日本人が長寿で幸せである秘密は ”生き甲斐”

リタイアするのではなく、生涯現役で毎朝起きるのが楽しみな"生き甲斐"を持つことが
幸せ長寿の秘訣であるという。

小さな100の喜びで1日を繋ぐことの大切さ ←は茂木さんの提唱する幸せ論、動画です。

お金を稼ぐ事だけが幸せの時代から、世界一貧乏なムヒカ大統領のスピーチにあるように
「貧乏な人とは、少ししか物を持っていない人ではなく、無限の欲があり、いくらあっても満足しない人のことです・・・私たちは発展するために生まれてきているわけではありません。幸せになるためにこの地球へやってきたのです。なのに、今は発展のため、グローバル化によって、人類はこの消費社会にコントロールされているのです。」

 
足るを知り、好きなことをし、全ての人が生き甲斐を持って毎日を過ごすこと。
効率や利益の追求とは異なる、日本人独特な幸福の追求をする時が来たのかもしれません。

参考になるのが、日本が一番幸福であった江戸時代のような生き方Japan On the Globe 国際派日本人養成講座抜粋
 
”1.「彼らは皆よく肥え、身なりもよく、幸福そうである」
 黒船によって武力でむりやり日本を開国させたアメリカが、初代駐日公使として送り込んだのが、タウンゼント・ハリスだった。ハリスは安政4(1857)年11月、初めての江戸入りをすべく、下田の領事館を立った。東海道を上って神奈川宿を過ぎると、見物人が増えてきた。その日の日記に、彼はこう書いている。
__________
 彼らは皆よく肥え、身なりもよく、幸福そうである。一見したところ、富者も貧者もない。----これが恐らく人民の本当の姿というものだろう。私は時として、日本を開国して外国の影響を受けさせることが、果たしてこの人々の普遍的な幸福を増進する所以であるかどうか、疑わしくなる。

 私は質素と正直の黄金時代を、いずれの国におけるよりも多く日本において見出す。生命と財産の安全、全般の人々の質素と満足とは、現在の日本の顕著な姿であるように思われる。[1,p121]
 ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄
 ハリス江戸入りの当日、品川から宿所である九段阪下の蕃書調所までの間に、本人の推定では18万5千人もの見物人が集まったという。その日もこう書いている。
__________
 人々はいずれも、さっぱりしたよい身なりをし、栄養も良さそうだった。実際、私は日本に来てから、汚い貧乏人をまだ一度も見ていない。[1,p121]これが本質的な幸せなのかもしれません。”

脳科学的にも物質的な幸せは7日から3ヶ月しか続きません。
結婚しても得られる幸福が継続する期間は3ヶ月から3年が良いところ。
発展、繁栄を追い求める今の世界が、全ての人を幸せにすることができるのでしょうか。
足るを知る、江戸時代の日本を調べてみると思わぬ発見があるかもしれません。
下記は脳科学者茂木さんの Ikigai 生き甲斐に対するArticleです。 


<This Japanese secret to a longer and happier life is gaining attention from millions around the world>

In Japan, the secret to living a longer, happier and more fulfilled life can be summed up in one word: Ikigai.

In Japanese, iki means “to live” and gai means “reason” — in other words, your reason to live. This ideology dates to the Heian period (A.D. 794 to 1185), but only in the past decade has it gained attention from millions around the world.

The ikigai way of life is especially prominent Okinawa, in a group of islands south of mainland Japan. (It has also been nicknamed the “Land of Immortals” because it has among the longest lifespans and highest rates of centenarians in the world.)

‘The reason for which you wake up in the morning’
In a 2009 TED talk called “How to Live to Be 100+,” award-winning journalist Dan Buettner explores the lifestyle traits of five places in the world where people live the longest. Of all the “blue zones,” as Buettner defines them, Okinawans have the highest life expectancy. (The video has since been viewed close to four million times.)

“In America, we divide our adult life into two categories: Our work life and our retirement life,” he says. “In Okinawa, there isn’t even a word for retirement. Instead there’s simply ‘ikigai,’ which essentially means ‘the reason for which you wake up in the morning.’”

Buettner cites the ikigai of several Okinawans: For a 101-year-old fisherman, it was catching fish for his family three times a week; for a 102-year-old woman, it was holding her tiny great-great-great-granddaughter (which she said was “like leaping into heaven”); for a 102-year-old karate master, it was teaching martial arts.


Woven together, these simple life values give clues as to what constitutes the very essence of ikigai: A sense of purpose, meaning and motivation in life.

The health benefits of ikigai
For years, researchers have tried to find the reasons behind a long and healthy life. While the answer is likely a mix of good genes, diet and exercise, studies have suggested that finding meaning in life is also a key component.

In a 2008 study from Tohoku University, researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 participants (ages 40 to 79) and found that those who reported having ikigai in their lives had reduced risks of cardiovascular diseases and lower mortality rates. Put another way, 95% of respondents who had ikigai were still alive seven years after the initial survey compared to the 83% who didn’t.

It’s impossible to tell whether ikigai guarantees longevity in life through this single study, but the findings suggest that having a sense of purpose can encourage one to build a happy and active life.

Finding your inner ikigai
There’s no single way to find your ikigai, but you can start by asking a few simple questions: What makes you happy? What are you good at? What (and who) do you value? What motivates you to get up in the morning?

Finding your ikigai will take time. The secret, I often tell people, is to learn the five core pillars of ikigai (which I discuss in my book, “Awakening Your Ikigai”). By applying these pillars to your life, you can allow your inner ikigai to flourish.

1. Starting small

Starting small and executing every step with care is the very ethos of this pillar — and it applies to everything you do in life.

Artisanal farmers, for example, devote all their time and effort into creating the best and tastiest produce. They get the soil right. They prune and water their produce with care. Their sense of starting small propels them to go incredible lengths.

2. Releasing yourself

When you release yourself, you’re able to let go of your obsessions and see things that matter to you in a more clear and positive light.

Practicing self-acceptance is vital to this pillar — and yet, it’s also one of the most difficult tasks we face in our lives. But if you can overcome this obstacle and be happy with who you are, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

3. Harmony and sustainability

You can’t achieve your goals if you’re constantly fighting with the people around you. Cultivating — and maintaining — a sense of community will provide you with a strong support system to carry you through life’s most challenging moments.

4. The joy of small things

Finding joy in the small things — the morning air, a cup of coffee or the ray of sunshine — should be part of what motivates you to get up each morning.

In high school, I would take the same 6:20 a.m. train to class every day. The sight the same familiar faces enjoying a game of shogi (Japanese chess) always gave me immense joy.

5. Being in the here and now

This pillar is perhaps the most profound. To be in the here and now, it’s important to focus on the present and practice mindfulness every day.

Many sumo wrestlers testify that being in the here and now is absolutely necessary in preparing for and fighting in a bout. They claim that immersing themselves in the present helps sustain their state of mind for optimum performance.

Ken Mogi is a neuroscientist, best-selling author and lecturer based in Tokyo, Japan. He has published more than 30 papers on cognitive neuroscience. Ken’s books on popular science and secrets to longevity have sold nearly one million copies. “Awakening Your Ikigai ” is his first book in English.