How can we gain a deeper understanding of foreign concepts like ikigai and saudade?
While these concepts can be challenging to define, our bodily sensations can offer valuable insights into their deeper meanings.
In this episode of the Ikigai Podcast, Nick speaks with Igor de Almeida to explore how cultural concepts like ikigai and saudade are embodied in our physical experiences.
Podcast Highlights
- Igor’s background. Igor shares a bit about how he came to live in Japan.
- Ikigai and Saudade. Igor defines these two concepts, which are the focus of his paper.
- Using ikigai and saudade as research topics. Igor shares how they chose these concepts for their study.
- Self and culture are grounded in embodiment. Igor explains how they are deeply rooted in it.
- Sources of saudade. Igor shares the sources of saudade identified in their study.
- The embodied experience of saudade and ikigai. Igor discusses the embodiment of saudade and ikigai.
- Experiences of how culture shapes emotions. Igor shares his experiences with the embodiment of culturally specific emotions.
- Be an agent of your own change. Igor explains why he encourages people to take control of their own transformation.
- Igor's ikigai. Igor shares what his ikigai is.
Igor de Almeida
Igor de Almeida is a Cultural Psychologist and a Social Psychologist specialized in culture. His research examines how culture influences people in various psychological aspects, such as emotions, thought, and behavior. Currently, Igor is working at Kyoto University as a Junior Associate Professor.
Igor’s background
Originally from Brazil, Igor moved to Japan in 2013 as a student at Kyoto University. Initially planning to stay for 2-3 years, he extended his time and eventually decided to settle in Japan. He now has a stable job at a national university, is married, and has a family, which has made relocating or returning to Brazil more challenging.
Ikigai and Saudade
Together with Jamila Rodrigues, a former podcast guest, Igor co-authored a paper titled ‘Ikigai and Saudade: Cultural Meanings Lived Through the Body.’ Igor explains that concepts like ikigai and saudade represent culturally specific emotions that are difficult to translate accurately into other languages. While these ideas are universally understood, no single word in other languages fully captures their meaning.
Igor elaborates on ikigai, often defined as the reason for being alive or the essential motivation behind daily tasks, work, and personal dedication. Yet, he suggests that ikigai is more than just a simple definition—it’s a profound, personal experience. Saudade, while similar to nostalgia, is more complex. It is the feeling of missing someone or something, combining both sadness and happiness. You feel sadness because you miss loved ones, but also a sense of joy from having had meaningful relationships. This mix of emotions is what defines saudade.
Using ikigai and saudade as research topics
Igor had several meetings with Jamila, whose research focuses on ikigai and embodiment. While Jamila explores ikigai, Igor studies untranslatable emotions, including saudade. Seeking common ground for a new project, they decided to compare saudade and ikigai, as both are culturally unique and deeply tied to embodiment.
Ikigai provides a sense of purpose, while saudade evokes strong emotions, often expressed through poetry and music. Through this collaboration, Igor gained insights into embodiment, while Jamila explored ikigai's complexity as a uniquely Japanese concept.
Self and culture are grounded in embodiment
In their paper, it is stated that self and culture are grounded in embodiment. Igor highlights that emotions like saudade and ikigai are deeply personal and difficult to fully articulate—they must be felt rather than simply described. While people can relate to others' experiences, they cannot directly feel them. He also notes that the body plays a crucial role in guiding emotions and actions, often beyond conscious awareness, reinforcing the idea that many aspects of human experience remain unconscious.
Igor explains that emotions not only influence how we feel but also shape our subsequent behaviors and interactions. Emotions prepare us to engage in specific actions—happiness leads to celebration, sadness leads to crying. For example, after a loss, people might grieve with a loved one or share nostalgic moments, influenced by the emotion they feel.
Psychological theory suggests that the emotion experienced beforehand guides behavior, like whether people will mourn together or celebrate. However, emotions can also lead to unpredictable behaviors, such as during a sports loss, where sadness might result in either calmness or aggression, illustrating the variability in emotional responses.
Sources of saudade
Saudade can stem from feelings of loneliness or dissatisfaction. It can occur when new experiences fail to meet expectations, such as trying a new restaurant and missing the familiar comfort of home-cooked meals. It also arises when missing loved ones, like family, friends, or a partner. Saudade can be triggered by both minor and major losses—whether it's the loss of a person or something as simple as missing a daily ritual, like having a cup of coffee after lunch. In essence, saudade reflects a sense of incompleteness or longing.
Saudade is about feeling disconnected from the world and seeking to reconnect by reflecting on the past or an impossible present. It can occur when missing someone who is no longer here or even when feeling a longing for loved ones while being engaged in daily tasks, like work. Saudade helps reinterpret moments, balancing the need to be present while acknowledging unavoidable separations. The key difference between saudade and ikigai is that saudade looks to the past, whereas ikigai looks to the future. However, both emotions share the common theme of connecting to the present.
The embodied experience of saudade and ikigai
The embodied experience of saudade is often felt as emptiness or pain in the chest, with a sensation of being on the verge of tears. This emotional experience can vary across individuals, with some describing different body parts.
For instance, Igor shares a memory of feeling sadness related to playing football, where he could ‘feel’ his legs running and kicking the ball. In contrast, ikigai is felt in the chest as a vibration, filled with energy that drives one toward fulfilling goals, while saudade is marked by a sense of emptiness, representing a longing or something missing.
Experiences of how culture shapes emotions
Igor reflects on his journey of understanding emotions from cultures different than his own, particularly Japan. While he's starting to understand feelings like ikigai and natsukashii (happy nostalgia), he realizes these ideas are different from what he grew up with. Although he's learning these concepts and using the terms, he feels his understanding is still incomplete and may take years to fully grasp.
Be an agent of your own change
Igor emphasizes the importance of being attuned to both intellectual reasoning and bodily intuition when making decisions. While logical analysis and conscious thought are crucial, he highlights the value of gut feelings as additional information.
Whether making major life choices—such as buying a car, purchasing a house, or moving abroad—it's essential to consider emotions and bodily responses alongside rational analysis. He suggests that future research should explore this balance further, as academics aim to expand their influence in understanding decision-making.
Igor’s ikigai
While his younger years were driven by a desire for exploration, new experiences, and learning different cultures, Igor’s current ikigai is centered on stability, peace, and appreciating everyday moments. He enjoys going to work, spending time with family and friends. His ikigai now focuses on enjoying daily life rather than constantly seeking new experiences, highlighting how personal meaning can evolve over time.
Conclusion
Concepts like ikigai and saudade are inherently difficult to define, as they carry unique meanings for each individual. These emotions can trigger a variety of bodily sensations—perhaps a tightening in your chest when recalling something you deeply miss (saudade), or a profound sense of calm and fulfillment when engaging in activities that align with your purpose (ikigai). These physical responses are essential in helping us understand these emotions, as they offer valuable insight into how such concepts resonate within us, guiding us toward a deeper connection with our inner experiences.