Thursday, January 03, 2013

Live simply - how & why to live a simple life

At my office, in my room I've put up a small paper saying this:

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Five simple rules to be Happy forever
Free your heart from hatred
Free your mind from worries
Live simply
Give more
Expect less
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How to do this naturally?
 Meditate
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When people are happy they don't know about it. It's only when something happens which makes them unhappy that they find out that they were happy. Isn't it a curse on humanity?

Any way, today I wish to write about Live simply. Obviously I should not write complicated and long essay on how and why to live a simple life.

With the advent of industrialized world, life has become complicated and fast. If we wish to retain sanity and be happy then its time to simplify life.

How?

Few suggestions:

1. Learn to love what you are; and use what you already have.
God made man in his own image; and still every person is different from his fellow brothers. There is a reason for that. Before taking birth each person has decided where he will be born, how he will be and what he will do. So, be contented with what you are and effectively use what you have already got. Don't think of taking short cuts. Acceptance is a great virtue.

Does it mean I should not look forward to or try anything in life? That seems to a derogatory idea.

2. Focus on becoming something rather than having things. 
One should aspire but not to have ambition. Learning a skill e.g, cooking, writing, painting; develop human qualities e.g., sympathy, ability to listen; rather than having a house, beautiful wife, strong body.

What's wrong with a rented house, average looking wife and reasonably healthy body? After all, we are here only for a brief period of say 60 to 70 years; half of which is wasted in growing up and following unnecessary pursuits.

3. Focus on fulfilling needs adequately. Reduce wants.
When one does what he likes and interested in, automatically things he needs comes. Needs are legitimate. Wants are our own creation. If we are able to discriminate and find out what we really need to live, our life becomes simpler.

4. Use technology to the bare minimum. 
Modern day conveniences offered by technology makes us dependent because once we become used to it we can't live without it. Also, lot of time, energy and money is wasted in acquiring and learning to use this technological innovations. Instead, once we start using our own inbuilt abilities i.e., start using our mind (to say remember phone numbers or storing our ideas); start using our hands/legs (to walk, play outdoor games); and adapt our body to withstand cold/heat; we become strong because our mind and body remains in use - by going through resistance training.

5. Learn to listen and follow your heart.
Even science has found that heart has neurons! It has ability to think; and we have forgotten to think i.e., we have stopped using our mind to think! Isn't it ridiculous? We have to regain this ability to think, first with mind and then with the heart. We have become too much slave of the past and its effects. If we wish to have a future that is different and better than what it is today then it is very important to learn to think and that too using our heart. How to do this? Learn to meditate. Learn to meditate on the heart and take help, if needed.

What to you say?

1 comment:

  1. Good thought process and ideas. Thank you. Technology (point no. 4) is imperative though, in today's times. I am of the opinion, that we can certainly make Technology is a great slave, at our services; and not let it become our master. that is the trick or the balance !

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