A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, aligning them in a straight line. As a result, the sun appears to be hidden behind the moon from Earth’s perspective, appearing as a dark, round shadow, partially obscuring or completely covering the sun.
The sun is approximately 400 times larger than the moon, and is also 400 times farther away from Earth than the moon is from Earth. However, when the moon, which follows an elliptical orbit, approaches Earth and aligns with the sun, it appears from Earth as if the moon is almost the same size as the entire sun, completely covering it. This is called a total solar eclipse.
On the other hand, when the moon is far away from Earth and aligns with the sun, the moon, which is slightly smaller than the sun, appears completely enclosed within the sun, resulting in a dark, round shadow around which a ring of sunlight is visible. This is called an annular solar eclipse.
The Earth rotates on its axis at approximately 1700 km/h near its equator (about 40,000 km), completing one rotation per day, while revolving around the Sun at approximately 107,000 km/h (about 29.8 km/s), completing one orbit in a year.
The Sun’s diameter is approximately 1,392,000 km, about 109 times the Earth’s diameter of 12,700 km, and the Sun and Earth are approximately 150 million km apart. The Moon’s diameter is approximately 3500 km, about one-quarter the size of the Earth, and its average distance from Earth is 384,400 km.
Both solar and lunar eclipses occur when the positions of these constantly moving stars happen to align in a straight line. Furthermore, solar eclipses occur during a new moon, when the Moon and Sun are in the same direction as viewed from Earth.
The experience of a total solar eclipse was a truly indescribable and mystical event in my life, evoking a mixture of emotions such as awe, fascination, excitement, curiosity, gratitude, and a sense of connection to the universe.
As the moon approached the western side of the sun, gradually obscuring it with a crescent shape, the sunlight filtering through the leaves of the trees grew dimmer, and about 10 minutes before totality, the sky turned a dull, leaden gray.
One or two minutes before totality, silence descended, the temperature dropped, and a chill spread through the air. Bright stars began to appear in the sky, and striped patterns known as shadow bands appeared on the ground. Eventually, Bailey’s rosary of light became visible, shining only through the valleys of the moon.
The entire surrounding area was enveloped in darkness, as if left behind by something, and then, for a few seconds, a single, dazzling diamond ring of light was visible, shining only through the last valley of the moon. At this time, the crimson chromosphere and prominences appear for about 10 seconds in contact with the black moon, and the pearly corona surrounding them shines mysteriously and enigmatically in the dark sky, extending to several times the radius of the sun, visible alongside bright stars.
After the totality lasts for several minutes, the chromosphere begins to reappear from the west side of the sun, revealing the diamond ring and Bailey’s rosary, and light begins to return to Earth.
Despite the shift in perception from mythical terror to scientific understanding, solar eclipses continue to fascinate people with their celestial phenomena involving the Earth, Moon, and Sun, and have been documented in numerous civilizations since ancient times.
In ancient China, solar eclipses were viewed as warnings from heaven to the emperor. The oldest record of a solar eclipse dates back to 2137 BC, recounting the execution of astronomers Xi Zhong (羲仲) and Xi He (羲和) for their inability to accurately predict the eclipse. This suggests that solar eclipses were considered a crucial phenomenon directly linked to national stability.
In Babylonia, records of solar eclipses predicted by astrologists are inscribed in cuneiform. By the 7th century BC, they had meticulously observed the movements of the sun and moon and established a method for predicting solar eclipses with considerable accuracy. It is believed that they used these predictions to advise the king and foretell the future of the nation. Their records significantly influenced later astronomy and were passed down to Greek astronomers.
In ancient Egypt, solar eclipses were seen as a sign of weakening the pharaoh’s authority and could lead to political turmoil. Kings and emperors treated solar eclipses with caution, viewing them not merely as natural phenomena, but as significant events deeply intertwined with society and politics, capable of shaking power and faith.
In Norse mythology, solar eclipses were feared and believed to occur when a giant wolf, Fenrir, an evil being, tried to swallow the sun whole. Prayers and rituals were performed before the sun was completely engulfed by the wolf. This mythological legend suggests it was created to explain a natural phenomenon that was considered an ominous event foreshadowing the end of the world.
In the Mayan civilization, solar eclipses were viewed as important phenomena indicating the will of the gods. The Mayans, skilled in astronomy, accurately predicted eclipses, presenting them to the people as prophecies that understood the gods’ will, and sought to bring order to society. On the day of a solar eclipse, festivals and rituals were held to show respect to the gods, marking a sacred turning point in time.
