"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone." Henry David Thoreau, Walden. Possessions don't make us happy! Situations do. Possessions, desire, covetousness, craving, yearning, lust; these forces drive humanity. Somehow each generation of moral thinkers know these things are ultimately wrong and look for something … Continue reading Jobs, Work, and Taking Control of Possessions (an updated ramble)
Tag: mendicant
Present Mood, Introspective
I have always liked this image. It speaks to me... From the description of the Walters Art Museum: "In this work, the artist depicts the figure in such a way that most of his face is obscured, creating a sense of mystery. Everything we know about the character of this man is expressed though his … Continue reading Present Mood, Introspective
Thoughts About Minimalism and Survival
Learning a thing or two from the past...Part 1, 21st century Westerners are not the first to minimalize. "The things you own end up owning you." Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club There's a lot of recent talk about Minimalism as a social movement and this fits well with my personal philosophy and my interests in preindustrial … Continue reading Thoughts About Minimalism and Survival
Ultra Minimalists, Part 3
For the Ultra Minimalists, Part 1, click here. More Historic Minimalists - religious wanderers from the East Wandering Monks part 1 - The Buddhist monks that travel much of the year throughout Asia are about as minimalist as one can reasonably get. Early Buddhist monks were instructed to own, as based on the Pali Canon, … Continue reading Ultra Minimalists, Part 3
Ultra Minimalists, Part 1
Learning a thing or two from the past...Part 1, 21st century americans are not the first to minimalize. This is a lengthy ramble. So long in fact, that I have broken it into several posts to be trickled out over the coming days, weeks, or months. Skip on to the fun stuff if you aren't … Continue reading Ultra Minimalists, Part 1
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 