Life Of An Urban Minimalist
One may call it, “pulling a Marie Kondo.”
Less is more. To me, it was easier to profess than accomplished. Whether it is design or life, I can preach the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid) principle even in my dreams. However, reality caught on quickly after I opened my closet and started counting and listing the number of trousers, pair of socks, shirts, t-shirts, jackets, gadgets, bags, accessories and other 392742 things that I own right now.
I realized minimalism is much more than the concept that I had read, watched, and comprehended.
Act 1: Delete the extra
We all know that one person or thing that you think will “help you someday.” Most of the space is taken up by our future and past. Extra does not mean just the pair of shoes, but it also means extra people, extra relationships, and extra thoughts.
Getting rid of extra clothes is easy pickings. Of course, to declutter the wardrobe or the pile of papers and books is necessary to accomplish the first step. But the real challenge is to get away from negativity. It comes from within yourself and around us.
The common anecdote is that we are an average of five people we hang out with every day. It is a tough choice but an important one to pick the right five. Any extra person there can be harmful. It is wise to have the utmost respect, care, and love for the people around you. If you don’t have it, and the relationship looks like baggage, it is time to drop that load.
Act 2: Dive into the deets
After accomplishing the first Act, it is time to revamp yourself. Minimalism, for me, started with getting rid of things. However, upon introspection, I realized it was much more.
To start with, I didn’t realize that my body weight is also an extra pound I am carrying (literally). It takes more time to figure out what we can declutter and create more space for ‘nothing’.
A good approach towards introspecting is to start with the body, move to mind and then thesoul. Start with how you live your day, the steps that you are taking, the food that you are eating. The Bhagwad Gita says that every shwaas (breath) you take is important and you must keep track if you do not have the authority over it.
If all is set, move to the mind space. Meditation is the only way you can introspect your mind and thoughts. Focus on breathing and you will know all the thoughts that come to you. The more you practice, the easier it gets for you to regularize and control them.
After this, your work is over. Your faith takes it from here. If and when you are ready, the introspection of the soul takes place. Till then, keep practicing your part of getting a grip on the body and mind.
Act 3: Live in peace, every day
The idea of empty space is beautiful. It gets painful only with time. The more you practice, you learn that it is not about what you possess but also about what possesses you. The things you admire, love and hate are also part of the same circle that you try to break to become a minimalist.
A highly motivated practitioner can achieve the first two steps. Furthermore, knowing yourself, and looking within is achievable but following it for days, weeks, or years gets tough. Living in a society where you talk to people and also take up responsibilities and complete them while not being affected by the same is also complicated.
Often, people who believe in this life, plan to move to the mountains or places with lesser human interactions. But, it won’t get better anywhere. In this journey, your mental and spiritual strength is tested everywhere. Going away isn’t a foolproof solution because memories follow you everywhere you go. All it takes is to control the empty space that you created all along.
Minimalism is wonderful. It does not promise you hope, clarity, or success, but it teaches you, how to get rid of it all and more.
By- Divyank Jain
