgimiFederationofSeniorCitizenClubs

TheinterviewsOverthecourseofaweekweconductedatotalofonehundredinterviews,askingtheeldestmembersofthecommunityabouttheirlifephilosophy,theirikigai,andthesecretstolongevity.Wefilmedtheseconversationswithtwocamerasforuseinalittledocumentary,andchoseafewespeciallymeaningfulandinspiringstatementstoincludeinthissectionofthebook.

1.Don’tworry“Thesecrettoalonglifeisnottoworry.Andtokeepyourheartyoung—don’tletitgrowold.Openyourhearttopeoplewithanicesmileonyourface.Ifyousmileandopenyourheart,yourgrandchildrenandeveryoneelsewillwanttoseeyou.”

“Thebestwaytoavoidanxietyistogooutinthestreetandsayhellotopeople.Idoiteveryday.Igooutthereandsay,‘Hello!’and‘Seeyoulater!’ThenIgohomeandcareformyvegetablegarden.Intheafternoon,Ispendtimewithfriends.”

“Here,everyonegetsalong.Wetrynottocauseproblems.Spendingtimetogetherandhavingfunistheonlythingthatmatters.”

2.Cultivategoodhabits

2.Cultivategoodhabits“Ifeeljoyeverymorningwakingupatsixandopeningthecurtainstolookoutatmygarden,whereIgrowmyownvegetables.Igorightoutsidetocheckonmytomatoes,mymandarinoranges...Ilovethesightofthem—itrelaxesme.AfteranhourinthegardenIgobackinsideandmakebreakfast.”

“Iplantmyownvegetablesandcookthemmyself.That’smyikigai.”

“Thekeytostayingsharpinoldageisinyourfingers.Fromyourfingerstoyourbrain,andbackagain.Ifyoukeepyourfingersbusy,you’lllivetoseeonehundred.”

“Igetupatfoureveryday.Isetmyalarmforthattime,haveacupofcoffee,anddoalittleexercise,liftingmyarms.Thatgivesmeenergyfortherestoftheday.”

“Ieatabitofeverything;Ithinkthat’sthesecret.IlikevarietyinwhatIeat;Ithinkittastesbetter.”

“Working.Ifyoudon’twork,yourbodybreaksdown.”

“WhenIwakeup,Igotothebutsudanandlightincense.Youhavetokeepyourancestorsinmind.It’sthefirstthingIdoeverymorning.”

“Iwakeupeverydayatthesametime,early,andspendthemorninginmyvegetablegarden.Igodancingwithmyfriendsonceaweek.”

“Idoexerciseeveryday,andeverymorningIgoforalittlewalk.”

“IneverforgettodomytaisoexerciseswhenIgetup.”

“Eatingvegetables—ithelpsyoulivelonger.”

“Tolivealongtimeyouneedtodothreethings:exercisetostayhealthy,eatwell,andspendtimewithpeople.”

3.Nurtureyourfriendshipseveryday“Gettingtogetherwithmyfriendsismymostimportantikigai.Weallgettogetherhereandtalk—it’sveryimportant.IalwaysknowI’llseethemallheretomorrow,andthat’soneofmyfavoritethingsinlife.”

“Mymainhobbyisgettingtogetherwithfriendsandneighbors.”

“Talkingeachdaywiththepeopleyoulove,that’sthesecrettoalonglife.”

“Isay,‘Hello!’and‘Seeyoulater!’tothechildrenontheirwaytoschool,andwaveateveryonewhogoesbymeintheircar.‘Drivesafely!’Isay.Between7:20a.m.and8:15a.m.,I’moutsideonmyfeetthewholetime,sayinghellotopeople.Onceeveryone’sgone,Igobackinside.”

“Chattinganddrinkingteawithmyneighbors.That’sthebestthinginlife.Andsingingtogether.”

“Iwakeupatfiveeverymorning,leavethehouse,andwalktothesea.ThenIgotoafriend’shouseandwehaveteatogether.That’sthesecrettolonglife:gettingtogetherwithpeople,andgoingfromplacetoplace.”

4.Liveanunhurriedlife“Mysecrettoalonglifeisalwayssayingtomyself,‘Slowdown,’and‘Relax.’Youlivemuchlongerifyou’renotinahurry.”

“Imakethingswithwicker.That’smyikigai.ThefirstthingIdowhenIwakeupispray.ThenIdomyexercisesandeatbreakfast.AtsevenIcalmlystartworkingonmywicker.WhenIgettiredatfive,Igovisitmyfriends.”

“Doingmanydifferentthingseveryday.Alwaysstayingbusy,butdoingonethingatatime,withoutgettingoverwhelmed.”

“Thesecrettolonglifeisgoingtobedearly,wakingupearly,andgoingforawalk.Livingpeacefullyandenjoyingthelittlethings.Gettingalongwithyourfriends.Spring,summer,fall,winter...enjoyingeachseason,happily.”

5.Beoptimistic“EverydayIsaytomyself,‘Todaywillbefullofhealthandenergy.Liveittothefullest.’”

“I’mninety-eight,butconsidermyselfyoung.Istillhavesomuchtodo.”

“Laugh.Laughteristhemostimportantthing.IlaughwhereverIgo.”

“I’mgoingtolivetobeahundred.OfcourseIam!It’sahugemotivationforme.”

“Dancingandsingingwithyourgrandchildrenisthebestthinginlife.”

“Ifeelveryfortunatetohavebeenbornhere.Igivethanksforiteveryday.”

“ThemostimportantthinginOgimi,inlife,istokeepsmiling.”

“Idovolunteerworktogivebacktothevillageabitofwhatithasgiventome.Forexample,Iusemycartohelpfriendsgettothehospital.”

“There’snosecrettoit.Thetrickisjusttolive.”

KeystotheOgimiLifestyle

Onehundredpercentofthepeopleweinterviewedkeepavegetablegarden,andmostofthemalsohavefieldsoftea,mangoes,shikuwasa,andsoon.Allbelongtosomeformofneighborhoodassociation,wheretheyfeelcaredforasthoughbyfamily.Theycelebrateallthetime,evenlittlethings.Music,song,anddanceareessentialpartsofdailylife.Theyhaveanimportantpurposeinlife,orseveral.Theyhaveanikigai,buttheydon’ttakeittooseriously.Theyarerelaxedandenjoyallthattheydo.Theyareveryproudoftheirtraditionsandlocalculture.Theyarepassionateabouteverythingtheydo,howeverinsignificantitmightseem.Localshaveastrongsenseofyuimaaru—recognizingtheconnectionbetweenpeople.Theyhelpeachotherwitheverythingfromworkinthefields(harvestingsugarcaneorplantingrice)tobuildinghousesandmunicipalprojects.OurfriendMiyagi,whoatedinnerwithusonourlastnightintown,toldusthathewasbuildinganewhomewiththehelpofallhisfriends,andthatwecouldstaytherethenexttimewewereinOgimi.Theyarealwaysbusy,buttheyoccupythemselveswithtasksthatallowthemtorelax.Wedidn’tseeasingleoldgrandpasittingonabenchdoingnothing.They’realwayscomingandgoing—tosingkaraoke,visitwithneighbors,orplayagameofgateball.

VII

THEIKIGAIDIET

Whattheworld’slongest-livingpeopleeatanddrink

ACCORDINGTOTHEWorldHealthOrganization,Japanhasthehighestlifeexpectancyintheworld:85yearsformenand87.3yearsforwomen.Moreover,ithasthehighestratioofcentenariansintheworld:morethan520foreverymillionpeople(asofSeptember2016).

Source:WorldHealthOrganization,1966;JapaneseMinistryofHealth,LaborandWelfare,2004;U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices/CDC,2005

Theabovegraphic,whichcompareslifeexpectancyinJapan,itsprovinceOkinawa,Sweden,andtheUnitedStates,showsthat,whilelifeexpectancyinJapanishighoverall,Okinawaexceedsthenationalaverage.

OkinawaisoneoftheareasinJapanthatweremostaffectedbyWorldWarII.Asaresultnotonlyofconflictsonthebattlefieldbutalsoofhungerandalackofresourcesoncethewarended,theaveragelifeexpectancywasnotveryhighduringthe1940sand1950s.AsOkinawansrecoveredfromthedestruction,however,theycametobesomeofthecountry’slongest-livingcitizens.

WhatsecretstolonglifedotheJapanesehold?WhatisitaboutOkinawathat

WhatsecretstolonglifedotheJapanesehold?WhatisitaboutOkinawathatmakesitthebestofthebestintermsoflifeexpectancy?

Expertspointoutthat,foronething,OkinawaistheonlyprovinceinJapanwithouttrains.Itsresidentshavetowalkorcyclewhennotdriving.ItisalsotheonlyprovincethathasmanagedtofollowtheJapanesegovernment’srecommendationofeatinglessthantengramsofsaltperday.

Okinawa’smiracledietThemortalityratefromcardiovasculardiseaseinOkinawaisthelowestinJapan,anddietalmostcertainlyhasalottodowiththis.Itisnocoincidencethatthe“OkinawaDiet”issooftendiscussedaroundtheworldatpanelsonnutrition.

ThemostconcreteandwidelyciteddataondietinOkinawacomefromstudiesbyMakotoSuzuki,acardiologistattheUniversityoftheRyukyus,whohaspublishedmorethansevenhundredscientificarticlesonnutritionandaginginOkinawasince1970.

