Philosophies of the world to guide Personal, Community and Organisational Development

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Ikigai

Origin: Japan

A person’s reason for living, reason to get out of bed in the morning. In Japanese culture, it’s believed that every single person has one, however, finding it may take some soul searching. The word can be broken up into two elements iki, meaning being alive or life, and kai, meaning fruit, worth or purpose. For some, ikigai may be raising a family or enjoying hobbies – but for many, it’s their work. This love of having a purpose is why Japanese people work so much, and if you find purpose and joy in your work, you’re well on your way to finding yours. Ikigai is the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.​ 

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Moai

Origin: Okinawa

Moai, are social support groups that start in childhood and extend late into life. The term originated hundreds of years ago as a means of a village’s financial support system. Originally, moais were formed to pool the resources of an entire village for projects or public works.  If an individual needed capital to buy land or take care of an emergency, the only way was to pool money locally. Today the idea has expanded to become more of a social support network, a cultural tradition for built-in companionship. In small neighbourhoods across Okinawa, friends “meet for a common purpose” (sometimes daily and sometimes a couple days a week) to gossip, experience life, and to share advice and even financial assistance when needed. They call these groups their Moai.

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Hygge

Origin: Denmark

Hygge is an ambiance or quality, something subtle but very much perceptible, and underpins all of life. The nation’s famously sunny disposition survives the most sun-less time of the year (17 hours of darkness per day in the winter), thanks to its capacity to cultivate hygge, often summed up as a feeling of cosiness and comfortable ease. Hygge helps you appreciate the things that matter most in life. A cosy dinner while catching up with your friends (without checking your mobile every second), or relaxing on the couch with your favourite book, something that people with today’s busy schedules forget to do – and that’s why hygge should become a habit.

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Guyub

Origin: Indonesia

The Javanese know guyub as a way to relate to one another in a community. It signifies a strong sense of belonging, mutual compassion, and sincere support for one another. In a village, everyone is not only acquainted, but they would selflessly aid others in times of need. Everyone takes joy in the happiness and good fortune of others – amounting to lots of happiness to share. No one is ever left alone, and happiness comes from knowing that one’s existence matters to other people, both from giving and receiving.

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Ho’oponopono

Origin: Hawaii

Ho’oponopono is the moral practice of engaging in corrective action. Discussing problems and finding solutions using spiritually mindful behaviour, with the goal of restoring injured relationships. Ho’oponopono is to put things right, to tidy up, and engage in mental cleansing. It’s expected that everyone in a social group engaging in ho’oponopono – friends, family or even distant relatives – works towards coming back together and getting on the right path.

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Fare la bella figura

Origin: Italy

To put one's best foot forward and to make a good impression. Foreigners commonly associate this with the Italian obsession with wearing stylish clothes and being exceptionally well-groomed, but the concept actually goes way beyond the superficial. It also extends to customs and manners, including behaving with grace and tact. Present yourself well to the world in all aspects and life will reward you greatly. For many Italians, la bella figura stems from a sense of self-respect and decency. la bella figura also relates to exhibiting good manners or le buone maniere. Here, the term “bella” means “good” and “figura” “behavior. It is also about dignity, hospitality and politeness.  In this case, making la bella figura is all about showing congeniality and generosity. How one comports oneself, how one makes the best possible impression in all things.

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Gezelligheid

Origin: The Netherlands

The Dutch word gezelligheid captures a sense of well-being. Think campfires, beers with old friends and warm sweaters, winding down or spending time with loved ones. Seemingly insignificant things like reading quietly or watching a film in bed with a partner are very important parts of daily life. Creating a gezellig situation shouldn’t take any effort at all, as it is always something that you find easy and enjoyable. Identify what that is for you, and stick with it. The whole concept is very subjective, and it leaves room for people to try interrelated activities commonly associated with cosiness, togetherness, and comfort. 

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Buen vivir

Origin: Ecuador

‘Buen vivir draws from ancestral conceptions of sumak kawsay in Quechua and suma qaman in Aymara, the two most widely spoken indigenous languages in the Andes region of Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia. Ecuador is building on its indigenous past by incorporating the concept of sumak kawsay into its approach to development. Rooted in the cosmovisión (or worldview) of the Quechua peoples of the Andes, sumak kawsay – or buen vivir, to give it its Spanish name – describes a way of doing things that is community-centric, ecologically-balanced and culturally-sensitive. The good life’ or ‘living well’, greater emphasis is placed on the community and family, over the individual. People act with the collective in mind, while always considering themselves as part of the wider natural world. A defining characteristic of buen vivir is harmony. Ecuadorians place a higher value on the simple things in life: a good harvest, the health of their family and the fact that the sun is shining. Instead of spending hours in the office in order to get ahead,  

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Tachles

Origin: Israel

When an Israeli says that they wish to speak tachles, they are saying it’s time to be straight-forward and there is to be no beating around the bush. Tachles, originating from Yiddish, literally means “end goal,” so when we use this word, we are trying to get from point A to point B in as straight of a line as possible. This mindset is in fact a cultural directness that is taught from an early age. As Israelis grow up, they learn from a young age to challenge authority, to apply a practical approach to things and to be concrete. Throughout their childhood, Israelis are put in situations that force them to be direct; otherwise, it could lead to detrimental results Tachles is to be upfront, own up to mistakes, be clear and concise when presenting materials, and so much more that this word can bring about in a conversation. Tachles is a dual meaning word, that expresses practicality as well as a feeling of having captured the point.

