Less is More

We have lived our lives with the idea that "more is better." But this is an illusion, a phantasma. We feel that the more things we have, the happier we will be. We are always wanting a larger home, a bigger car. We accumulate what we already have and continue to acquire new things or newer version of the same thing. We don't seem to be able to handle empty space very well. As soon as it is available, hoarding takes over. We are hoarding our most valuable space with possessions.

We are fighting for time, and wish we had more, and in the process never have enough. We seek more friends and contacts effortlessly via social media with the assumption that a greater network will give us more security, more warmth. We make our lives complicated finding things to do to remain occupied as doing nothing is considered negative and seldom pause to reflect if what we are 'doing' is part of our nature.

I reflected upon myself using these indicators: house; friends; tasks; time; and food. Why these? Because they are the necessary conditions for us to exist and co-exist with others. My home now consists of only the bare essentials to live comfortably. No fixture belongs to me. I live with what I am given and included a few necessities that add value and convenience to my daily living. My friends are not in close proximity. As a result, I am very much by myself. No functions, no appointments, no telephone conversations, no involvement with whatsoever and whoever to occupy my time. The best part is I have all the time to focus on myself and I am loving every bit of it. In other words, I am living with myself and I am my own manager of time.

I love and enjoy food. My eating habit has changed a great deal due to a gastroesophagael acid reflux that compels me to eat lesser but more frequently. In the early days of suffering, I had to note down every single food that I ate and strike it off my list of permissible food. Today, I choose my groceries selectively and avoid any kind of food that is deemed to be unhealthy. Eating is enjoying. Only gratifying the tongue will upset our overall well being.

Pilates is an exercise that I endeavor daily. It is meditation for me. It allows me to shift my mind to my breath as I engage in my body movement. It is a form of living the NOW and not let the mind stray to the past and future thoughts. I reckon if I can live in the NOW in 30 minutes of Pilates, gradually the NOW will manifest naturally in whatever I do. It is my methodology to live in the NOW and it works for me. So is one hour of power walking along the riverside nearby my home.

Having less does not mean a lower quality of life. In truth, we gain quality in terms of time, space and contentment. Our heart is not burdened by the affairs of others for the less we know the better it is for us. Our eyes are not sore by the sight of the clutter surrounding us. Our time does not need to be shared in fruitless conversations. We have to realize that except us, no one else is truly interested in us. To live a life according to the precepts of the world of conditions is as good as walking in shackles outside the prison cell. We will not move forward as we will always need to return to our own prison of comfort. The choice is ours.