BradleyJ.WillcoxandD.CraigWillcoxjoinedMakotoSuzuki’sresearchteamandpublishedabookconsideredthebibleonthesubject,TheOkinawaProgram.1Theyreachedthefollowingconclusions:

Localseatawidevarietyoffoods,especiallyvegetables.Varietyseemstobekey.AstudyofOkinawa’scentenariansshowedthattheyate206differentfoods,includingspices,onaregularbasis.Theyateanaverageofeighteendifferentfoodseachday,astrikingcontrasttothenutritionalpovertyofourfast-foodculture.Theyeatatleastfiveservingsoffruitsandvegetableseveryday.AtleastseventypesoffruitsandvegetablesareconsumedbyOkinawansonadailybasis.Theeasiestwaytocheckifthereisenoughvarietyonyourtableistomakesureyou’re“eatingtherainbow.”Atablefeaturingredpeppers,carrots,spinach,cauliflower,andeggplant,forexample,offersgreatcolorandvariety.Vegetables,potatoes,legumes,andsoyproductssuchastofuarethestaplesofanOkinawan’sdiet.Morethan30percentoftheirdailycaloriescomesfromvegetables.Grainsarethefoundationoftheirdiet.Japanesepeopleeatwhitericeeveryday,sometimesaddingnoodles.RiceistheprimaryfoodinOkinawa,aswell.

Theyrarelyeatsugar,andiftheydo,it’scanesugar.WedrovethroughseveralsugarcanefieldseverymorningonourwaytoOgimi,andevendrankaglassofcanejuiceatNakijinCastle.Besidethestallsellingthejuicewasasigndescribingtheanticarcinogenicbenefitsofsugarcane.

Inadditiontothesebasicdietaryprinciples,Okinawanseatfishanaverageofthreetimesperweek;unlikeinotherpartsofJapan,themostfrequentlyconsumedmeatispork,thoughlocalseatitonlyonceortwiceperweek.

Alongtheselines,MakotoSuzuki’sstudiesindicatethefollowing:

Okinawansconsume,ingeneral,one-thirdasmuchsugarastherestofJapan’spopulation,whichmeansthatsweetsandchocolatearemuchlessapartoftheirdiet.TheyalsoeatpracticallyhalfasmuchsaltastherestofJapan:7gramsperday,comparedtoanaverageof12.Theyconsumefewercalories:anaverageof1,785perday,comparedto2,068intherestofJapan.Infact,lowcaloricintakeiscommonamongthefiveBlueZones.

HarahachibuThisbringsusbacktothe80percentrulewementionedinthefirstchapter,aconceptknowninJapaneseasharahachibu.It’seasytodo:Whenyounoticeyou’realmostfullbutcouldhavealittlemore...juststopeating!

Oneeasywaytostartapplyingtheconceptofharahachibuistoskipdessert.Ortoreduceportionsize.Theideaistostillbealittlebithungrywhenyoufinish.

ThisiswhyportionsizetendstobemuchsmallerinJapanthanintheWest.Foodisn’tservedasappetizers,maincourses,anddessert.Instead,it’smuchmorecommontoseeeverythingpresentedatonceonsmallplates:onewithrice,anotherwithvegetables,abowlofmisosoup,andsomethingtosnackon.Servingfoodonmanysmallplatesmakesiteasiertoavoideatingtoomuch,andfacilitatesthevarieddietdiscussedatthebeginningofthischapter.

Harahachibuisanancientpractice.Thetwelfth-centurybookonZenBuddhismZazenYoujinkirecommendseatingtwo-thirdsasmuchasyoumightwantto.EatinglessthanonemightwantiscommonamongallBuddhisttemples

intheEast.PerhapsBuddhismrecognizedthebenefitsoflimitingcaloricintakemorethanninecenturiesago.

So,eatlesstolivelonger?Fewwouldchallengethisidea.Withouttakingittotheextremeofmalnutrition,ofcourse,eatingfewercaloriesthanourbodiesaskforseemstoincreaselongevity.Thekeytostayinghealthywhileconsumingfewercaloriesiseatingfoodswithahighnutritionalvalue(especially“superfoods”)andavoidingthosethataddtoouroverallcaloricintakebutofferlittletononutritionalvalue.

Thecalorierestrictionwe’vebeendiscussingisoneofthemosteffectivewaystoaddyearstoyourlife.Ifthebodyregularlyconsumesenough,ortoomany,calories,itgetslethargicandstartstoweardown,expendingsignificantenergyondigestionalone.

AnotherbenefitofcalorierestrictionisthatitreduceslevelsofIGF-1(insulin-likegrowthfactor1)inthebody.IGF-1isaproteinthatplaysasignificantroleintheagingprocess;itseemsthatoneofthereasonshumansandanimalsageisanexcessofthisproteinintheirblood.2

Whethercalorierestrictionwillextendlifespaninhumansisnotyetknown,butdataincreasinglyindicatethatmoderatecalorierestrictionwithadequatenutritionhasapowerfulprotectiveeffectagainstobesity,type2diabetes,inflammation,hypertension,andcardiovasculardiseaseandreducesmetabolicriskfactorsassociatedwithcancer.3

Analternativetofollowingthe80percentruleonadailybasisistofastforoneortwodayseachweek.The5:2(orfasting)dietrecommendstwodaysoffasting(consumingfewerthanfivehundredcalories)everyweekandeatingnormallyontheotherfivedays.

Amongitsmanybenefits,fastinghelpscleansethedigestivesystemandallowsittorest.

15naturalantioxidantsfoundintheOkinawandietAntioxidantsaremoleculesthatslowtheoxidationprocessincells,neutralizingthefreeradicalsthatcausedamageandaccelerateaging.Theantioxidantpowerofgreentea,forexample,iswellknown,andwillbediscussedlateratgreaterlength.

length.Becausetheyarerichinantioxidantsandareeatennearlyeverydayinthe

region,thesefifteenfoodsareconsideredkeystoOkinawanvitality:

TofuMisoTunaCarrotsGoya(bittermelon)Kombu(seakelp)CabbageNori(seaweed)OnionSoysproutsHechima(cucumber-likegourd)Soybeans(boiledorraw)SweetpotatoPeppersSanpin-cha(jasminetea)

Sanpin-cha:ThereigninginfusioninOkinawaOkinawansdrinkmoreSanpin-cha—amixofgreenteaandjasmineflowers—thananyotherkindoftea.TheclosestapproximationintheWestwouldbethejasmineteathatusuallycomesfromChina.A1988studyconductedbyHirokoShoattheOkinawaInstituteofScienceandTechnologyindicatesthatjasmineteareducesbloodcholesterollevels.4

Sanpin-chacanbefoundinmanydifferentformsinOkinawa,andisevenavailableinvendingmachines.Inadditiontoalltheantioxidantbenefitsofgreentea,itboaststhebenefitsofjasmine,whichinclude:

ReducingtheriskofheartattackStrengtheningtheimmunesystemHelpingrelievestressLoweringcholesterol

OkinawansdrinkanaverageofthreecupsofSanpin-chaeveryday.

OkinawansdrinkanaverageofthreecupsofSanpin-chaeveryday.ItmightbehardtofindexactlythesameblendintheWest,butwecandrink

jasminetea,orevenahigh-qualitygreentea,instead.

ThesecretsofgreenteaGreenteahasbeencreditedforcenturieswithsignificantmedicinalproperties.Recentstudieshaveconfirmeditsmanybenefits,andhaveattestedtotheimportanceofthisancientplantinthelongevityofthosewhodrinkitoften.

OriginallyfromChina,whereithasbeenconsumedformillennia,greenteadidn’tmakeitswaytotherestoftheworlduntiljustafewcenturiesago.Unlikeotherteas,andasaresultofbeingair-driedwithoutfermentation,itretainsitsactiveelementsevenafterbeingdriedandcrumbled.Itoffersmeaningfulhealthbenefitssuchas:

ControllingcholesterolLoweringbloodsugarlevelsImprovingcirculationProtectionagainsttheflu(vitaminC)Promotingbonehealth(fluoride)ProtectionagainstcertainbacterialinfectionsProtectionagainstUVdamageCleansinganddiureticeffects

Whitetea,withitshighconcentrationofpolyphenols,maybeevenmoreeffectiveagainstaging.Infact,itisconsideredtobethenaturalproductwiththegreatestantioxidantpowerintheworld—totheextentthatonecupofwhiteteamightpackthesamepunchasaboutadozenglassesoforangejuice.

Insummary:Drinkinggreenorwhiteteaeverydaycanhelpusreducethefreeradicalsinourbodies,keepingusyounglonger.

ThepowerfulshikuwasaShikuwasaisthecitrusfruitparexcellenceofOkinawa,andOgimiisitslargestproducerinallofJapan.

Thefruitisextremelyacidic:Itisimpossibletodrinkshikuwasajuicewithoutdilutingitfirstwithwater.Itstasteissomewherebetweenthatofalimeandamandarinorange,towhichitbearsafamilyresemblance.

Shikuwasasalsocontainhighlevelsofnobiletin,aflavonoidrichinantioxidants.

Allcitrusfruits—grapefruits,oranges,lemons—arehighinnobiletin,butOkinawa’sshikuwasashavefortytimesasmuchasoranges.Consumingnobiletinhasbeenproventoprotectusfromarteriosclerosis,cancer,type2diabetes,andobesityingeneral.

ShikuwasasalsocontainvitaminsCandB1,betacarotene,andminerals.Theyareusedinmanytraditionaldishesandtoaddflavortofood,andaresqueezedtomakejuice.Whileconductingresearchatthebirthdaypartiesofthetown’s“grandparents,”wewereservedshikuwasacake.

