"HARA HACHI BU"
Although Okinawa is one of the poorer regions of Japan, it boasts the highest average life expectancy - living to be 100 or more. One of the reasons is a Japanese philosophy "Hara Hachi Bu" - Belly 80% full.
Okinawas don’t just live to a ripe old age, they also age gracefully, look much younger than they should and they retain their physical and mental capacities. Their rate of heart disease and cancer mortality is much lower than it is in the US and other Western countries.
The origin of this term is from Confucius, and attributed to the Okinawans, but I have heard my Japanese friends repeat this phrase as a term known and used in their daily Japanese life.
A Harvard health blog suggests we eat more slowly because it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to send a signal that it is full/satisfied.
![IKIGAI is seen ...]()
IKIGAI is seen as the source of value or what make one’s life truly worthwhile in Okinawa, Japan.
When asked, "What is the single most powerful contributing factor to one’s health and vitality?" integrative medical doctor, Oscar Serrallach, answered without hesitation: "having a sense of purpose." Serrallach went on to describe that while some of his patients have developed great regimes of nutrition, lifestyle activities and movement to support their wellbeing; those without a clear sense of purpose in their life experience continuing struggle with physical health issues. The distinguishing quality of many of his healthiest patients – those who transcend common health challenges despite not having lived by the book, in terms of healthy lifestyle factors – is that they seem to be the most aligned or ‘called’ towards some primary focus of meaning in their life.
WHAT IS YOUR IKIGAI?
Take a moment to draw your own version of the overlapping circles of the ikigai symbol and consider the following:
What do you Love? What aspects of your life bring you into your heart and make you come alive? - For me it's meeting and having lunch or coffee with someone from whom I can learn something.
What are you Great at? What unique skills do you have that come most naturally to you? What talents have you cultivated and what do you excel at even when you aren’t trying? - I have worked at starting new projects and staying with them until they are well established. My mission is: TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN MYSELF AND OTHERS.
What Cause do you believe in? What breaks your heart or pulls at your gut? What change would you most love to create in the world? What would you give your life for? - When I completed my master's at the U of W School of Nursing, it occurred to me that people in our own back yards need as much help as the homeless and drug addicted. I have dedicated my life to helping people of all ages learn and keep strong heritage values to take responsibility for their own well-being so we don't have to depend on government welfare and such.
What do people Value and pay you for? What service, value or offering do you bring, or could you bring, that brings real value to others? Something people need and are happy to pay for or share some value in exchange? - Sam and I have created a 40-yr-old business of sharing supplements and personal growth, GOTO-HEALTH, that offers us scientifically researched ways to bring out energy to do the things we love.
Take a few minutes to write whatever key words, phrases and ideas come up for you in each circle, then look for areas of natural overlap. Reflect on the sum total of these elements and how they may relate to each other. Bring yourself quietly to the centre of the circles and leave space in your mind for whatever impulse or calling may emerge naturally in the coming days… What is one simple thing you could do or be today that would be an expression of your ikigai?
Physically, what gets me up is that I have to go to the bathroom!!!!
![The referees were against us.]()
The referees were against us.
Listened to Friday night's Washington State vs California football game and listened Saturday night to Washington Huskies vs Arizona game. We couldn't help but say, "The officials are prejudice." "It's really hard to play away from home."
Why can't we just acknowledge that California and Arizona played a better game?
This helps me understand "Black Lives Matter" issues. Without deeper analytic thinking and not emotionally reacting to the news, it's a natural tendency to blame outcomes on prejudice and rules instead of challenges to be and do better.
Discrimination is a given. It's our privilege to use more of our resources and practice our skills so we are more likely to come out with outcomes we like. Also, it's all right to lose.
![IT'S FUN TO LEARN SOMETHIN...]()
IT'S FUN TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW!
There is a traffic merging advertisement on the back of an Olympia Beer truck on I-5 that has changed my thinking about merging where we lose a lane or have to get over to make an exit.
I’ve always looked at drivers who wait to the last to merge with disdain and often participate in blocking their access. I have learned that traffic flows better when one drives to the end of the possible merge and “zip merge” smoothly. It may even be a law that we let in cars that are trying to merge. The result is less backup traffic and emotional stress.
I have changed my thinking.
This brings me to the subject of “unzipping”. There are a host of life situations where greed, anger and stupidity keep us backed up in the traffic of life.
It’s fun to learn new ways of thinking!
"This was a busy week. Was it just last Sunday, the Las Vegas shooting?" Lori said.
At our Japanese Cultural & Community Center board meeting, we were asking Lori Matsukawa, King5 TV anchor, "How do you manage your work, all the volunteering you do and the constant asking for pictures with you when you are out?"
"She's good at compartmentalizing," was the conclusion.
I came home and did some more research on the subject of "compartmentalizing", thinking it is something we should all learn to be successful. I find this is also how people like the Las Vegas shooter can do such an evil thing.
Here's a definition I looked up: "It involves consciously or subconsciously suppressing or "compartmentalizing" or "sectioning off" upsetting thoughts and emotions in order to justify engaging in certain (sometimes questionable) behaviors."
Wow! I still think this is also a good way to handle all that life brings and lead a successful life.
- If you are a bloguru member, please login.
Login
- If you are not a bloguru member, you may request a free account here:
Request Account
