simplicity of living

“Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them! There is great freedom in simplicity of living. It is those who have enough but not too much who are the happiest.”

-peace pilgram


::elizabeth::

What do I need?

What do I really need?

These are questions I’ve been asking myself frequently as I had limited space to store my belongings over the last month. Even though I pared my belongings down to what I thought were the bare essentials, I still had too much. There were things I rarely/never used.

Ten years or so ago, I found a small booklet by Peace Pilgram in my friend’s bathroom, and I read a few pages. I wondered if I could ever live like that. A couple of weeks ago, I received a copy of that booklet from a wonderful person who hosted our 13 Moon Walk 4 Peace team and I have been reading it. I still wonder if I could live like that. She walked 25,000 miles only carrying a few things in her pockets. She didn’t eat until she was offered food, and she didn’t sleep until she was offered a place to rest.

I think of all the comforts I took along with me on the walk and the luxuries we had available to us….my super cozy fuzzy socks, an rv, a travel mug, a camera, a netbook, my nettle tea…and wonder what my walk would have been like if I would have had less. Despite all the excess I had, I still experienced a taste of the freedom that Peace Pilgram speaks of and that was enough to let me know that simplicity is a path that allows me to flourish in ways I’ve never experienced before.

::lisa::

to me "things" make noise. when there is alot of "stuff" i am uncomfortable, both mentally and in my body. when i feel this way i want it off of me, to escape it somehow, and submerse myself somewhere peaceful. i feel so peaceful outside where there is nothing but things that are necessary...the trees, the wind, the water, the sky... the earth beneath my own two feet. there is the occassional friend who may skitter by underfoot of fly above my head (or a child shouting loudly at my side).

in our current society, i think a lot of us are feeling the ill effects that convenience and disposable life offers us. many of us are now turning back to find a new way of living, one that doesn't sacrifice our souls or our way of thinking. when we have too many "things", that do not serve us, over time they become painful and burdensome. it can be so hard at times, yet i just need to remember that when i no longer need something, i need to just let it go.