Could your hobby become your ikigai? Be inspired by Jess's Kyudo story

Jess’s description of flow - being in the here and now

The long journey of 11 years from the first view to being an integral part of who she is now

Identity transition - from runner to archer, how different roles serve us at different times

How the flow from kyudo (her ikigai) spreads into other parts of her life.

In this episode you will hear:

2:17 Starting Kyudo Japanese archery in your 30s

3:03 A life of many elements including being a tourism Ambassador for Saitama prefecture, working with artisans

5:58 transforming into a fearless warrior!

7:05 Jess’s journey into kyudo began with Robin Hood!

7:46 Stumbling upon a dojo and being transfixed by the silence, calm 11 years ago

9:28 Finding a way in took a long time - 3 kids worth in fact!

11:47 How important it is to make it easy to get beginners to find the information -

13:01 from fun hobby to ikigai - The falling away. deprioritizing of other interests

Kyudo filling the stress relief space of running, slowing her life down

15:40 A shifting sense of self and identity - does this one thing need to remain my ikigai?

17:37 Jess masterfully handles my question about why is Kyudo so blooming slow! focus on the self and the breath, not the target

18:29 dancing with strangers, developing synchronicity immediately building trust and togetherness

21:09 Individual performance versus the movement of the team

21:48 cycle of competence

23:06 Jess describes a recent experience of achieving flow during Kyudo

26:36 is it better not to have a record and just hold it in your mind?

27:36 Challenging sports yabusame - horse back archery

29:16 Sports Yabusame’s refreshing Approach to beginners

31:40 Finding the approach that matches your lifestyle needs - how to make it sustainable?

33:42 Dealing with the haters who question your approach - “How can you start something else when you haven’t mastered this?”

34:30 Different approached to mastery and living your life

36:38 Understanding your own motivation

39:01 Acknowledging the change in yourself when you are engaged in your ikigai and how it impacts other parts of your life

41:28 Changing relationship with children, physical and mental health

44:38 Advice on taking your first steps - test out the community and the environment

46:30 Building your ikigai into your lifestyle sustainably

47:56 Starting You, Me and Zen Kyudo Club https://www.facebook.com/youmeandzen/ https://www.instagram.com/you.me.and.zen/

49:26 Transition into your ikigai can be life changing and bring magical moments

About Jessica:

Jessica Gerrity was born in Auckland, New Zealand. After graduating her Masters she came to Japan to work as an English teacher with no Japanese language ability.

Jessica has worked in the Japanese media industry for over 15 years. Often appearing on television to talk about her home country.

Jessica currently writes for GekkanNZ a Japanese language magazine based in New Zealand, and for Kyudo Nippon, a quarterly magazine for all things related to kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery.

Jessica practices kyudo in her spare time. She started 3 years ago after watching a practice she decided that she would start too.

Jessica is the Saitama Prefecture tourism and PR Ambassador: Love Saitama Ambassador.

Jessica is a mother to three children, 11, 10 and 7. Her youngest child was born with microcephaly and has intellectual and physical disabilities. This month her youngest was also diagnosed with epilepsy.

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