Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five

Issue 6 - Pursuit of Purpose

Hello and welcome to the sixth edition of my new weekly email newsletter, Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five.

Each Friday, I share five things I’m enjoying, thinking about, and find interesting, which you might also find useful. Thanks for all the comments on last week’s newsletter, themed around finding your five-second story. If you haven’t yet, take ten minutes to watch Matthew Dicks’ powerful ‘This Is Going To Suck’ story.

Here’s this week’s Friday Five.

1. What I’m Reading

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.

A good friend of mine, Haitham, bought me this book recently as a gift. Ikigai (pronounced “e-key-guy”) means “a reason for being” or “a reason to wake up in the morning.” People in Japan believe everyone has an ikigai, and while everyone has their own unique version, one thing we all have in common is our search for meaning and purpose in life.

At the heart of ikigai lies four fundamental overlapping areas: passion, mission, vocation, and profession. You can achieve your ikigai if you discover:

• What you love

• What the world needs

• What you’re good at

• What you can be paid for

I enjoyed the research and testimonies, especially from the residents of Ogimi, a rural town in northern Okinawa, which has the highest life expectancy in the world—and earned it the nickname the Village of Longevity. Some of their secrets to a long, healthy, and fulfilling life include feeling like part of a community, staying active, taking it slow (“leave urgency behind”), living in the moment, and of course, following your ikigai.

2. What I’m Watching

Fire of Love (2022). Directed by Sara Dosa.

This was one of the nominated films for Best Documentary at this year’s Oscars. It celebrates the lives of Katia and Maurice Krafft, two scientists brought together by their love of volcanos, exploration, and risk. The married couple captured over two decades’ worth of astonishing film and photography from some of the world’s most fearsome volcanos and barren natural landscapes. We are told at the start of the film they both lost their lives in 1991 when Japan’s Mount Unzen erupted.

“The human eye cannot see geologic time,” Maurice says during the film. “Our lives are just a blink compared to the life of a volcano.” The documentary is presented almost entirely through archival material and there is a sense of us watching tiny moments of fragile human existence against the backdrop of the unyielding permanence of nature.

Director Sara Dosa revealed what this film taught her about love: “Maurice Krafft and Katia Krafft really taught me what it means to live a meaningful life, and I really think the heart of that is about love. They went towards what they loved with such passion, such dedication, in a quest to understand, all the while knowing they could never fully understand… so I think it’s that relationship between love and meaning and what it means to live a meaningful life when any moment could truly be your last.”

3. What I’m Contemplating

Walking the world famous trail of The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) in northern Spain. I first read about this long-distance walk last year, and then this week, I saw another mention, and it got me thinking more seriously about it.

The walk is a network of pilgrimage routes spanning over 500 miles (800 kilometres) that leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where it’s believed the remains of St. James are buried. For over a thousand years, people of all backgrounds have taken this significant spiritual and cultural journey, passing through picturesque towns, villages, and countrysides.

You don’t have to be religious to take this journey, and for me, it would be more of a unique life experience. Perhaps combining walking, cycling, and running, with my camera thrown in and a book. The full route would take around 30-40 days.

I’d love to hear if you’ve walked the route, or if it’s also something you’re contemplating.

4. A Quote to note

“Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.”

Japanese proverb

5. A Question for you

What are some things you've always wanted to do but haven't yet pursued?

If you enjoyed what you read, consider sharing this newsletter with others. Here’s where they can subscribe. And don’t forget to check out my website, Deep Life Journey, for full content on my Pillars, Perspectives & Photography.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

James