Japonisme by Erin Niimi Longhurst

“Japonisme” by Erin Niimi Longhurst – I read this book last year. It’s more than a book, with minimalist beauty, respect for experience, and serenity paused in its pages. As I go from page to page, I pick up the pure water of words that nourishes the soul and thoughts.

Have you heard of Ikigai?

You may already know what brings you happiness, but you have never considered the thing so great that you could call it “meaning of life” (this wording can be a little intimidating).

Ikigai –  the center of your personality and the result of combinations of certain factors. We are often forced to break down into small categories (“What is your profession?” Or at acquaintance parties that hateful question “What are you doing in life?”) or to summarize your whole self in 140 characters. Sometimes it can be quite fun, but in reality, we are much more complicated.

The Japanese have the saying “Ten people – ten colors”. Really all people are different. We consider different things to be our priorities (some priorities are not necessarily better than others): some discover their Ikigai by raising children, others by pursuing career heights.

If you imagined your life as a flower, your Ikigai would be its very center, holding everything together. The beauty of a flower consists of everything it is made of: petals in a pile are amazing, but each one individually reveals different aspects of human life, the things that separate or connect.

One petal can be your profession or passion, or what helps you pay your bills every month.How do those sides affect each other?How can they be strengthened? What can you improve?

You cannot discover Ikigai consciously. It opens up to everyone, when the time comes, in those moments that provide an opportunity to get to know yourself better. It is never finite, it is a constant flow…

© Fortune, 2020

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