The Five Pillars
Experiencing the fullness of Ikigai
Ikigai is about experiencing your essence and purpose in harmony with whatever you do.
artwork by David Marlow
Some describe Ikigai as your reason for getting up in the morning. Living into that purpose is the unique expression of you, your gifts, passion, skills, and place to impact the world.
There are some foundational elements of Ikigai we rarely talk about, and they are essential to living into your purpose in the same way fitness and eating right are necessary to your health.
I want to share the Five Pillars1 of Ikigai with you today.
None of these five are intended to be mutually exclusive or comprehensive. There is also no hierarchy or order to the pillars.
Alone none of them will help you uncover your Ikigai.
Living into them will set the foundation for both discovery and experiencing the fullness of Ikigai.
In the weeks ahead, we will talk in more detail about these pillars but for now, allow yourself to live into the question of their meaning.
✷ Being in the here and now
✷ Starting Small
✷ The joy of little things
✷ Harmony and sustainability
✷ Releasing yourself
Inspired by the writing of Ken Mogi