Héctor García

“The meaning of ichigo ichie is something like this: What we are experiencing right now will never happen again. and therefore, we must value each moment like a beautiful treasure.

Anger is almost always a destructive emotion, as the Buddha taught: "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else:you are the one who gets burned."

Anger keeps us tied to the past, preventing us from enjoying the here and now.

Learning to see the beauty of things also allows us to make them beautiful.

Chanoyu is a call for us to pay attention to all five senses and to be anchored in the present, making the ceremony an art that goes far beyond drinking tea.

Having problems is part of being alive. It is our difficulties and how we face them, more than our periods of contentment, that shape us throughout the course of our lives.

The moment is a jealous lover that demands we give it our all. Every unrepeatable moment is a small oasis of happiness. And many oases together make an ocean of happiness.

Journeys into the past and the future are often painful and nearly always useless. You can't change what happened. You can't know what will happen. But here in this moment, all the possibilities in the world are alive.

The simple fact of stepping away from the daily whirlwind of hurry and obligations will open the doors to well-being.”
― Héctor García, The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment, the Japanese Way

“De zondagsneurose, bijvoorbeeld, doet haar opwachting wanneer de doordeweekse verplichtingen en drukte wegvallen en de persoon zijn innerlijke leegte gewaarwordt. Daar moeten dan oplossingen voor worden gezocht. En bovenal een doel, een reden om het bed uit te komen.”
― Héctor García, Ikigai: Los secretos de Japón para una vida larga y feliz