In ancient Greece, solar eclipses were believed to be a manifestation of the anger of the gods, including the sun god Apollo. Apollo was the god of music, poetry, and prophecy, as well as the god of the sun. Therefore, when a solar eclipse occurred, sacrifices were offered and prayers were prayed at temples to appease his anger. This myth, which linked natural phenomena to the emotions of the gods, clearly influenced people’s lives and religion.
In ancient Indian mythology, the Asuras, who were at war with the gods, cooperated to create Amrita, the elixir of immortality. After a thousand years of churning the ocean of milk—the creation of the heavens and the earth—Dhanuvantari, the god of medicine in the heavens, finally appeared with a jar containing Amrita.
The Asuras tried to monopolize the Amrita, but the supreme god Vishnu, disguised as a beautiful woman, retrieved it. The Amrita became the property of the gods, and a feast was held to celebrate. However, Rahu, an Asura, secretly disguised himself as a god and drank the Amrita.
Noticing this, the sun god Surya and the moon god Chandra warned their fellow gods. Vishnu then threw his discus (chakram), a weapon, and severed Rahu’s head. At this point, the Amrita had already reached Rahu’s throat, so even though his head was severed, his head remained immortal and continued to live on.
Afterward, Rahu ascended to the heavens and, harboring resentment towards the sun god Surya and the moon god Chandra for tattling, continues to swallow them. However, since he has no body, he quickly exhales after swallowing them. This is said to be the reason why solar and lunar eclipses occur.
In Japan, the Kojiki (古事記, 712 AD) recounts an anecdote in which Amaterasu 9天照大神), the supreme goddess of the eight million gods and sun goddess, hides in the Heavenly Rock Cave (天岩戸) after a conflict with her brother Susanoo, plunging the world into darkness. This anecdote is often interpreted as a mythological explanation of solar eclipses.
The gods implement several strategies to lure Amaterasu out of the Heavenly Rock Cave, but all fail. Then, Amenouzume appears and begins to dance merrily, causing the gods to burst into laughter. Amaterasu wondered why it was so fun despite the darkness, and she slit the rock door slightly to see what was happening in the world below. Amenouzume replied that they were having a feast because a revered god was present, and as Amaterasu leaned out of the rock door to get a better look at her reflection in the Yata Mirror (八咫鏡), Tajikarao-no-Kami seized the opportunity, grabbed her hand, dragged her out of the cave, and immediately closed the rock door and hung a sacred rope around it. Thus, the world to which Amaterasu had returned regained its light.
In any case, since ancient times, solar eclipses have not been merely celestial shows, but rather special occasions that convey profound spiritual messages to society and life itself through powerful transformative energy, acting as a catalyst to let go of old patterns, accelerate spiritual growth, and open doors to new possibilities. They have prompted people to undergo a forceful reset that shakes their hearts and to confront hidden truths.
In addition, solar eclipses have been viewed as meaningful moments in magic, religion, and astrology, and not only have positive reactions, but also negative ones such as fear, anxiety, and confusion, leading to the use of amulets, rituals, and fasting to protect oneself from the negative effects of solar eclipses.
The oldest known prediction of a solar eclipse dates back to 585 BC, as described by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, in which the Milesian philosopher Thales predicted a solar eclipse during the war between the Median and Lydian kingdoms, interpreting this phenomenon of day turning into night as an omen, and which interrupted the long-running battle between the two kingdoms in Anatolia.
Incidentally, Aristotle considered Thales the founder of natural philosophy. Unlike the traditional mythos (mythological worldview) of Homer and Hesiod, Thales developed a rational worldview based on logos (reason), exploring the origins of all things, which eventually became the foundation of philosophy that flourished in mainland Greece.
To add to that, from the 6th to the 5th centuries BC, ancient natural philosophy presupposed a divine entity called Psyche (soul) as the driving force behind the generation of nature, rather than the concept of matter itself. It sought to understand the principle behind the Arche (the origin of all things, in Thales’ case, water) that gives rise to all natural phenomena.
The total solar eclipse of May 29, 1919, was a historic opportunity to prove the validity of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which states that spacetime is warped by gravity and the path of light is also bent, because it was necessary to observe the light of a star passing near a massive gravitational source like the sun.
