Peaceful Simplicity

I have decided that throughout the month of May to focus on the practice of mindfulness and mantra. Why not dedicate an entire month teaching something that can foster a greater sense of ease and connection? So, we began this past week with a theme inspired from the realm of Zen Buddhism, that of peaceful simplicity. I can't help but think of a minimalist aesthetic set in Japan when I think of the word "Zen". 

When Ed and I traveled to Japan in 2016 one of the highlights was a short temple stay in the small secluded town of Koyasan, a challenging place to get to as it's perched high in the mountains. Mount Koya is the center of Shingon Buddhism, an important Buddhist sect which was introduced to Japan in 805 by Kobo Daishi (also known as Kukai), one of Japan's most significant religious figures. As we arrived at our temple stay, we were greeted by a bowing monk who asked us to leave our shoes at the entrance and showed us to our room. As we first saw the room, my immediate reaction was one of a peaceful simplicity with a single low table with a hot pot of water for making tea and two low chairs virtually requiring you to sit on the floor. The room also had a TV which seemed out of place (we never turned it on) and simple decor. When we returned to the room after a beautiful vegetarian dinner prepared by the monks, our low table had been pushed to the side and two futons had been made up for sleeping. It was so simple and completely inviting to rest and relax. In the morning, we meditated with the monks and spent the days walking through the streets and visiting many of the local temples and sacred sites. The entire enclave was based on peacefulness and quiet, inviting those visiting to slow down and be in the moment.

Mindfulness can be thought of as being fully awake and aware of the present moment, no matter what you might be doing. Whether it's washing the dishes, folding laundry, sitting in rush-hour traffic, or facing a challenging moment, paying attention to the experience is practicing mindfulness.

One way to promote a greater sense of ease in life is to simplify it. I see chaotic times as being fed by many different energies, like an octopus juggling. Think of the energy it takes to create an event or get a big project completed with many moving parts...it can often lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed with an overstuffed to-do list. The act of removing complications from our daily lives can lead us to experience more moments of peacefulness. 

Over the past two to three years, I've been studying and trying to enact a simpler and more intentional way of living through decluttering and slowing down. The desire is to invite a sense of ease into an abundance and full life, decreasing complications and possessions. Decluttering for me has been a slow and steady practice which is as much about not only deciding what items I love and bring me joy but also about not buying more stuff to replace what I've eliminated. It's been about the recognition to focus more on experiences and relationships than the accumulation of goods.

I'm currently reading the book, "The Minimalist Home: A Room-By-Room Guide to Decluttered, Refocused Life" by Joshua Becker. I was stunned to read a statistic that said the average number of items Americans own is set to be around 300,000. Yep. You read that right. The more stuff we have stuffed into our closets, cubbies, and storage units, the more we have to manage. And for many of us, it can be stressful and overwhelming to deal with all of our stuff. More stuff=more stress=poorer health over the long-haul. The thought of having less, clearing the clutter and opening up space in our lives is a popular theme these days and it's easy to see why.

My thought for the week is to look at what we're ready to release whether it's decluttering, taking something off our daily to-do list, driving the speed limit, slowing down, and inviting a connection to self. And this weekend I have my eye on the linen closet...watch out, I'm getting better at letting things go!