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Wu wei

Origin: China

An ancient Chinese concept literally meaning "inexertion", "inaction", or "effortless action, an important concept in Chinese statecraft (the art of conducting state affairs). It was most commonly used to refer to an ideal form of government, including the behaviour of the emperor. Wu wei describes a state of unconflicting personal harmony, free-flowing spontaneity and savoir-faire (the ability to act or speak appropriately in social situation) it generally also denotes a state of spirit or mind. In Confucianism the concept accords with conventional morality and Sinologist Jean François Billeter describes wu-wei as a "state of perfect knowledge of the reality of the situation, perfect efficaciousness and the realization of a perfect economy of energy", which in practice Edward Slingerland qualifies as a "set of ('transformed') dispositions (including physical bearing) conforming with the normative order. Philosopher Alan Watts believed that Wu Wei can best be described as "not-forcing." Watts also understood Wu Wei as “the art of getting out of one’s own way” and offered the following illustration: “The river is not pushed from behind, nor is it pulled from ahead. It falls with gravity.

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Pakikipagkapwa-tao

Origin: The Philippines

Pakikipagkapwa-tao means relating to someone else as a fellow human being. Filipinos most evidently exemplify pakikipagkapwa-tao through the practices of bayanihan (being heroes for the community without expecting anything in return) and the ‘boodle fight’ (communal eating). The former is more widely done in rural areas of the country. When one person needs to accomplish a task (such as moving house) for example, the whole community pitches in to help – no questions asked. The latter is a dining practice where large groups of people eat together (with their hands, no utensils). This was initially done in the military as a way for the higher ranking officials to show unity with their troops. Pakikipagkapwa-tao helps people by fostering solid communities and families that look out for one another. It gives Filipinos assurance that during times of hardship, they can rely on the people around them for help. 

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Ubuntu

A collection of values and practices that people of Africa or of African origin view as making people authentic human beings. While the nuances of these values and practices vary across different ethnic groups, they all point to one thing – an authentic individual human being is part of a larger and more significant relational, communal, societal, environmental and spiritual world. A community population with which individuals empathise and have a vested interest in its collective prosperity. Ubuntu is about shared human subjectivity that promotes a community's good through an unconditional recognition and appreciation of individual uniqueness and difference Ubuntu "implies that everyone has different skills and strengths; people are not isolated, and through mutual support & interdependence they can help each other to complete themselves.

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Lagom

Origin: Sweden

Lagom is a Swedish word that means “enough, sufficient, adequate, just right.” Unlike the English term minimalism, which can imply a certain degree of self-deprivation, lagom is all about being happy with what you have. Whereas words like sufficient and average suggest some degree of abstinence, scarcity, or failure, lagom carries the connotation of appropriateness, although not necessarily perfection. The Swedish proverb “Lagom är bäst” can be translated to “The right amount is best.” Enough is as good as a feast",[1] or as "There is virtue in moderation. In a single word, lagom is said to describe the basis of the Swedish national psyche, one of consensus and equality.

Lagom is all about letting go of self-indulgence and excess and finding balance. It is often described as the Goldilocks principle of “not too little, not too much, just right.” With that being said, everyone’s perfect medium varies.  It’s a personal journey to find what works for you.

In Sweden you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone at the office in the evening, with most leaving sharply at 5 pm. In fact, very few employees work overtime, it can be seen as a sign of poor time management and planning.

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FIKA

Fika is a Swedish word meaning to meet up for a cup of coffee or tea over something delicious. It is also the word for the delicious treats themselves. Swedes traditionally stop twice a day for fika: taking a much-needed break from the daily grind. People fika with family, colleagues, friends, children, and even go on fika dates. Fika is a big part of every Swede's everyday life. Basically, fika just means to hava a coffee. But it is so much more than just that. It has been described as a social institution or even phenomena. Swedish people – often described as distant, calm and unsocial – love their fika. It gives them the opportunity to meet and hang out with friends, get to know new people, check out potential partners or network with business folks. 

At many working places, fika is part of the regular daily schedule. In the morning a fika at 10:00 and in the afternoon at 15:00 is not uncommon.

For you sweet little new-Swede, that means two 10 – 30 minutes-extra breaks, called fikarast or fikapaus. When everyone gathers in the meeting room, you better stop working and join the group. You won't get any extra points from your boss when you pretend you have no time for a break, because your work is just too important.mong the consensus-oriented Swedes, fika is a great way to exchange knowledge, opinions about what's going on in the company, and generally bond with your colleagues. Resulting in better productivity for the company and better wellbeing for each employee.During leisure time, fikas tend to be a little longer than during work. From 30 minutes to several hours. You can meet your friends, someone you have a common interest with and want exchange knowledge, or even get to know a potential flirt or partner. The informality of a fika makes it easy for everyone to suggest or agree to a fika.

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