TheAntioxidantCanon,forWesterners

In2010theUK’sDailyMirrorpublishedalistoffoodsrecommendedbyexpertstocombataging.AmongthesefoodsreadilyavailableintheWestare:

Vegetablessuchasbroccoliandchard,fortheirhighconcentrationofwater,minerals,andfiberOilyfishsuchassalmon,mackerel,tuna,andsardines,foralltheantioxidantsintheirfatFruitssuchascitrus,strawberries,andapricots;theyareanexcellentsourceofvitaminsandhelpeliminatetoxinsfromthebodyBerriessuchasblueberriesandgojiberries;theyarerichinphytochemicalantioxidantsDriedfruits,whichcontainvitaminsandantioxidants,andgiveyouenergyGrainssuchasoatsandwheat,whichgiveyouenergyandcontainmineralsOliveoil,foritsantioxidanteffectsthatshowinyourskinRedwine,inmoderation,foritsantioxidantandvasodilatoryproperties

Foodsthatshouldbeeliminatedarerefinedsugarandgrains,processedbakedgoods,andpreparedfoods,alongwithcow’smilkandallitsderivatives.Followingthisdietwillhelpyoufeelyoungerandslowthe

derivatives.Followingthisdietwillhelpyoufeelyoungerandslowtheprocessofprematureaging.

VIII

GENTLEMOVEMENTS,LONGERLIFE

ExercisesfromtheEastthatpromotehealthandlongevity

STUDIESFROMTHEBlueZonessuggestthatthepeoplewholivelongestarenottheoneswhodothemostexercisebutrathertheoneswhomovethemost.

WhenwevisitedOgimi,theVillageofLongevity,wediscoveredthatevenpeopleovereightyandninetyyearsoldarestillhighlyactive.Theydon’tstayathomelookingoutthewindoworreadingthenewspaper.Ogimi’sresidentswalkalot,dokaraokewiththeirneighbors,getupearlyinthemorning,and,assoonasthey’vehadbreakfast—orevenbefore—headoutsidetoweedtheirgardens.Theydon’tgotothegymorexerciseintensely,buttheyalmostneverstopmovinginthecourseoftheirdailyroutines.

AsEasyasGettingoutofYourChair

“Metabolismslowsdown90percentafter30minutesofsitting.Theenzymesthatmovethebadfatfromyourarteriestoyourmuscles,whereitcangetburnedoff,slowdown.Andaftertwohours,goodcholesteroldrops20percent.Justgettingupforfiveminutesisgoingtogetthingsgoingagain.Thesethingsaresosimplethey’realmoststupid,”saysGavinBradley1ina2015interviewwithBrigidSchultefortheWashingtonPost.2Bradleyisoneofthepreeminentexpertsonthesubject,andthedirectorofaninternationalorganizationdedicatedtobuildingawarenessofhowdetrimentalsittingallthetimecanbetoourhealth.

Ifweliveinacity,wemightfindithardtomoveinnaturalandhealthywayseveryday,butwecanturntoexercisesthathaveprovenforcenturiestobegoodforthebody.

TheEasterndisciplinesforbringingbody,mind,andsoulintobalancehavebecomequitepopularintheWest,butintheircountriesoforigintheyhavebeenusedforagestopromotehealth.

Yoga—originallyfromIndia,thoughverypopularinJapan—andChina’sqigongandtaichi,amongotherdisciplines,seektocreateharmonybetweenaperson’sbodyandmindsotheycanfacetheworldwithstrength,joy,andserenity.

Theyaretoutedaselixirsofyouth,andsciencehasendorsedtheclaim.

Theyaretoutedaselixirsofyouth,andsciencehasendorsedtheclaim.Thesegentleexercisesofferextraordinaryhealthbenefits,andareparticularly

appropriateforolderindividualswhohaveahardertimestayingfit.Taichihasbeenshown,amongotherthings,toslowthedevelopmentof

osteoporosisandParkinson’sdisease,toincreasecirculation,andtoimprovemuscletoneandflexibility.Itsemotionalbenefitsarejustasimportant:Itisagreatshieldagainststressanddepression.

Youdon’tneedtogotothegymforanhoureverydayorrunmarathons.AsJapanesecentenariansshowus,allyouneedistoaddmovementtoyourday.PracticinganyoftheseEasterndisciplinesonaregularbasisisagreatwaytodoso.Anaddedbenefitisthattheyallhavewell-definedsteps,andaswesawinchapterIV,disciplineswithclearrulesaregoodforflow.Ifyoudon’tlikeanyofthesedisciplines,feelfreetochooseapracticethatyouloveandthatmakesyoumove.

Inthefollowingpageswe’lltakealookatsomeofthepracticesthatpromotehealthandlongevity—butfirst,alittleappetizer:asingularlyJapaneseexerciseforstartingyourday.

RadiotaisoThismorningwarm-uphasbeenaroundsincebeforeWorldWarII.The“radio”partofitsnameisfromwhentheinstructionsforeachexerciseweretransmittedovertheradio,buttodaypeopleusuallydothesemovementswhiletunedtoatelevisionchannelorInternetvideodemonstratingthesteps.

Oneofthemainpurposesofdoingradiotaisoistopromoteaspiritofunityamongparticipants.Theexercisesarealwaysdoneingroups,usuallyinschoolsbeforethestartofclasses,andinbusinessesbeforetheworkdaybegins.

Statisticsshowthat30percentofJapanesepracticeradiotaisoforafewminuteseverymorning,butradiotaisoisonethingthatalmosteveryoneweinterviewedinOgimihadincommon.Eventheresidentsofthenursinghomewevisiteddedicatedatleastfiveminuteseverydaytoit,thoughsomedidtheexercisesfromtheirwheelchairs.Wejoinedthemontheirdailypracticeandwefeltrefreshedfortherestoftheday.

Whentheseexercisesaredoneinagroup,itisusuallyonasportsfieldorinalargereceptionhall,andtypicallyinvolvessomekindofloudspeaker.

Theexercisestakefiveortenminutes,dependingonwhetheryoudoalloronlysomeofthem.Theyfocusondynamicstretchingandincreasingjointmobility.Oneofthemosticonicradiotaisoexercisesconsistsofsimplyraising

mobility.Oneofthemosticonicradiotaisoexercisesconsistsofsimplyraisingyourarmsaboveyourheadandthenbringingthemdowninacircularmotion.Itisatooltowakeupthebody,aneasymobilityworkoutthatislowinintensityandthatfocusesonexercisingasmanyjointsaspossible.

Itmightseembasic,butinourmodernlives,wecanspenddayswithoutraisingourarmsaboveourears.Thinkaboutit:ourarmsaredownwhenusingcomputers,whenusingsmartphones,whenreadingbooks.Oneofthefewtimesweraiseourhandsoverourheadsiswhenreachingforsomethinginacupboardorcloset,whileourancestorswereraisingtheirhandsovertheirheadsallthetimewhengatheringthingsfromtrees.Radiotaisohelpsustopracticeallthebasicmovementsofthebody.

Basicversionoftheradiotaisoexercises(5minutes).

YogaPopularinJapanaswellasintheWest,yogacanbedonebyalmostanyone.Someofitsposeshaveevenbeenadaptedforpregnantwomenandpractitionerswithphysicaldisabilities.

YogacomesfromIndia,whereitwasdevelopedmillenniaagotouniteourmentalandphysicalelements.ThewordyogaitselfcomesfromtheSanskrittermfor“yoke,”whichreferstothecrosspiecethatbindsdraftanimalstooneanotherandtothecartthey’repulling.Yogastrivestounitebodyandmindinthesameway,guidingustowardahealthylifestyleinharmonywiththeworldaroundus.

Themainobjectivesofyogaare:

Tobringusclosertoour(human)natureMentalandphysicalpurificationTobringusclosertothedivine

Stylesofyoga

Thoughallareorientedtowardsimilargoals,therearemanydifferenttypesofyogathatvaryaccordingtothetraditionsandtextsfromwhichtheyweredeveloped.Thedifferencesamongthemlie,asthemasterssay,inthepathtakentothesummitofourbestself.

Jnanayoga:theyogaofwisdom;thesearchfordisciplineandmentalgrowthKarmayoga:focusesonaction,ontasksanddutiesthatbenefitoneselfandone’scommunityBhaktiyoga:theyogaofdevotionandsurrendertothedivineMantrayoga:focusesontherecitationofmantrastoreachastateofrelaxationKundaliniyoga:combinesdiversestepstoreachthedesiredmentalstateRajayoga:alsoknownastheroyalpath;encompassesarangeofstepsgearedtowardachievingcommunionwithoneselfandothersHathayoga:themostwidespreadformintheWestandJapan;characterizedbyasanasorposescombinedinaquestforbalance

HowtodoaSunSalutationTheSunSalutationisoneofthemosticonicexercisesinhathayoga.Todoit,yousimplyhavetofollowthesetwelvebasicmovements:

1. Withyourfeettogether,standupstraightbutkeepyourmusclesrelaxed.Exhale.

2. Placethepalmsofyourhandstogetherinfrontofyourchest;fromthisposition,inhaleasyouraiseyourarmsaboveyourheadandbendbackwardslightly.

3. Exhaleasyoubendforwarduntilyoutouchthegroundwiththepalmsofyourhands,withoutbendingyourknees.

4. Stretchonelegbacktotouchthefloorwiththetipsofyourtoes.Inhale.5. Bringtheotherlegback,keepingyourlegsandarmsstraight,asyouhold

yourbreath.6. Asyouexhale,bendyourarmsandbringyourchesttothegroundandthen

forward,restingyourkneesontheground.7. Straightenyourarmsandbendyourspineback,keepingthelowerhalfof

yourbodyontheground.Inhale.8. Withyourhandsandfeetontheground,liftyourhipsuntilyourarmsand

legsarestraightandyourbodyformsanupside-downV.Exhalethroughoutthemovement.

9. Bringforwardthesamelegyou’dstretchedbackearlierandbenditsothatyourkneeandfootarealignedunderyourheadandbetweenyourhands.Inhale.

