Ikigai: A Way of Living

My July is off to a wonderful start; hope yours is as well.  I think most of you know how much I love helming Blue Door and everything that is attached to it in my life.  I truly feel like everything that is heavy or unwanted is shrugged off outside the front door.

In one of my Friday morning classes, a student shared Blue Door with her mother who was visiting from Seattle.  After class, the visiting mom took a moment to chat with me (you guys know how much I love to chat!) and let me know how much she loved the class.  She said the direction was so clear (thank you Yogaworks!) and she could feel the passion I had for yoga and teaching.  I do, indeed love yoga and teaching!

I know many of you have heard this story, but there may be a few who haven’t.  Ever since I was young and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up, my answer was “A mom and a teacher.”  (If you asked me today, it would be to be a kind person who effects change in the world, but I don’t think a seven year old would articulate that 😊)  I love that I’m a mom to my 3 wonderful children; they are the apples of my eye!  As for teacher, I was going to be an English professor.  And that’s how I always envisioned my teaching contribution.  Nope, the Universe had something different in mind for me.  And it was to be a yoga teacher.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that was the teacher I was destined to be, and it is SO RIGHT.  Thank god the Universe figures it out for us!

Another student and I were chatting and she said that she loves coming to my classes because the language I use to describe the yoga experience is reverent.  I loved that comment so much and, I’m not going to lie, it touched my heart; because there is so much reverence in the practice and it is so transformative.  To be able to convey that in a public class fills my heart with joy.

The final conversation that I had that inspired this post is one with a student about Ikigai.  Ikigai is the Japanese way of saying “a reason for being.”  From Forbes and Google, here’s what it is:

Ikigai (often misspelled as ikagi) is a Japanese concept that translates to "a reason for being" or "the reason you wake up in the morning". It represents the intersection of four core human needs: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

The Four Pillars of Ikigai

To find your ikigai, you balance four overlapping qualities, which create a roadmap to a fulfilling life:

• Passion: The intersection of what you love and what you are good at.

• Mission: The intersection of what you love and what the world needs.

• Vocation: The intersection of what the world needs and what you can get paid for.

• Profession: The intersection of what you are good at and what you can get paid for.

Cultural Significance & Benefits

Rooted in Japanese culture—and famously highlighted as a longevity secret in Okinawa—ikigai is the belief that discovering your life's purpose brings profound fulfillment. In Japan, it does not solely apply to careers; a hobby, a daily routine, or raising a family can be your ikigai. People with a strong sense of purpose often experience better health, deeper life satisfaction, and increased longevity.

How to Find Your Ikigai

You can discover your own ikigai by reflecting on these four foundational questions:

1. What do you absolutely love doing?

2. What are you naturally good at?

3. What does the world need (e.g., how can you help others)?

4. What can you get paid for?

Ikigai is fluid and can naturally evolve as you grow and as your life circumstances change.

I have to say, I’m lucky that I found my ikigai when I was a stay-at-home mom (I wasn’t paid actual money, but I was paid in love and joy) and, now, with Blue Door.  That saying, “when you do something you love, you don’t work a day in your life.”  I can honestly say I feel this.  Thank you for allowing me to live my ikigai.

Xx

Jesi