Normally, such observations are impossible due to the sun’s intense light, but by utilizing the moment when the sun was completely hidden during the total solar eclipse, British astronomer Arthur Eddington and others conducted observations in Brazil and on the island of Principe off the west coast of Africa, confirming that the positions of stars that should have been visible on the edge of the sun were shifted as predicted by the theory.
This event led to solar eclipses being widely perceived as symbols of the power to reveal hidden truths and laws, and also served as a catalyst for modern people to positively associate solar eclipses with spiritual perspectives.
In addition to the above, the following are also seen in general society as connections between solar eclipses and spiritual perspectives:
* It is associated with social change, turning points in history, and new values.
* It leads to decluttering, letting go of unnecessary things, or inner purification.
* It is an opportunity to recognize one’s shadow and grow into a more integrated self.
* An opportunity to reset the old self and discover a new mission or soul purpose.
These associations can reflect positive sentiments, but they can also be negative. In the negative aspects, solar eclipses often occur before or after major world-shaking events, such as the 2008 Lehman Brothers collapse and other financial crises, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and other disasters and social upheavals, and the 2019 bacterial outbreak and subsequent social changes.
In fact, these disasters and social crises are linked to the movements and positions of celestial bodies like Sirius and Saturn, as well as to dates and other numerical data, so in that sense, the possibility of a connection to solar eclipses cmay not be completely ruled out.
In any case, for ordinary people who find joy and happiness in the accumulation of small things and experiences woven into their daily lives, a solar eclipse will likely make them aware of the countless joys that lie dormant in their everyday lives and give them a perspective that will make their days ahead richer and more colorful.
This may seem abrupt, but in Hermann Hesse’s (1877-1962) novel “Siddhartha” (1922), Siddhartha, who comes to live as a ferryman on the banks of a river, comes to deeply contemplate the laws of nature and the truth of life through his life. By observing the flow of the river, he comes to understand the transience of life and the interconnectedness of everything, and reaches a state of enlightenment. A solar eclipse is perhaps a celestial phenomenon that can provide an experience of such profound impact.
Let me briefly explain the story of Siddhartha’s spiritual journey, which depicts his journey from deeply examining himself through various experiences, to exploring what is truly important in life, and ultimately to reaching a state of enlightenment.
Summary of the story:
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Born the son of a high-ranking Brahmin, Siddhartha was naturally gifted, blessed with many friends, and lived a life of comfort. However, his heart was always filled with a thirst for knowledge and spiritual insight, a thirst that could not be satisfied even by the conversations of wise Brahmins.
One day, Siddhartha encountered a verse in the Vedas that says, “When a person falls into deep sleep, he returns to the deepest inner self and dwells within the true self.”
But Siddhartha was drawn to the question: “Where are the Brahmins who not only possessed this profound knowledge, but also put it into practice? Where are such priests, sages, or atoners? Where are the masters with the wondrous power to invite and manifest the time of thought that allows one to return to and find peace in the true homeland of the Self, from sleep to awakening, to daily life, step by step, to words and actions?”
And so, in order to find his true self, he left the city and began living as an ascetic with his best friend. The two endured arduous ascetic practices for three years, but Siddhartha realized that he gained nothing from asceticism. At that time, he heard rumors of the appearance of a revered figure known as Gautama, the Buddha, and in search of teachings that would lead him to spiritual heights, Siddhartha set out on a journey to Jetavana, where the Buddha and his disciples resided.
Upon hearing Gautama’s teachings, which described the world as an eternal chain of perfect cause and effect, completely clear, clearly demonstrated, and never interrupted, Siddhartha recognized him as the true awakened Buddha.
At the same time, Siddhartha harbored a question: if he followed Gautama’s teachings, the unity and coherence of all things were interrupted at the point of overcoming the world and achieving liberation. This small gap caused the entire structure of the eternal and unified world law to be destroyed once again.
The Blessed One attained liberation from death through his own pursuit of the Way, his journey, meditation, contemplation, understanding, and enlightenment, not through doctrine. Siddhartha realizes that liberation, which occurred in the Blessed One’s mind at the very moment of his enlightenment, cannot be conveyed or spoken of through words and doctrine.
In other words, following any teaching or doctrine, such as the Yoga Sutras, the Atharva Veda, or asceticism, and pursuing the core, true self, life, divinity, and ultimate essence of all shells, by killing or shattering oneself and searching for mystery within those fragments, one loses oneself and gains nothing. Siddhartha, realizing that seeking the true self requires revering oneself as a teacher, becoming one’s own disciple, and knowing the secret of oneself, took his first step on the journey to liberation.