10. Exhaleasyoubringyourbackfootforwardandstraightenyourlegs,keepingyourhandsonthegroundasinposture3.

11. Bringyourarmsaboveyourheadwithyourpalmstogetherandbendbackwardslightly,asyoudidinposture2,whileyouinhale.

12. Loweryourarmstotheirinitialpositioninmountainposewhileyouexhale.

You’vejustgreetedthesun;nowyou’rereadytohaveafantasticday.

TaichiAlsoknownast’aichich’uan(ortaijiquan),taichiisaChinesemartialartthatcanbetracedbackhundredsofyearstoBuddhismandConfucianism;itisverypopularinJapan,too.

AccordingtoChinesetradition,itwascreatedbytheTaoistmasterandmartialartspractitionerZhangSanfeng,thoughitwasYangLuchanwhointhenineteenthcenturybroughttheformtotherestoftheworld.

Taichiwasoriginallyaneijia,orinternalmartialart,meaningitsgoalwaspersonalgrowth.Focusedonself-defense,itteachesthosewhopracticeittodefeattheiradversariesbyusingtheleastamountofforcepossibleandbyrelyingonagility.

Taichi,whichwasalsoseenasameansofhealingbodyandmind,wouldgoontobeusedmorefrequentlytofosterhealthandinnerpeace.Toencourageitscitizenstobemoreactive,theChinesegovernmentpromoteditasanexercise,anditlostitsoriginalconnectiontomartialarts,becominginsteadasourceofhealthandwell-beingaccessibletoall.

Stylesoftaichi

Therearedifferentschoolsandstylesoftaichi.Thefollowingarethebestknown:

Chen-style:alternatesbetweenslowmovementsandexplosiveonesYang-style:themostwidespreadoftheforms;characterizedbyslow,fluidmovementsWu-style:utilizessmall,slow,deliberatemovementsHao-style:centeredoninternalmovements,withalmostmicroscopicexternalmovements;oneoftheleastpracticedformsoftaichi,eveninChina

Despitetheirdifferences,thesestylesallhavethesameobjectives:

1. Tocontrolmovementthroughstillness2. Toovercomeforcethroughfinesse3. Tomovesecondandarrivefirst4. Toknowyourselfandyouropponent

Thetenbasicprinciplesoftaichi

AccordingtothemasterYangChengfu,thecorrectpracticeoftaichifollowstenbasicprinciples:

1. Elevatethecrownofyourhead,andfocusallyourenergythere.2. Tightenyourchestandexpandyourbacktolightenyourlowerbody.

3. Relaxyourwaistandletitguideyourbody.4. Learntodifferentiatebetweenheavinessandlightness,knowinghowyour

weightisdistributed.5. Relaxtheshoulderstoallowfreemovementofthearmsandpromotethe

flowofenergy.6. Valuetheagilityofthemindoverthestrengthofthebody.7. Unifytheupperandlowerbodysotheyactinconcert.8. Unifytheinternalandtheexternaltosynchronizemind,body,andbreath.9. Donotbreaktheflowofyourmovement;maintainfluidityandharmony.

10. Lookforstillnessinmovement.Anactivebodyleadstoacalmmind.

Imitatingclouds

Oneofthebest-knownmovementsintaichiconsistsoffollowingtheformofcloudsinanexercisecalledWaveHandsLikeClouds.Herearethesteps:

1. Extendyourarmsinfrontofyouwithyourpalmsdown.2. Turnyourpalmstofacein,asthoughyouwerehuggingatreetrunk.3. Openyourarmsouttotheside.4. Bringtheleftarmupandcenter,andtherightarmdownandcenter.5. Tracetheshapeofaballinfrontofyourbody.6. Turnyourleftpalmtowardyourface.7. Shiftyourweighttoyourleftfootandpivotfromyourhiptowardthatside,

whileyoureyesfollowthemovementofyourhand.8. Bringyourlefthandtoyourwaistandyourrighthandinfrontofyourface.9. Shiftyourweighttoyourrightfoot.

10. Pivottowardyourright,lookingatyourraisedrighthandtheentiretime.11. Repeatthismovementfluidly,shiftingyourweightfromonefoottothe

otherasyourepositionyourhands.12. Stretchyourarmsoutinfrontofyouagainandbringthemdownslowly,

returningtoyourinitialposition.

QigongAlsoknownaschikung,itsnamecombinesqi(lifeforce,orenergy)andgong(work),indicatingthattheformworkswiththeindividual’slifeforce.Thoughrelativelymodern,especiallyunderitscurrentname,theartofqigongisbasedontheTaoyin,anancientartmeanttofostermentalandphysicalwell-being.

Thepracticebegantoappearinreportsontrainingandmartialartsatthebeginningofthetwentiethcentury,andbythe1930swasbeingusedinhospitals.TheChinesegovernmentlaterpopularizedit,asithaddonewithtaichi.

Qigonginvolvesstaticanddynamicphysicalexercisesthatstimulaterespirationinastanding,seated,orreclinedposition.Therearemanydifferentstylesofqigong,butallofthemseektostrengthenandregenerateqi.Thoughitsmovementsaretypicallygentle,thepracticeisintense.

Benefitsofqigong

Accordingtonumerousinternationalscientificstudies,qigong—liketaichiandyoga—offerssignificanthealthbenefits.Thefollowingstandoutamongthose

proventhroughscientificresearch,asobservedbyDr.KennethM.SancierofSanFrancisco’sQigongInstituteinhisarticle“MedicalApplicationsofQigong”3:

ModificationofbrainwavesImprovedbalanceofsexhormonesLowermortalityratefromheartattacksLowerbloodpressureinpatientswithhypertensionGreaterbonedensityBettercirculationDecelerationofsymptomsassociatedwithsenilityGreaterbalanceandefficiencyofbodilyfunctionsIncreasedbloodflowtothebrainandgreatermind-bodyconnectionImprovedcardiacfunctionReductioninthesecondaryeffectsofcancertreatments

Practicingtheseartsnotonlykeepsusinshape,italsohelpsextendourlives.

Methodsforpracticingqigong

Inordertopracticeqigongcorrectly,weshouldrememberthatourlifeenergyflowsthroughourwholebody.Weshouldknowhowtoregulateitsmanyparts:

1. TyauShenn:(regulatingthebody)byadoptingthecorrectposture—itisimportanttobefirmlyrootedtotheground

2. TyauShyi:(regulatingthebreath)untilitiscalm,steady,andpeaceful3. TyauHsin:(regulatingthemind);themostcomplicatedpart,asitimplies

emptyingthemindofthoughts4. TyauChi:(regulatingthelifeforce)throughtheregulationofthethreeprior

elements,sothatitflowsnaturally5. TyauShen:(regulatingthespirit);thespiritisbothstrengthandrootinbattle,

asYangJwing-MingexplainsinTheEssenceofTaijiQigong.4

Inthisway,thewholeorganismwillbepreparedtoworktogethertowardasinglegoal.

Thefiveelementsofqigong

Oneofqigong’sbest-knownexercisesisaseriesrepresentingthefiveelements:

Oneofqigong’sbest-knownexercisesisaseriesrepresentingthefiveelements:earth,water,wood,metal,andfire.Thisseriesofmovementsseekstobalancethefivecurrentsofenergyinordertoimprovebrainandorganfunction.

Thereareseveralwaystodothesemovements.Inthiscase,we’refollowingthemodelofProfessorMaríaIsabelGarcíaMonrealfromtheQigongInstituteinBarcelona.

EARTH

1. Standwithyourlegsapartandyourfeetdirectlybelowyourshoulders.2. Turnyourfeetoutwardslightlytostrengthentheposture.3. Keepyourshouldersrelaxedanddownandyourarmslooseatyoursides,

slightlyawayfromyourbody(thisistheWuQi,orrooted,posture).4. Asyouinhale,raiseyourarmsinfrontofyouuntilyourhandsarelevelwith

yourshoulders,yourpalmsfacingdown.5. Exhaleasyoubendyourkneesandbringyourarmsdownuntilyourhands

arelevelwithyourstomach,yourpalmsfacingin.6. Holdthispositionforafewseconds,focusingonyourbreath.

WATER

1. StartingfromEarthposture,bendyourkneesintoasquat,keepingyourchestuprightandexhalingthroughout.

2. Pressyourcoccyxdownwardtostretchyourlumbarspine.3. Asyouinhale,standtoreturntoEarthposture.4. 4.Repeattwice,foratotalofthree.

WOOD

1. StartingfromEarthposture,turnyourpalmsupwardandopenyourarmstotheside,formingacircleasyouinhale,untilyourhandsarelevelwithyourclavicle.Turnyourhandssothatyourpalmsandelbowspointdownward,whilekeepingyourshouldersrelaxed.

2. Reversethemovementasyouexhale,makingadownwardcirclewithyourarmsuntilyoureachyourinitialposition.

3. Repeattwice,foratotalofthree.

METAL

1. StartingfromEarthposture,raiseyourarmsuntilyourhandsarelevelwithyoursternum.

2. Turnyourpalmstowardeachother,aboutfourinchesapart,withyourfingersrelaxedandslightlyseparated,pointingupward.

3. Asyouinhale,moveyourhandsawayfromeachotheruntiltheyareshoulderwidthapart.

4. Asyouexhale,bringyourhandstowardeachotheruntiltheyarebackinposition2.

5. Repeattwice,foratotalofthree,observingtheconcentrationofenergyasyoubringyourhandstogetherinfrontofyourlungs.

FIRE

1. StartingfromEarthposture,bringyourhandslevelwithyourheartasyouinhale,withonehandslightlyabovetheotherandyourpalmsfacingeachother.

2. Rotateyourhandstofeeltheenergyofyourheart.3. Turnfromyourwaistgentlytotheleft,keepingyourtorsorelaxedandyour

forearmsparalleltotheground.4. Withyourpalmsstillfacingeachother,separateyourhands,bringingoneup

untilitislevelwithyourshoulder,andtheotherdowninfrontofyourabdomen.

