Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life — Book Review

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I recently completed reading a very inclining book — IKIGAI — The Japanese Secret to a Long Happy Life. The book is authored by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles.

The book touches the various aspects of life which can help us achieve a long happy life. It is based on ancient, well practised Japanese technique called — IKIGAI.

My Review of the Book

I feel that while the book covers a lot of good content, it lacks depth. In less than 200 pages, the authors try to cover many things like ageing, food, yoga, tai chi, stress management, concept of flow state, stories about centenarians from Okinawa in Japan, resilience, meditation and antifragility. Reading about so many different things tied to the core concept of Ikigai without going into depth can only lead to basic awareness. So, the book is good for beginners who are exposed to these topics for the first time. I would personally prefer a more nuanced conversation around the topic rather than cursory information on many related topics. If you’re feeling slightly lost with regard to your direction in life, this book is a wonderfully warm, kind and comforting read for you.

What I liked though was the stories and quotes from centenarians of Ogimi region which is one of the blue zones that boasts of highest life expectancy in the world.

Some Of The Key Highlights

“essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”

“Our ikigai is different for all of us, but one thing we have in common is that we are all searching for meaning.”

“Life is not a problem to be solved. Just remember to have something that keeps you busy doing what you love while being surrounded by the people who love you.”

“The happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow.”

“Being in a hurry is inversely proportional to quality of life. As the old saying goes, ‘Walk slowly and you’ll go far.’ When we leave urgency behind, life and time take on new meaning.​”

Here is a sketchnote summary of 10 Rules of Ikigai:

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