Siddhartha realized that the body and thoughts are not the sense of self, and even such thoughts are of this world. He understood that there was no point in killing the false self of sensation and enriching the false self of thought and knowledge. Therefore, he chose not to follow any path of asceticism, sacrifice, bathing or prayer, eating and drinking, sleep and dreams, but instead followed only the secret voice of the innermost self emanating from both sensation and thought. He took refuge with the courtesan Kamala, indulged in love and lust, abandoned his ascetic life, and became a merchant—a profession he had despised in his youth—acquiring wealth and living a lavish life.
However, deep down, he continued to feel disgusted by this life steeped in desires, and filled with self-loathing, he jumped into the river to drown himself. Suddenly, a scripture he had memorized in his youth came to mind, bringing him back to his senses and prompting him to reflect on his strange life.
Thus, unable to bear the meaninglessness of his worldly and decadent life, Siddhartha reached the brink of despair. Determined to kill his old self and be reborn, he began living with Vazdeva, the ferryman. He learned to live with a calm heart, gazing at the river, without desire or attachment, and gradually became capable of genuine compassion and love for all people.
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When Siddhartha became a ferryman, he was already in his old age, and it gives the impression that he took a long and winding road to reach the abyss of liberation. However, it is afflictions that bring difficulties and suffering to life, and the kind of life Siddhartha went through, including his experiences with love and lust, are things that everyone experiences on a daily basis. It is through these unavoidable desires, vanity, vices, and attachments that further suffering arises.
Therefore, it can be said that the path Siddhartha chose was one of accepting and fully experiencing all of the defilements without avoiding them, and ultimately seeking to reach the abyss of liberation that he was meant to attain.
Siddhartha understood all aspects of the natural cycle of creation and destruction, lived while gazing at the river that carries everything away with time, and, in his work of guiding travelers to the other shore, he came to understand that each person’s life unfolds in a complete and holistic way. Furthermore, in the chapter on Om, Siddhartha’s enlightenment after liberation, and numerous profound and deeply meaningful words rarely contemplated in ordinary life, are conveyed in Hesse’s vivid and masterful prose.
Just as Thales identified water as the arche (principle) that gives rise to natural phenomena, somehow observing the flow of water gives one the feeling that one might reach the truth. In the opening of Kamo no Chōmei’s (鴨長明, 1155-1216) “Hōjōki” (方丈記, circa 1212), the sense of impermanence that can be felt through the flow of water is condensed into refined prose. (ref., Psychological Insights On Disasters And Impermanence As Relief)
In any case, true self-understanding and enlightenment are not given by others, nor are they simply acquired through knowledge. They are attained through one’s own experience, introspection, wisdom, and harmony with nature. Siddhartha’s journey symbolizes the challenges, discoveries, and resonances that everyone faces in the course of life.
In that sense, one can infer that Siddhartha’s lifelong pursuit of truth provided value and support that made life feel positive. However, even without grand dreams or missions like Siddhartha’s, small joys and fulfillments in daily life that feel meaningful within oneself, such as experiencing a total solar eclipse, can become the vitality that connects us to living tomorrow.
The concept of feeling a little more positive through something, or feeling glad to be alive through something, is what is called “ikigai” in Japanese. “Ikigai” doesn’t refer to one single thing, and states that feel unclear or inexplicable are also included in the concept of ikigai. Incidentally, the nuances and meanings of life’s purpose, goals, destination, or objective cannot be considered the same as ikigai.
Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a combination of two words, iki (生き) and gai (甲斐). Iki means life or being alive, and gai means effect or attitude towards something. The concepts of these two words combine to create a nuance that life is given meaning and value through the reason, effect, and attitude towards being alive.
While “ikigai” has joined the ranks of Japanese words known worldwide today, like “sushi” and “tsunami,” its origins can be traced back to Dan Buettner (1960-), who popularized the concept of “blue zones” (regions with high life expectancy). He mentioned ikigai as one of the reasons for Okinawa’s longevity, making it a widely known concept in Europe and America since the 2000s. Furthermore, “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” (2017), co-authored by Francesc Miralles and Héctor Garcia, added a fresh interpretation to the nuances and concepts of ikigai as felt by Japanese people, becoming a bestseller in various European countries.
In Japan, “Ikigai” broadly refers to the meaning and value of life, things that inspire and ground a person’s existence. Perhaps because Japanese people intuitively understand this concept from birth, there are few opportunities to explain its nuances, concepts, and meanings in words.
