The secret of happy living?

Ikigai, Discover your Reason for Being

Justin Barnes (2019)

Modern living has become complicated. From a community which used to live simply using age-tested traditions, we had evolved to one that simply lived for the moment, fulfilling the hedonistic desires of senses of the individual self. They thought they could live long lives enjoying the gift of life indefinitely unlike their forefathers because they knew the sciences and they had the armamentarium of modern medicine as a shield.

Unfortunately, life proved to be empty despite the vast knowledge and precise know-how that they had discovered over the leaps and bounds of various industrial and scientific revolutions. They started looking for answers to fill this void. They wanted long modern lives but not aches, encumbrances and the emptiness associated with it.

They look around, and they saw the Okinawans who were happy and led extremely long lives. They postulated that probably it is their moai - the safety net of lifelong friends and support groups at various levels to aid in their social, financial, health and spiritual needs. 

Beyond all these, the researches posit that the individual mindset is of paramount importance. One should find contentment in whatever situation he is embroiled. Like Sisyphus, they should find happiness in whatever mundane position they are stuck in. After a certain level of attainment in life, one should do things for the joy of doing it. It should not be a chore. Only then, the drive would be there to delve into the nitty-gritty, fine-tuning and turning it into an art form. A simple example of this would be the case of a ramen maker. He would spend years and years learning and perfecting the craft of making the dish from scratch and ensuring that it is flawless in every aspect.

One strategy is to aim for small joys; not grand targets. The importance of early to rise and shine cannot be overstated. Physical activities mobilise and energise the day ahead. Prudent plant-based food consumption and stopping eating when one is 80% full cannot be overstated. 

One cannot be fixated with beauty. He must learn to appreciate blemishes and find beauty in the perfectly imperfect. Every imperfection has a tale to tell. Learn to relish the simple pleasures in life. 

The mystery of human existence lies not just about staying alive but also in finding something to live for. We just tune in and tune out. 

Talking about leading purposeful, happy lives, I am reminded of what my Tamil Language teacher taught us way back during POL classes. I have to admit that I only remember two verses of the 109 of the Avvaiyyar's Aathichoodi. In Tamil schools, these verses from the foundation of inculcating good values, discipline and doing good deeds. Students are expected to memorise these verses. Like writing lines, they were used as punishment. On the other hand, competitions are held to pick out students with flawless pronunciation. 

Like that it goes on with almost every alphabet of the Tamil language.

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Boon or Bane?

Credit: newmandala.org
Dr Mahathir Mohamad (b 10.7.1925)
A second chance to right the wrong?

It is my Prime Minister's birthday, and I have a dilemma. Just last year, he became the oldest man in the world to be elected as a country's leader at 93. One year on and he is still going on strong like an Energiser Bunny. 

The million dollars is not when his run is going to halt, but instead if indeed longevity is a blessing. On the one hand, on auspicious occasions, we wish each other hoping for a long life. We cling on to our dear lives averting dangers and seeking medical advice at the first sneeze. We plan things as if we would live forever. Some would say that being born as a human is our reward for our past karmic deeds. Hence, a long life must be a bonus. They are others who would vouch that life on Earth is a testing ground. A long life span means that they are more options to collect brownie points. If one only lives for the afterlife,  then there is ample opportunity to right the wrong.

On the other hand, there are those who swear, like they had been on the other side and heard it from the horse's mouth, that life on Earth is indeed painful. With so much physical and emotional pain associated with daily living from the cradle to the grave, death is a relief. Therefore, the continuation of life mark non-completion of misdeeds (sins) of previous births. Shorter life-spans mean less chance to make a goof of oneself, hence, the placing of prominent figures who experienced premature deaths in the annals of human history. The 'Club of 27' is one such example. P Ramlee, Elvis Presley, Sudirman and James Dean are others who left while they were at their prime, eliminating any negative perceptions of their feats on Earth.

So what is your answer, boon or bane?

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