5. Turnfromyourwaistgentlytotheright,keepingyourtorsorelaxedandyourforearmsparalleltotheground.

6. Asyouexhale,letyourhandscomebacktogetherinfrontofyourheart.7. Withyourpalmsstillfacingeachother,separateyourhands,bringingoneup

untilitislevelwithyourshoulder,andtheotherdowninfrontofyourabdomen.

COMPLETINGTHESERIES

1. StartingfromEarthposture,inhaleasyoubringyourhandslevelwithyourshoulders,palmsfacingdown.

2. Asyouexhale,loweryourarmstorestatyoursides,returningtotheinitialWuQiposture.

Shiatsu

CreatedinJapanintheearlytwentiethcentury,principallyforthetreatmentofarthritis,shiatsualsoworksonenergyflowthroughtheapplicationofpressurewiththethumbsandthepalmsofthehands.Incombinationwithstretchingandbreathingexercises,itseekstocreateequilibriumamongthedifferentelementsofthebody.

ItisnotimportantthataTaoYin*haveaname,isimitatingsomething,orisengravedinjade.Whatisimportantisthetechniqueandtheessenceofwhatisreallypracticed.Stretchingandcontracting,bendingandliftingofthehead,stepping,lyingdown,restingorstanding,walkingorsteppingslowly,screamingorbreathing—everythingcanbeaTaoYin.

—GeHong5

Breathebetter,livelongerThebookXiuzhenshishu,knownintheWestasTenBooksontheCultivationofPerfection,datesbacktothethirteenthcenturyandisacompendiumofmaterialsfromdiversesourcesondevelopingthemindandbody.

Itquotes,amongothers,thecelebratedChinesedoctorandessayistSunSimiao,wholivedduringthesixthcentury.SunSimiaowasaproponentofatechniquecalledtheSixHealingSounds,whichinvolvesthecoordinationofmovement,breathing,andpronouncingsoundswiththepurposeofbringingoursoulstoaplaceofcalm.

Thesixsoundsare:

Xu,pronouncedlike“shh”withadeepsigh,whichisassociatedwiththeliverHe,pronouncedlike“her”withayawn,whichisassociatedwiththeheartSi,pronouncedlike“sir”withaslowexhale,whichisassociatedwiththelungsChui,pronouncedlike“chwee”withaforcefulexhale,whichisassociated

withthekidneysHoo,pronouncedlike“who,”whichisassociatedwiththespleenXi,pronouncedlike“she,”whichconnectsthewholebody

ThefollowingpoembySunSimiaoofferscluesabouthowtolivewellaccordingtotheseason.Itremindsusoftheimportanceofbreathing,and

suggeststhataswebreathe,wevisualizetheorgansassociatedwitheachofthehealingsounds.

Inspring,breathexuforcleareyesandsowoodcanaidyourliver.Insummer,reachforhe,sothatheartandfirecanbeatpeace.Infall,breathesitostabilizeandgathermetal,keepingthelungsmoist.Forthekidneys,next,breathechuiandseeyourinnerwaterscalm.TheTripleHeaterneedsyourxitoexpelallheatandtroubles.Inallfourseasons,takedeepbreathssoyourspleencanprocessfood.And,ofcourse,avoidexhalingnoisily;don’tletevenyourownearshearyou.Thepracticeismostexcellentandwillhelppreserveyourdivineelixir.

ItmightfeelconfusingtobepresentedwithalltheEasterntraditionswehaveintroducedinthischapter.Thetakeawayisthattheyallcombineaphysicalexercisewithanawarenessofourbreath.Thesetwocomponents—movementandbreath—helpustobringourconsciousnessinlinewithourbody,insteadofallowingourmindtobecarriedawaybytheseaofdailyworries.Mostofthetime,wearejustnotawareenoughofourbreathing.

IX

RESILIENCEANDWABI-SABI

Howtofacelife’schallengeswithoutlettingstressandworryageyou

Whatisresilience?Onethingthateveryonewithaclearlydefinedikigaihasincommonisthattheypursuetheirpassionnomatterwhat.Theynevergiveup,evenwhenthecardsseemstackedagainstthemortheyfaceonehurdleafteranother.

We’retalkingaboutresilience,aconceptthathasbecomeinfluentialamongpsychologists.

Butresilienceisn’tjusttheabilitytopersevere.Aswe’llseeinthischapter,itisalsoanoutlookwecancultivatetostayfocusedontheimportantthingsinliferatherthanwhatismosturgent,andtokeepourselvesfrombeingcarriedawaybynegativeemotions.

Inthefinalsectionofthechapter,we’llexploretechniquesthatgobeyondresiliencetocultivateantifragility.

Soonerorlater,weallhavetofacedifficultmoments,andthewaywedothiscanmakeahugedifferencetoourqualityoflife.Propertrainingforourmind,body,andemotionalresilienceisessentialforconfrontinglife’supsanddowns.

Nanakorobiyaoki七転び八起きFallseventimes,riseeight.

—Japaneseproverb

Resilienceisourabilitytodealwithsetbacks.Themoreresilientweare,theeasieritwillbetopickourselvesupandgetbacktowhatgivesmeaningtoourlives.

Resilientpeopleknowhowtostayfocusedontheirobjectives,onwhatmatters,withoutgivingintodiscouragement.Theirflexibilityisthesourceoftheirstrength:Theyknowhowtoadapttochangeandtoreversalsoffortune.Theyconcentrateonthethingstheycancontrolanddon’tworryaboutthosetheycan’t.

InthewordsofthefamousSerenityPrayerbyReinholdNiebuhr:

God,giveusgracetoacceptwithserenitythethingsthatcannotbechanged,

Couragetochangethethingswhichshouldbechanged,

andtheWisdomtodistinguishtheonefromtheother.

theonefromtheother.

EmotionalresiliencethroughBuddhismandStoicismSiddhārthaGautama(Buddha)wasbornaprinceofKapilavastu,Nepal,andgrewupinapalace,surroundedbyriches.Atsixteenhemarriedandhadachild.

Notsatisfiedbyhisfamily’swealth,attwenty-ninehedecidedtotryadifferentlifestyleandranawayfromthepalacetoliveasanascetic.Butitwasn’tasceticismthathewaslookingfor;itdidn’tofferthehappinessandwell-beinghesought.Neitherwealthnorextremeasceticismworkedforhim.Herealizedthatawisepersonshouldnotignorelife’spleasures.Awisepersoncanlivewiththesepleasuresbutshouldalwaysremainconsciousofhoweasyitistobeenslavedbythem.

ZenoofCitiumbeganhisstudieswiththeCynics.TheCynicsalsoledasceticlives,leavingbehindallearthlypleasures.Theylivedinthestreet,andtheonlythingtheyownedwastheclothingontheirbacks.

SeeingthatCynicismdidnotgivehimasenseofwell-being,ZenoabandoneditsteachingstofoundtheschoolofStoicism,whichcentersontheideathatthereisnothingwrongwithenjoyinglife’spleasuresaslongastheydonottakecontrolofyourlifeasyouenjoythem.Youhavetobepreparedforthosepleasurestodisappear.

Thegoalisnottoeliminateallfeelingsandpleasuresfromourlives,asinCynicism,buttoeliminatenegativeemotions.

Sincetheirinception,oneoftheobjectivesofbothBuddhismandStoicismhasbeentocontrolpleasure,emotions,anddesires.Thoughthephilosophiesareverydifferent,bothaimtocurbouregoandcontrolournegativeemotions.

BothStoicismandBuddhismare,attheirroots,methodsforpracticingwell-being.

AccordingtoStoicism,ourpleasuresanddesiresarenottheproblem.Wecanenjoythemaslongastheydon’ttakecontrolofus.TheStoicsviewedthosewhowereabletocontroltheiremotionsasvirtuous.

What’stheworstthingthatcouldhappen?Wefinallylandourdreamjob,butafteralittlewhilewearealreadyhuntingforabetterone.Wewinthelotteryandbuyanicecarbutthendecidewecan’tlivewithoutasailboat.Wefinallywintheheartofthemanorwomanwe’vebeen

withoutasailboat.Wefinallywintheheartofthemanorwomanwe’vebeenpiningforandsuddenlyfindwehaveawanderingeye.

Peoplecanbeinsatiable.TheStoicsbelievedthatthesekindsofdesiresandambitionsarenotworth

pursuing.Theobjectiveofthevirtuouspersonistoreachastateoftranquility(apatheia):theabsenceofnegativefeelingssuchasanxiety,fear,shame,vanity,andanger,andthepresenceofpositivefeelingssuchashappiness,love,serenity,andgratitude.

Inordertokeeptheirmindsvirtuous,theStoicspracticedsomethinglikenegativevisualization:Theyimaginedtheworstthingthatcouldhappeninordertobepreparedifcertainprivilegesandpleasuresweretakenfromthem.

Topracticenegativevisualization,wehavetoreflectonnegativeevents,butwithoutworryingaboutthem.

Seneca,oneoftherichestmeninancientRome,livedalifeofluxurybutwas,nonetheless,anactiveStoic.Herecommendedpracticingnegativevisualizationeverynightbeforefallingasleep.Infact,henotonlyimaginedthesenegativesituations,heactuallyputthemintopractice—forexample,bylivingforaweekwithoutservants,orthefoodanddrinkhewasusedtoasawealthyman.Asaresult,hewasabletoanswerthequestion“What’stheworstthingthatcouldhappen?”

MeditatingforhealthieremotionsInadditiontonegativevisualizationandnotgivingintonegativeemotions,anothercentraltenetofStoicismisknowingwhatwecancontrolandwhatwecan’t,asweseeintheSerenityPrayer.

