🌸 ikigai 生き甲斐 is a reason for being, your purpose in life - from the Japanese iki 生き meaning life and gai 甲斐 meaning worth 🌸
The clink of cutlery against a plate sends a shiver down my spine. My jaw clenches as someone whistles tunelessly. For me, some everyday sounds aren't just background noise, they're intrusive and at times unbearable disruptions. Living with misophonia, a condition where certain sounds trigger an intense emotional response, has made me acutely aware of the constant cacophony surrounding us.
This sensitivity has also been a gift. It's taught me to cherish moments of silence, to seek out quiet spaces. In these pockets of stillness there is relief, a profound sense of peace and clarity.
I watch the world around me, everyone glued to their phones and headphones. Multiple sources of sound, unable to exist without a constant audio backdrop. Tinny tones. I wonder, are they missing out on one of life's most underrated pleasures?
From the beep of a morning alarm to the final pings of social media at night, our lives are saturated with sound. Traffic, notifications, conversations, and the omnipresent hum of technology form a relentless auditory assault.
What if a key to unlocking potential lies not in adding more noise, but in embracing the power of silence?
Silence, once abundant, has become a rare commodity in modern life. Yet silence can reduce stress, boost creativity, enhance cognitive function and improve emotional intelligence.
Finding silence isn't just about the absence of sound, it's about creating space for inner stillness, a pause in the endless chatter of the mind. This mental quiet allows us to reconnect with ourselves, our values, and our deepest dreams.
In Japan, the concept of "ma", the pause between notes in music or the space between objects in art, is highly valued. This intentional emptiness isn't a void to be filled but a crucial element that gives meaning and beauty to the whole. Ma (間, 'gap, space, pause') is a beautiful and philosophically nuanced word, which carries the implication of movement or growth within silence or empty spaces.
Ken Mogi, neuroscientist and author on ikigai, emphasises the importance of taking joy in the little things as one of his five pillars of ikigai. In our noisy world, many miss out on these small joys; the rustle of leaves in the wind, the subtle shift of light as the day progresses, the rhythm of our own breath. These quiet moments, often overlooked, can be profound sources of contentment and connection to our sense of purpose.
By cultivating a practice of silence, we can align with the principles of ikigai. Quietening the external noise allows us to hear our inner voice, guiding us toward what truly matters.
To weave silence and ikigai into your bullet journal practice, consider these prompts:
Silence Seeker: Reflect on the concept of "ma" (間). How can you incorporate more intentional pauses or empty spaces into your life to enhance your ikigai practice?
Weekly Reflection: After a week of practising silence, journal about any insights or changes. How has it influenced your sense of purpose or joy?
Monthly Ikigai Check-in: In a quiet moment, reflect on the four elements of hatarakigai: what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. How has silence helped clarify these areas?
Enjoying silence as a vital frequency in our lives opens us to deeper understanding, greater creativity, and a more profound connection to our ikigai.
In a noisy world, quiet might be the revolutionary act we need to thrive, to truly hear the whispers of joy in the small moments of magic that surround us.
Sarah, seeking ikigai xxx
PS: How do you find and create moments of silence in your daily life? What insights or benefits have you discovered in these quiet spaces?
Share your experiences or reflections in the comments below. Let's start a conversation about rediscovering the power of silence and its connection to our sense of purpose. Your thoughts might just inspire someone else to embark on their own journey of quiet self-discovery.
PPS:
Great post! My favorite part of the day is going on a 30 min walk with no headphones and just listening to the sounds of the trees or the birds.
It used to be so hard for me not having music or a podcast to fill that space with some external stimuli but once I got over that it unlocked tremendous amount of unbridled creativity, calmness, and restored mental energy for the rest of the day!
Two people in my family have misophonia. We work around it and give them the silence their brain needs.