The broad scope of Ikigai encompasses a wide range, from passive “hariai” (張合い, worthwhile to do) in daily life to more active “ikigai” as an answer to the fundamental question of how one should live. It can be a vague sense of existence, lived almost unconsciously by the individual, or consciously incorporated into life’s activities. Furthermore, it can crystallize into more universal concepts such as social principles like liberty and equality, or love and justice in the Kantian sense of maxim, or conversely, it can take a more individualized form, becoming concrete in the daily lives of individuals.
On the other hand, in the context of service to society and the pursuit of social justice, Ikigai has permeated Japanese culture with a selfless, devout spirit. In traditional societies, Ikigai was deeply intertwined with loyalty to the community, local sect, or family. In modern times, Ikigai may be associated with individual independence, progress, self-realization, and achievement, or it may be divided into organizational and personal aspects, conformist and antagonistic aspects, and a tendency to take on complex forms between pluralism and integration or uniformity can be observed.
Following the chaotic period after World War II and entering the high-growth era, Ikigai shifted towards a tendency toward prioritizing the private over the public good, based on things like a happy family, health, and a lifestyle suited to one’s hobbies. However, from an industrial economic and policy perspective, Ikigai was directed and institutionalized as a mass form of Ikigai that contributed to industrialization and consumerism, at least until the rise of the bubble economy in the mid-1980s when personal dignity began to be emphasized.
However, in the current situation, following the collapse of the bubble economy due to the introduction of total volume restrictions, and moving towards a totalitarian society accompanied by strict surveillance based on AI-controlled digital IDs and authentication systems, it could be said that personal ikigai could be manipulated in any way to suit the convenience of the ruling regime.
In any case, Ikigai is an indispensable element for modern people’s happiness, health, and the meaning and significance of their lives, and this concept has been summarized and visualized in Venn diagrams and introduced in regions outside of Japan, perhaps including viewpoints and topics that Japanese people could not even imagine.
In the Venn diagram, Ikigai is placed at the center where what you love, what you are good at, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs overlap. This not only signifies the satisfaction and fulfillment derived from pursuing one’s passions and life’s purpose, but also includes a framework for finding Ikigai at the intersection of passion, profession, vocation, and mission, and is said to have strongly captivated many people in the West.
The psychological effects of having a sense of purpose (Ikigai) include the following:
* It is known to increase stress tolerance, lead to greater mental stability, activate happiness hormones in the brain, and have a positive impact on mental and physical health.
* It is believed to influence daily behavior and decision-making, leading to sustained engagement in work, studies, and hobbies, and making it easier to achieve a sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy.
Ikigai can also impact one’s life:
* Suppression of stress hormone secretion, improved immunity and physical and mental health, and especially in the elderly, contributing to longevity and improved quality of life.
* Increased overall life satisfaction and happiness, and a more fulfilling daily life through conscious effort toward self-imposed goals.
* Strengthened ability to overcome difficulties and adversity, and easier maintenance of mental stability through awareness of purpose and meaning.
In any case, Ikigai is a concept that allows one to feel a sense of fulfillment and self-worth in life, and it seems that it can have psychological effects such as contributing to mental stability and improved motivation, as well as positively impacting health and life satisfaction. Even if it’s not a clear-cut future goal or destination, if it helps a person feel a little more at ease, more natural, and able to live in the present moment, then it functions as part of their sense of Ikigai.
A lack of Ikigai isn’t a personality flaw; rather, it’s often caused by a combination of environmental factors and thought patterns, such as simply going through the motions, a routine lifestyle and mindset, or discomfort and dissatisfaction with choices imposed by others.
Furthermore, feeling a lack of Ikigai isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s often a result of unconsciously acquired thought patterns and habits, such as a reduced capacity for feeling one’s own emotions, a lack of space to consider what one wants to do, or overlooking small moments of fulfillment.
In fact, having Ikigai seems to have a ripple effect, influencing mental stability, motivation, and self-confidence.
* Mental Stability:
While it doesn’t eliminate mood swings, it provides a foundation of security where one feels a sense of meaning in oneself and is less easily influenced by others, leading to easier recovery and making it less likely to be overwhelmed by anxiety or become discouraged.
* Motivation:
While it’s not a trigger that forces motivation, it leads to a more proactive mindset, lowering the hurdle to taking small steps and starting action, and it’s said to generate the power to continue from a sense of conviction rather than sheer willpower.