Worryingaboutthingsthatarebeyondourcontrolaccomplishesnothing.Weshouldhaveaclearsenseofwhatwecanchangeandwhatwecan’t,whichinturnwillallowustoresistgivingintonegativeemotions.

InthewordsofEpictetus,“It’snotwhathappenstoyou,buthowyoureactthatmatters.”1

InZenBuddhism,meditationisawaytobecomeawareofourdesiresandemotionsandtherebyfreeourselvesfromthem.Itisnotsimplyaquestionofkeepingthemindfreeofthoughtsbutinsteadinvolvesobservingourthoughtsandemotionsastheyappear,withoutgettingcarriedawaybythem.Inthisway,wetrainourmindsnottogetsweptupinanger,jealousy,orresentment.

OneofthemostcommonlyusedmantrasinBuddhismfocusesoncontrollingnegativeemotions:“Oṃmaṇipadmehūṃ,”inwhichoṃisthegenerositythatpurifiestheego,maistheethicsthatpurifiesjealousy,ṇiisthepatiencethatpurifiespassionanddesire,padistheprecisionthatpurifiesbias,meisthesurrenderthatpurifiesgreed,andhūṃisthewisdomthatpurifieshatred.

Thehereandnow,andtheimpermanenceofthingsAnotherkeytocultivatingresilienceisknowinginwhichtimetolive.BothBuddhismandStoicismremindusthatthepresentisallthatexists,anditistheonlythingwecancontrol.Insteadofworryingaboutthepastorthefuture,weshouldappreciatethingsjustastheyareinthemoment,inthenow.

“Theonlymomentinwhichyoucanbetrulyaliveisthepresentmoment,”observestheBuddhistmonkThichNhatHanh.

Inadditiontolivinginthehereandnow,theStoicsrecommendreflectingontheimpermanenceofthethingsaroundus.

TheRomanemperorMarcusAureliussaidthatthethingsweloveareliketheleavesofatree:Theycanfallatanymomentwithagustofwind.Healsosaidthatchangesintheworldaroundusarenotaccidentalbutratherformpartoftheessenceoftheuniverse—aratherBuddhistnotion,infact.

Weshouldneverforgetthateverythingwehaveandallthepeoplewelovewilldisappearatsomepoint.Thisissomethingweshouldkeepinmind,butwithoutgivingintopessimism.Beingawareoftheimpermanenceofthingsdoesnothavetomakeussad;itshouldhelpuslovethepresentmomentandthosewhosurroundus.

“Allthingshumanareshort-livedandperishable,”Senecatellsus.2Thetemporary,ephemeral,andimpermanentnatureoftheworldiscentralto

everyBuddhistdiscipline.Keepingthisalwaysinmindhelpsusavoidexcessivepainintimesofloss.

Wabi-sabiandichi-goichi-eWabi-sabiisaJapaneseconceptthatshowsusthebeautyofthefleeting,changeable,andimperfectnatureoftheworldaroundus.Insteadofsearchingforbeautyinperfection,weshouldlookforitinthingsthatareflawed,incomplete.

ThisiswhytheJapaneseplacesuchvalue,forexample,onanirregularor

ThisiswhytheJapaneseplacesuchvalue,forexample,onanirregularorcrackedteacup.Onlythingsthatareimperfect,incomplete,andephemeralcantrulybebeautiful,becauseonlythosethingsresemblethenaturalworld.

AcomplementaryJapaneseconceptisthatofichi-goichi-e,whichcouldbetranslatedas“Thismomentexistsonlynowandwon’tcomeagain.”Itisheardmostofteninsocialgatheringsasareminderthateachencounter—whetherwithfriends,family,orstrangers—isuniqueandwillneverberepeated,meaningthatweshouldenjoythemomentandnotloseourselvesinworriesaboutthepastorthefuture.

Theconceptiscommonlyusedinteaceremonies,Zenmeditation,andJapanesemartialarts,allofwhichplaceemphasisonbeingpresentinthemoment.

IntheWest,we’vegrownaccustomedtothepermanenceofthestonebuildingsandcathedralsofEurope,whichsometimesgivesusthesensethatnothingchanges,makingusforgetaboutthepassageoftime.Greco-Romanarchitectureadoressymmetry,sharplines,imposingfacades,andbuildingsandstatuesofthegodsthatoutlastthecenturies.

Japanesearchitecture,ontheotherhand,doesn’ttrytobeimposingorperfect,becauseitisbuiltinthespiritofwabi-sabi.Thetraditionofmakingstructuresoutofwoodpresupposestheirimpermanenceandtheneedforfuturegenerationstorebuildthem.Japanesecultureacceptsthefleetingnatureofthehumanbeingandeverythingwecreate.

TheGrandShrineofIse,3forexample,hasbeenrebuilteverytwentyyearsforcenturies.Themostimportantthingisnottokeepthebuildingstandingforgenerations,buttopreservecustomsandtraditions—thingsthatcanwithstandthepassageoftimebetterthanstructuresmadebyhumanhands.

Thekeyistoacceptthattherearecertainthingsoverwhichwehavenocontrol,likethepassageoftimeandtheephemeralnatureoftheworldaroundus.

Ichi-goichi-eteachesustofocusonthepresentandenjoyeachmomentthatlifebringsus.Thisiswhyitissoimportanttofindandpursueourikigai.

Wabi-sabiteachesustoappreciatethebeautyofimperfectionasanopportunityforgrowth.

Beyondresilience:AntifragilityAsthelegendgoes,thefirsttimeHerculesfacedtheHydra,hedespairedwhenhediscoveredthatcuttingoffoneofitsheadsmeantthattwowouldgrowbackinitsplace.Hewouldneverbeabletokillthebeastifitgotstrongerwithevery

itsplace.Hewouldneverbeabletokillthebeastifitgotstrongerwitheverywound.

AsNassimNicholasTalebexplainsinAntifragile:ThingsThatGainfromDisorder,4weusethewordfragiletodescribepeople,things,andorganizationsthatareweakenedwhenharmed,andthewordsrobustandresilientforthingsthatareabletowithstandharmwithoutweakening,butwedon’thaveawordforthingsthatgetstrongerwhenharmed(uptoapoint).

TorefertothekindofpowerpossessedbytheHydraofLerna,totalkaboutthingsthatgetstrongerwhentheyareharmed,Talebproposesthetermantifragile:“Antifragilityisbeyondresilienceorrobustness.Theresilientresistsshocksandstaysthesame;theantifragilegetsbetter.”

Catastrophesandexceptionalcircumstancesoffergoodmodelsforexplainingantifragility.In2011atsunamihittheTōhokuregionofJapan,doingtremendousdamagetodozensofcitiesandtownsalongthecoast,mostfamouslyFukushima.

Whenwevisitedtheaffectedcoasttwoyearsafterthecatastrophe,havingdrivenforhoursalongcrackedhighwaysandpastoneemptygasstationafteranother,wepassedthroughseveralghosttownswhosestreetshadbeentakenoverbytheremnantsofhouses,pilesofcars,andemptytrainstations.Thesetownswerefragilespacesthathadbeenforgottenbythegovernmentandcouldnotrecoverontheirown.

Otherplaces,suchasIshinomakiandKesennuma,sufferedextensivedamagebutwererebuiltwithinafewyears,thankstotheeffortsofmany.IshinomakiandKesennumashowedhowresilienttheywereintheirabilitytoreturntonormalafterthecatastrophe.

TheearthquakethatcausedthetsunamialsoaffectedtheFukushimanuclearpowerplant.TheTokyoElectricPowerCompanyengineersworkingattheplantwerenotpreparedtorecoverfromthatkindofdamage.TheFukushimanuclearfacilityisstillinastateofemergencyandwillbefordecadestocome.Itdemonstrateditsfragilityinthefaceofanunprecedentedcatastrophe.

TheJapanesefinancialmarketsclosedminutesaftertheearthquake.Whichbusinessesdidthebestintheaftermath?Stockinbigconstructioncompanieshasbeensteadilyontherisesince2011;theneedtorebuildtheentirecoastofTōhokuisaboonforconstruction.Inthiscase,Japaneseconstructioncompaniesareantifragile,sincetheybenefitedenormouslyfromthecatastrophe.

Nowlet’stakealookathowwecanapplythisconcepttoourdailylives.Howcanwebemoreantifragile?

Step1:Createredundancies

Step1:Createredundancies

Insteadofhavingasinglesalary,trytofindawaytomakemoneyfromyourhobbies,atotherjobs,orbystartingyourownbusiness.Ifyouhaveonlyonesalary,youmightbeleftwithnothingshouldyouremployerrunintotrouble,leavingyouinapositionoffragility.Ontheotherhand,ifyouhaveseveraloptionsandyouloseyourprimaryjob,itmightjusthappenthatyouendupdedicatingmoretimetoyoursecondaryjob,andmaybeevenmakemoremoneyatit.Youwouldhavebeatenthatstrokeofbadluckandwouldbe,inthatcase,antifragile.

OnehundredpercentoftheseniorsweinterviewedinOgimihadaprimaryandasecondaryoccupation.Mostofthemkeptavegetablegardenasasecondaryjob,andsoldtheirproduceatthelocalmarket.

Thesameideagoesforfriendshipsandpersonalinterests.It’sjustamatter,asthesayinggoes,ofnotputtingallyoureggsinonebasket.

Inthesphereofromanticrelationships,therearethosewhofocusalltheirenergyontheirpartnerandmakehimorhertheirwholeworld.Thosepeopleloseeverythingiftherelationshipdoesn’tworkout,whereasifthey’vecultivatedstrongfriendshipsandafulllifealongtheway,they’llbeinabetterpositiontomoveonattheendofarelationship.They’llbeantifragile.

