A Second Life Starting at 60: Upgrading Based on the First

I am now 64 years old.
I still consider myself to be at the starting line.

Returning to being a baby at the age of 60

The concept of Kanreki (the 60th birthday) is based on the sexagenary cycle of the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches.

I was born in 1961, the year of the Metal Ox (Shin-Ushi).
I celebrated my 60th birthday in 2021, also the year of the Metal Ox.

This year is the year of the Fire Horse (Hinoe-Uma).
Those born in 1966, the year of the Fire Horse, will reach their 60th birthday this year.

After 60 years, you complete a full cycle and return to the same zodiac sign as the year you were born.
It is called "Kanreki" because it means "returning to the original calendar."

Naturally, you were a "baby" in the year you were born.
To signify returning to that state and starting life over as a baby once more, it is customary to wear a red vest and a red hat.

Laozi cites the baby as a metaphor for the ideal human being.
It is the time when both body and mind are at their most supple as a person.

Since you are returning to that state, Kanreki is a cause for celebration!

Thinking about Kanreki through the I Ching

Even from the perspective of the Chinese classic "I Ching" (Book of Changes),
the milestone of age 60 holds an interesting significance.

If Laozi found value in "suppleness," the I Ching finds value in "change and circulation."
Kanreki can also be thought of as a milestone where one cycle ends and a new one begins.

In terms of the hexagrams, I feel close to "Earth over Thunder" (Fu).
The Earth over Thunder hexagram represents a new beginning after a flow has reached its limit.
After a 60-year journey, it feels as though I have arrived at the start of a new cycle (the return of the light).

In our first life (the first 60 years),
we have accumulated many experiences,
stored up knowledge,
and built the foundation of "ourselves" while sometimes making mistakes.

And now, we have reached our second life.
We are not just ordinary babies from here on out.

We are babies who possess a valuable database called "the experience of the first life."

Life Version 2.0

Because we have data from our first life such as

"That didn't go well,"
"I should have done that differently,"

we can start our second life in an upgraded state (Ver. 2.0) right from the beginning.

If you count your 60th birthday as age zero, I am now four years old.
I have nothing but room to grow!

At four years old,
you are learning words,
full of curiosity about the world around you,
and your eyes light up with new discoveries every day.

I am in exactly that same state of mind right now.

Still only four years old.

Relaxing the power of the body and mind (what Laozi calls "softness").

Turning past experiences into wisdom (the teachings of the I Ching).

If I combine these two things,
I am convinced that the life ahead will be much lighter,
and much more enjoyable than the first.

Not "already in my 60s," but "still only four."

Using my past experiences as the best reference,
I intend to design my own second life,
while feeling excited about it.

I will continue to keep my curiosity alive,
and keep my eyes shining for new things...

Life is just beginning!