* Self-Confidence:
By gaining a sense of self-reliance, one becomes less swayed by others and more likely to feel their own value.
Ikigai isn’t something to search for or discover, nor is it about being suited to or good at something. It might be an ordinary experience that gradually gains meaning through the accumulation of small moments of satisfaction, or something that a person comes to feel is their Ikigai through patiently engaging with and nurturing things and experiences.
In the final chapter of the novel “Siddhartha,” Govinda, who once trained alongside Siddhartha as a disciple of the Buddha, reunites with Siddhartha, who is now working as a ferryman. Govinda asks Siddhartha what he has gained from his long years of searching and searching, to which Siddhartha replies that one cannot find what they are searching for because they search too much, and then explains the meaning of this statement.
“When one searches…it tends to cause one’s eyes to only see what they are searching for. Furthermore, such a person constantly thinks only of what they are searching for, has a single goal, and becomes obsessed with it, making it difficult to find anything or accept anything into their heart. To search is to have a goal. Conversely, to find is to be free, to have an open heart, and to have no goals.” (Hesse’s profound words continue after this.)
Like Govinda, Siddhartha, in his time wandering in search of truth, was hindered and frustrated by preconceptions, interpretations, and words that prevented him from seeing things correctly. However, by surrendering himself to the great river that flows on through the ages, he came to know his own insignificance, sensed that everything is impermanent, and amidst constant change and continuity, cycles and regeneration, harmony and unity, and became able to quietly open his heart, allowing him to gaze upon the essence of peace and love as it flows by.
Incidentally, in his novel “Siddhartha,” Hesse uses many symbols and allegories to convey a deeper message beyond the superficial meaning of the story, such as using the flow of a river as a symbol of change and eternity, and the inner voice as a symbol of self-awareness and intuition. (ref., The Timeless Value Of Oral Literature And Fables.)
The essence of enlightenment, as depicted throughout Siddhartha’s life, is not merely a religious concept or philosophical ideal, but rather a guideline for a way of life that should be practiced and embodied in daily life. It is not simply about acquiring knowledge or blindly accepting the teachings of others. Siddhartha experienced diverse experiences, including lessons learned from failures, and through the harmony of experience and wisdom, true wisdom came not from external sources, but from within oneself.
In this sense, what Hesse conveyed through Siddhartha is that enlightenment is not a distant ideal or something only for special people, but something that each individual can pursue and realize in their daily life. By valuing experience, engaging in deep introspection, and maintaining a continuous learning attitude, one can walk their own path to enlightenment.
Furthermore, the state of deep harmony between experience and wisdom seen through Siddhartha seems to contain universal insights for navigating social life.
1. Open your heart, equally embrace all experiences, both joy and sorrow, and be liberated from attachment to things, events, and concepts, leading to the attainment of true freedom.
2. Maintain inner peace unaffected by external circumstances, and deepen your understanding of your true nature by accepting all aspects of your inner self, like light and shadow.
3. Recognize the connection between yourself, others, nature, and all things, and cultivate deep empathy and understanding by transcending dualistic value judgments such as good and evil, beauty and ugliness, right and wrong.
4. Focus your entire being on the present moment, recognizing that eternal time is condensed into this single moment, and connect this to a more fulfilling life.
5. Each individual is a unique being, and can walk their own unique path according to their individuality, seeking enlightenment.
6. Enlightenment is not a fixed destination, but a stepping stone to continuous deepening; a balanced way of life, harmonizing experience and wisdom, and a continuous learning attitude are essential.
Ikigai can be defined as an accumulation of moments in which meaning is felt not by external evaluation criteria, but by the individual themselves, welling up from within. At the same time, because Ikigai has a structural aspect that interacts with nature and society through connections, and within that relationship it has a dual structure of “living” and “being allowed to live,” it is essential to develop a society in which Ikigai is not hindered, disregarded, or lost.
The lessons that Hesse conveyed through Siddhartha’s journey of self-discovery—such as maintaining a critical and questioning attitude, avoiding extreme choices and keeping a sense of balance, cultivating a sense of responsibility for one’s own life without blaming others or circumstances, maintaining a flexible attitude without being bound by fixed ideas, and developing the habit of reflecting on daily experiences and learning from them—are applicable to the daily life of modern society, which is full of stress and confusion, and may lead us to a more harmonious and meaningful life.
Sincerely grateful for your financial support.
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