Rightnowyoumightbethinking,“Idon’tneedmorethanonesalary,andI’mhappywiththefriendsI’vealwayshad.WhyshouldIaddanythingnew?”Itmightseemlikeawasteoftimetoaddvariationtoourlives,becauseextraordinarythingsdon’tordinarilyhappen.Weslipintoacomfortzone.Buttheunexpectedalwayshappens,soonerorlater.

Step2:Betconservativelyincertainareasandtakemanysmallrisksinothers

Theworldoffinanceturnsouttobeveryusefulinexplainingthisconcept.Ifyouhave$10,000savedup,youmightput$9,000ofthatintoanindexfundorfixed-termdeposit,andinvesttheremaining$1,000intenstart-upswithhugegrowthpotential—say,$100ineach.

Onepossiblescenarioisthatthreeofthecompaniesfail(youlose$300),thevalueofthreeothercompaniesgoesdown(youloseanother$100or$200),thevalueofthreegoesup(youmake$100or$200),andthevalueofoneofthestart-upsincreasestwenty-fold(youmakenearly$2,000,ormaybeevenmore).

Youstillmakemoney,evenifthreeofthebusinessesgocompletelybelly-up.You’vebenefitedfromthedamage,justliketheHydra.

You’vebenefitedfromthedamage,justliketheHydra.Thekeytobecomingantifragileistakingonsmallrisksthatmightleadto

greatreward,withoutexposingourselvestodangersthatmightsinkus,suchasinvesting$10,000inafundofquestionablereputationthatwesawadvertisedinthenewspaper.

Step3:Getridofthethingsthatmakeyoufragile

We’retakingthenegativerouteforthisexercise.Askyourself:Whatmakesmefragile?Certainpeople,things,andhabitsgeneratelossesforusandmakeusvulnerable.Whoandwhatarethey?

WhenwemakeourNewYear’sresolutions,wetendtoemphasizeaddingnewchallengestoourlives.It’sgreattohavethiskindofobjective,butsetting“goodriddance”goalscanhaveanevenbiggerimpact.Forexample:

StopsnackingbetweenmealsEatsweetsonlyonceaweekGraduallypayoffalldebtAvoidspendingtimewithtoxicpeopleAvoidspendingtimedoingthingswedon’tenjoy,simplybecausewefeelobligatedtodothemSpendnomorethantwentyminutesonFacebookperday

Tobuildresilienceintoourlives,weshouldn’tfearadversity,becauseeachsetbackisanopportunityforgrowth.Ifweadoptanantifragileattitude,we’llfindawaytogetstrongerwitheveryblow,refiningourlifestyleandstayingfocusedonourikigai.

Takingahitortwocanbeviewedaseitheramisfortuneoranexperiencethatwecanapplytoallareasofourlives,aswecontinuallymakecorrectionsandsetnewandbettergoals.AsTalebwritesinAntifragile,“Weneedrandomness,mess,adventures,uncertainty,self-discovery,heartraumaticepisodes,allthesethingsthatmakelifeworthliving.”WeencouragethoseinterestedintheconceptofantifragilitytoreadNassimNicholasTaleb’sAntifragile.

Lifeispureimperfection,asthephilosophyofwabi-sabiteachesus,andthepassageoftimeshowsusthateverythingisfleeting,butifyouhaveaclearsenseofyourikigai,eachmomentwillholdsomanypossibilitiesthatitwillseemalmostlikeaneternity.

EPILOGUE

Ikigai:Theartofliving

MitsuoAidawasoneofthemostimportantcalligraphersandhaikuistsofthetwentiethcentury.HeisyetanotherexampleofaJapanesepersonwhodedicatedhislifetoaveryspecificikigai:communicatingemotionswithseventeen-syllablepoems,usingashodocalligraphybrush.

ManyofAida’shaikusphilosophizeabouttheimportanceofthepresentmoment,andthepassageoftime.Thepoemreproducedbelowcouldbetranslatedas“Inthehereandnow,theonlythinginmylifeisyourlife.”

いまここにしかないわたしのいのちあなたのいのち

Inanotherpoem,Aidawritessimply,“Here,now.”Itisanartworkthatseekstoevokefeelingsofmononoaware(amelancholyappreciationoftheephemeral).

いまここ

Thefollowingpoemtouchesononeofthesecretsofbringingikigaiintoourlives:“Happinessisalwaysdeterminedbyyourheart.”

しあわせはいつも自分の心がきめる

Thislastone,alsobyAida,means“Keepgoing;don’tchangeyourpath.”

Thislastone,alsobyAida,means“Keepgoing;don’tchangeyourpath.”

そのままでいいがな

Onceyoudiscoveryourikigai,pursuingitandnurturingiteverydaywillbringmeaningtoyourlife.Themomentyourlifehasthispurpose,youwillachieveahappystateofflowinallyoudo,likethecalligrapherathiscanvasorthechefwho,afterhalfacentury,stillpreparessushiforhispatronswithlove.

ConclusionOurikigaiisdifferentforallofus,butonethingwehaveincommonisthatweareallsearchingformeaning.Whenwespendourdaysfeelingconnectedtowhatismeaningfultous,welivemorefully;whenwelosetheconnection,wefeeldespair.

Modernlifeestrangesusmoreandmorefromourtruenature,makingitveryeasyforustoleadliveslackinginmeaning.Powerfulforcesandincentives(money,power,attention,success)distractusonadailybasis;don’tletthemtakeoveryourlife.

Ourintuitionandcuriosityareverypowerfulinternalcompassestohelpusconnectwithourikigai.Followthosethingsyouenjoy,andgetawayfromorchangethoseyoudislike.Beledbyyourcuriosity,andkeepbusybydoingthingsthatfillyouwithmeaningandhappiness.Itdoesn’tneedtobeabigthing:wemightfindmeaninginbeinggoodparentsorinhelpingourneighbors.

Thereisnoperfectstrategytoconnectingwithourikigai.ButwhatwelearnedfromtheOkinawansisthatweshouldnotworrytoomuchaboutfindingit.

Lifeisnotaproblemtobesolved.Justremembertohavesomethingthatkeepsyoubusydoingwhatyoulovewhilebeingsurroundedbythepeoplewholoveyou.

ThetenrulesofikigaiWe’llconcludethisjourneywithtenruleswe’vedistilledfromthewisdomofthelong-livingresidentsofOgimi:

1.Stayactive;don’tretire.Thosewhogiveupthethingstheylovedoinganddowelllosetheirpurposeinlife.That’swhyit’ssoimportanttokeepdoingthingsofvalue,makingprogress,bringingbeautyorutilitytoothers,helpingout,andshapingtheworldaroundyou,evenafteryour“official”professionalactivityhasended.

2.Takeitslow.Beinginahurryisinverselyproportionaltoqualityoflife.Astheoldsayinggoes,“Walkslowlyandyou’llgofar.”Whenweleaveurgencybehind,lifeandtimetakeonnewmeaning.

3.Don’tfillyourstomach.Lessismorewhenitcomestoeatingforlonglife,too.Accordingtothe80percentrule,inordertostayhealthierlonger,weshouldeatalittlelessthanourhungerdemandsinsteadofstuffingourselves.

4.Surroundyourselfwithgoodfriends.Friendsarethebestmedicine,thereforconfidingworriesoveragoodchat,sharingstoriesthatbrightenyourday,gettingadvice,havingfun,dreaming...inotherwords,living.

5.Getinshapeforyournextbirthday.Watermoves;itisatitsbestwhenitflowsfreshanddoesn’tstagnate.Thebodyyoumovethroughlifeinneedsabitofdailymaintenancetokeepitrunningforalongtime.Plus,exercisereleaseshormonesthatmakeusfeelhappy.

6.Smile.Acheerfulattitudeisnotonlyrelaxing—italsohelpsmakefriends.It’sgoodtorecognizethethingsthataren’tsogreat,butweshouldneverforgetwhataprivilegeitistobeinthehereandnowinaworldsofullofpossibilities.

7.Reconnectwithnature.Thoughmostpeopleliveincitiesthesedays,humanbeingsaremadetobepartofthenaturalworld.Weshouldreturntoitoftentorechargeourbatteries.

8.Givethanks.Toyourancestors,tonature,whichprovidesyouwiththeairyoubreatheandthefoodyoueat,toyourfriendsandfamily,toeverythingthatbrightensyourdaysandmakesyoufeelluckytobealive.Spendamomenteverydaygivingthanks,andyou’llwatchyourstockpileofhappinessgrow.

9.Liveinthemoment.Stopregrettingthepastandfearingthefuture.Todayisallyouhave.Makethemostofit.Makeitworthremembering.

10.Followyourikigai.Thereisapassioninsideyou,auniquetalentthatgivesmeaningtoyourdaysanddrivesyoutosharethebestofyourselfuntiltheveryend.Ifyoudon’tknowwhatyourikigaiisyet,asViktorFranklsays,yourmissionistodiscoverit.

Theauthorsofthisbookwishyoualong,happy,andpurposefullife.Thankyouforjoiningus,

HÉCTORGARCÍAANDFRANCESCMIRALLES

NOTES

ChapterI.Ikigai1DanBuettner.TheBlueZones:LessonsforLivingLongerfromthePeopleWho’veLivedtheLongest.

PeopleinallBlueZones(exceptAdventists)drinkalcoholmoderatelyandregularly.Moderatedrinkersoutlivenondrinkers.Thetrickistodrink1–2glassesperday(preferablySardinianCannonauwine),withfriendsand/orwithfood.Andno,youcan’tsaveupallweekandhave14drinksonSaturday.Retrievedviahttps://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/#sthash.4LTc0NED.dpuf.

ChapterII.AntiagingSecrets1EduardPunset.InterviewwithShlomoBreznitzforRedes,RTVE(RadioTelevisiónEspañola).

