Ikigai

Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to talk about your reason for being. So this is inspired by a word I recently came across. It's a Japanese word called ikigai. Ikigai And the definition of this word is a reason for being, the thing that gets you up in the morning.

A reason for being, the thing that gets you up in the morning. So as you hear that, notice if there's something that comes to mind or to heart for you, that you would connect as your ikigai. Is there something that you have a clear sense of? Like, this is what inspires me in the world, this is why I get up in the morning. There are a number of us who do have that. There are also many of us who, who don't have that.

I know for me for a while, there was a sense of, I don't know what my, my core thing is. What is my reason for being? And if I'm being totally honest with you, I don't even know if I have that now. You mean you might see me on these videos and doing my meditations and it might seem like mindfulness is, is a thing that I'm put on earth to do, or that gets me up in the morning. Some days, it feels like that, other days it feels different. There's no real solid, organizing thing for me in my life.

What I do know is that I really enjoy doing this. I really enjoy these teachings. And it was that enjoyment that I followed and continue to deepen into when assessing, like, what is it that gets me up in the morning? What feels like my reason for being today. And so if you have something that you hold, it's like being a partner or being a parent or my work or a mission that I have, I think that's amazing. I think it's beautiful.

And I also hope you give it space to evolve and change, if that does happen over time. But if you don't have that, I think that's amazing as well, because what it does give you an opportunity to assess is, in each moment, what does feel like the most meaningful use of my time? How can I make this moment meaningful? What could I be excited about tomorrow that could get me out of bed, that could generate some enthusiasm? It's okay to let go of a future orientation and just be in the present moment and move fluidly moment by moment by moment. And I also think it's okay and can be quite powerful to have something we're working toward or were excited about, whether that's 10, 20, 30 years in the future, or even just a few moments in the future or a day in the future. So as you consider this word, ikigai, this Japanese word in your day, your reason for being, the thing that gets you up in the morning, take some time to reflect on it. Maybe write some things down, journal about it and see how it arouses energy in your body and in your mind.

It could be the thing that continues to inspire you to be more deeply in the present moment and make your relationship to the present moment that much more purposeful. Thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.