Retrievedviahttp://www.rtve.es/television/20101024/pon-forma-tu-cerebro/364676.shtml.2HowardS.FriedmanandLeslieR.Martin.TheLongevityProject:SurprisingDiscoveriesforHealthand

LongLifefromtheLandmarkEight-DecadeStudy.Retrievedviahttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/307681/the-longevity-project-by-howard-s-friedman/9780452297708/.

ChapterIII.FromLogotherapytoIkigai1ViktorE.Frankl,RichardWinston(translator),ClaraWinston.TheDoctorandtheSoul:From

PsychotherapytoLogotherapy.Vintage,1986.2ViktorE.Frankl.Man’sSearchforUltimateMeaning.BasicBooks,2000.3Ibid.4ViktorE.Frankl.TheWilltoMeaning:FoundationsandApplicationsofLogotherapy.Meridian/Plume,

1988.5ShomaMorita.MoritaTherapyandtheTrueNatureofAnxiety-BasedDisorders.StateUniversityofNew

YorkPress,1998.6ThichNhatHanh.TheMiracleofMindfulness:AnIntroductiontothePracticeofMeditation.Beacon

Press,1996.7Morita.MoritaTherapy.

ChapterIV.FindFlowinEverythingYouDo1“CraftingFunUserExperiences:AMethodtoFacilitateFlow—AConversationwithOwenSchaffer.”

Retrievedviahumanfactors.com/whitepapers/crafting_fun_ux.asp.2ErnestHemingway.OnWriting.Scribner,1984.3BertrandRussell.UnpopularEssays.Routledge,2009.4TheCollectedPapersofAlbertEinstein,vol.1.PrincetonUniversityPress,1987.5EyalOphir,CliffordNass,andAnthonyD.Wagner,“CognitiveControlinMediaMultitaskers.”

Retrievedviawww.pnas.org/content/106/37/15583.full.

6SaraThomée,AnnikaHärenstam,andMatsHagberg,“MobilePhoneUseandStress,SleepDisturbances,andSymptomsofDepressionAmongYoungAdults—AProspectiveCohortStudy.”Retrievedviahttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3042390/.

7NobuyukiHayashi.IdainaruKurieteabuDerekutaNoKiseki.[SteveJobs:TheGreatestCreativeDirector]ASCIIMediaWorks,2007.IthasnotbeentranslatedintoEnglish.

8RichardP.Feynman.“WhatDoYouCareWhatOtherPeopleThink?”:FurtherAdventuresofaCuriousCharacter.W.W.Norton,2001.

ChapterV.MastersofLongevity1EmmaInnes,“Thesecrettoalonglife?Sushiandsleep,accordingtotheworld’soldestwoman,”Daily

Mail.Retrievedviahttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2572316/The-secret-long-life-Sushi-sleep-according-worlds-oldest-woman.html.

2“Muerealos116lamujermaslongevasegúnelLibroGuinnessdelosRécords,”ElPaís.Retrievedviahttp://elpais.com/elpais/2006/08/28/actualidad/1156747730_850215.html.

3Supercentenarians.Editors:H.Maier,J.Gampe,B.Jeune,J.W.Vaupel,J.-M.Robine.Springer-Verlag,2010.

4DavidBatty,“World’soldestmandiesat114,”TheGuardian.Retrievedviahttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/15/world-oldest-man-dies-at-114.

5RalphBlumenthal,“World’sOldestMan,ThoughOnlyBriefly,Diesat111inNewYork,”NewYorkTimes.Retrievedviahttps://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/nyregion/worlds-oldest-man-though-only-briefly-dies-at-111-in-new-york.html?.

6HenryD.Smith.Hokusai:OneHundredViewsofMt.Fuji.GeorgeBraziller,Inc.,1988.7“OldMastersattheTopofTheirGame,”NewYorkTimesMagazine.Retrievedvia

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/23/magazine/old-masters-at-top-of-their-game.html?_r=0.8Ibid.9ToshioBan.TheOsamuTezukaStory:ALifeinMangaandAnime.StoneBridgePress,2016.10RosamundC.BarnettandCarylRivers.TheAgeofLongevity:Re-ImaginingTomorrowforOurNew

LongLives.Rowman&LittlefieldPublishers,2016.11“OldMastersattheTopofTheirGame,”NewYorkTimesMagazine.12Ibid.13Ibid.14Ibid.15Ibid.

ChapterVI.LessonsfromJapan’sCentenarians1Strictlyspeaking,Shintomeans“thewayofthekami.”InJapanese,kamireferstospiritsorphenomena

thatcoexistwithusinnature.2WashingtonBurnap.TheSphereandDutiesofWoman:ACourseofLectures(1848).Retrievedvia

https://archive-org/details/spheredutiesofwo00burn.

ChapterVII.TheIkigaiDiet1BradleyJ.Willcox,D.CraigWillcox,andMakotoSuzuki.TheOkinawaProgram:HowtheWorld’s

Longest-LivedPeopleAchieveEverlastingHealth—andHowYouCanToo.Retrievedviahttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/190921/the-okinawa-program-by-bradley-j-willcox-md-d-craig-willcox-phd-makoto-suzuki-md-foreword-by-andrew-weil-md/.

2LuigiFontana,EdwardP.Weiss,DennisT.Villareal,SamuelKlein,andJohnO.Holloszy.“Long-termEffectsofCalorieorProteinRestrictiononSerumIGF-1andIGFBP-3ConcentrationinHumans.”Retrievedviahttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2673798/.

3EddaCavaandLuigiFontana.“WillCalorieRestrictionWorkinHumans?”Retrievedviahttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3765579/.

4W.E.BronnerandG.R.Beecher.“MethodforDeterminingtheContentofCatechinsinTeaInfusionsbyHigh-PerformanceLiquidChromatography.”Retrievedviahttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9618918.

ChapterVIII.GentleMovements,LongerLife1“SittingIstheNewSmoking,”StartStanding.Retrievedviahttp://www.startstanding.org/sitting-new-

smoking/.2BrigidSchulte,“HealthExpertsHaveFiguredOutHowMuchTimeYouShouldSitEachDay,”

WashingtonPost.Retrievedviahttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/02/medical-researchers-have-figured-out-how-much-time-is-okay-to-spend-sitting-each-day/?utm_term=.d9d8df01a807.

3KennethM.Sancier,PhD,“MedicalApplicationsofQigong,”AlternativeTherapies,January1996(vol.2,no.1).Retrievedviahttp://www.ichikung.com/pdf/MedicalApplicationsQigong.pdf.

4YangJwing-Ming.TheEssenceofTaijiQigong.YMAAPublicationCenter,1998.5GeHong(AD284–364).Retrievedviahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge_Hong.

ChapterIX.ResilienceandWabi-sabi1Epictetus.DiscoursesandSelectedWritings.Penguin,2008.2Seneca.LettersfromaStoic.Penguin,2015.3“IseShrine,”EncyclopaediaBritannica.Retrievedviahttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Ise-Shrine.4NassimNicholasTaleb.Antifragile:ThingsThatGainfromDisorder.RandomHouse,2014.

SUGGESTIONSFORFURTHERREADING

TheauthorsofIkigaiweregreatlyinspiredby:

Breznitz,Shlomo,andCollinsHemingway.MaximumBrainpower:ChallengingtheBrainforHealthandWisdom.BallantineBooks,2012.

Buettner,Dan.TheBlueZones:LessonsforLivingLongerfromthePeopleWho’veLivedtheLongest.Retrievedviahttp://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/#sthash.4LTc0NED.dpuf.

Csikszentmihalyi,Mihaly.Flow:ThePsychologyofOptimalExperience.HarperPerennial,1990.

Frankl,ViktorE.TheDoctorandtheSoul:FromPsychotherapytoLogotherapy.Vintage,1986.

———.Man’sSearchforUltimateMeaning.BasicBooks,2000.———.TheWilltoMeaning:FoundationsandApplicationsofLogotherapy.

Meridian/Plume,1988.Friedman,HowardS.,andLeslieR.Martin.TheLongevityProject:Surprising

DiscoveriesforHealthandLongLifefromtheLandmarkEight-DecadeStudy.Plume,2012.

Morita,Shoma.MoritaTherapyandtheTrueNatureofAnxiety-BasedDisorders.StateUniversityofNewYorkPress,1998.

Taleb,NassimNicholas.Incertoseries:FooledbyRandomness,TheBlackSwan,TheBedofProcrustes,Antifragile.RandomHouse,2012.

Willcox,BradleyJ.,D.CraigWillcox,andMakotoSuzuki.TheOkinawaDietPlan:GetLeaner,LiveLonger,andNeverFeelHungry.ClarksonPotter,2001.

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

HéctorGarcíaisacitizenofJapan,wherehehaslivedforoveradecade,andofSpain,wherehewasborn.Aformersoftwareengineer,heworkedatCERNinSwitzerlandbeforemovingtoJapan,wherehedevelopedvoicerecognitionsoftwareandthetechnologyneededforSiliconValleystart-upstoentertheJapanesemarket.Heisthecreatorofthepopularblogkirainet.comandtheauthorofAGeekinJapan,a#1bestsellerinJapan.

FrancescMirallesisanaward-winningauthorwhohaswrittenanumberofbestsellingself-helpandinspirationalbooks.BorninBarcelona,hestudiedjournalism,Englishliterature,andGerman,andhasworkedasaneditor,atranslator,aghostwriter,andamusician.HisnovelLoveinLowercasehasbeentranslatedintotwentylanguages.

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*EnglishtranslationbyStevenTolliver.

*TaoYin:generaltermreferringtotheancientartsmeanttofostermentalandphysicalwell-being.http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/authors/search/?query=Ge,+Hong.