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catherine
11-20-15, 2:21am
When Wayne Dyer died, his family offered his books at a really deep discount, so I bought Change Your Thoughts, Change your Life, which is a pretty cheesy title, but actually it's really good. He provides commentary on each of the 80 verses of the Tao, by Lao Tzu, written 2500 years ago. Seems they were seeking the simple life back then, too.

Here's the verse:


Imagine a small country with few people.
They enjoy the labour of their hands
and do not waste time inventing
labour-saving machines.
Since they dearly love their homes,
they are not interested in travel.
Although they have boats and carriages,
they are rarely used.
Although there may be weapons,
nobody ever uses them.
They are content with healthy food,
pleased with simple clothing,
satisfied in snug homes.
People take pleasure in being with their families,
spending weekends working in their gardens
and delighting in the doings of the neighbourhood.
Although the next country is close enough
that they can hear their roosters crowing and dogs barking,
they are content to leave each other in peace.

rodeosweetheart
11-20-15, 7:14am
I was particularly struck by the line about not wasting their time inventing labor-saving devices. 2500 years ago. Fascinating!

kib
11-20-15, 10:57am
When I'd been living in Bisbee for about two years, an old NYC friend asked me, "well what do you do for fun?" I was at a loss to answer her, because while my life was a lot of (manual) work, it was also hugely entertaining. I mean ... living, working directly to meet my basic needs, was fun. And the community, wonky and occasionally catty as it was, felt almost like that separate country.

I've shifted away from that way of living but I'd like to get back, the separation of work and play, the separation of security and family (whether biological or chosen), the separation of stability and the people around me, is decidedly less enjoyable.

ETA - thanks for a neat summary of where to point my compass, Catherine. :)

Geila
11-20-15, 3:20pm
I love this! Very much what dh and I strive for. My biggest challenge is in the "enjoy the labour of their hands" as I wish I enjoyed housework more than I do. :|( Although... I have noticed that when I put my headphones and listen to a guided meditation tape I do enjoy it. The trick is to distract my brain instead of listening to it's protests. Easier said than done.

Catherine - I know you've mentioned Viktor Frankel before and I'm wondering if you have ever read Sheldon Kopp. I want to get a few books for holiday reading and the two titles that have recently come up are Man's Search for Meaning and If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him! My local library also has An End to Innocence, Life Without Illusions by Kopp, which seems interesting.

I haven't read either of these authors and would welcome feedback from anyone who has.

catherine
11-20-15, 4:16pm
Catherine - I know you've mentioned Viktor Frankel before and I'm wondering if you have ever read Sheldon Kopp. I want to get a few books for holiday reading and the two titles that have recently come up are Man's Search for Meaning and If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him! My local library also has An End to Innocence, Life Without Illusions by Kopp, which seems interesting.

I haven't read either of these authors and would welcome feedback from anyone who has.

I haven't read Sheldon Kopp, but you've piqued my interest. I've always loved the quote "If you meet Buddha on road, kill him." I've read Man's Search for Meaning twice: once in college and then once when I was older, which was kind of cool to reread it from a different perspective gained through a little life experience.

catherine
11-20-15, 4:20pm
I was particularly struck by the line about not wasting their time inventing labor-saving devices. 2500 years ago. Fascinating!

Yeah, I thought that was interesting, too!

pinkytoe
11-20-15, 4:51pm
If only we could find that place again...

SteveinMN
11-21-15, 11:42am
Hmm. I read that quote and thought that was not someplace I wanted to live. I want to live simply. Of course, the devil in the details is that we all define "simply" differently.

When our old dishwasher went belly up last month, there was no question that we'd get another one -- and not some tepid plastic cheapie, either -- because the dishwasher enables a greater passion of mine: cooking. I'm less likely to cook (especially more time-consuming meals) if I know I have a good 45-60 minutes of dishwashing ahead after 'most every meal. Now, if we could not afford a dishwasher, it's a different deal. But having one without question makes my life simpler and more enjoyable even though it removes some "hand work" from my life. It probably feeds us better food, too, because now I almost don't care how many dishes it takes to prep (no "just heat and serve" here).

I do believe there is a nobility to working with one's hands. I think it's a shame that we dissuade kids from pursuing the arts (because they pay so little to live on) or trades ("My kid is a lawyer!" "Yeah, well, mine is a plumber!") because physical work is denigrated. People who can safely work on the gas lines that feed our water heater and furnace have a much more direct impact on my life than some accountant in a cube at some manufacturing company somewhere.

I don't mind (in fat, maybe even rather enjoy) washing the few pots and utensils that cannot go into the dishwasher. But that's because that's maybe a 10-minute job and it's not necessary every time I cook.

How simple do people -- even us -- want to get? We could all go back to cleaning clothes with washboards and line-hanging. Or intensely minding a wood stove so you can maintain a temperature rather than guess when the food will be done. I suppose it's all a matter of degree and preference. For each of us it will be different.

catherine
11-21-15, 12:57pm
Steve, yes, it's true bringing our laundry to the river and beating it against rocks might not be the level of simple living we're aspiring to, but when I read that, I thought about one of my favorite books, A Handmade Life: In Search of Simplicity (http://www.chelseagreen.com/a-handmade-life) by William Coperthwaite.

What does sound romantic and ideal is the pursuit of good design and handiwork, and engaging in "the craft of living" as his first chapter says. So, to be engaged in the tasks that make up everyday life and to find opportunities to create and learn and be resourceful, rather than valuing expediency above all.

Teacher Terry
11-21-15, 1:50pm
Man's Search for Meaning is a book you will never forget your entire life. 2 others are "Night" & "All but My LIfe." I read all 3 in 1985 & they are probably the only 3 books that I remember the titles by heart & also the story. I can remember when housekeeping was a f.t. job. My Mom spent an entire day ironing because you had too. Even our sheets had to be ironed otherwise they were so wrinkled you could not sleep in them. Wringer washers, hanging clothes outside in warm months & down the basement in the winter-no thanks. In those days if women worked outside the house they truly had 2 f.t. jobs. Not much quick, easy food either. I would never want to return to that. My Dad who was really cheap decided he wanted to buy my Mom a dryer but my Mom who usually was the first to embrace new technology didn't want one. Well, he bought it anyway & had it delivered. OMG once she got used to it she was thrilled. NO LOnger hanging clothes in a cold basement in a Wis winter & taking down stiff clothes to iron, etc.

pinkytoe
11-21-15, 6:41pm
I think I must have glossed over the part about labor saving devices. I could easily do without a dishwasher but the washer NOT. Perhaps what it might mean is that full involvement homekeeping keeps one humble in a sense. We are the last in our neighborhhod who still do our own yardwork and house cleaning. Everyone has "people" to maintain their homes, yards and pools; sometimes I feel embarrassed that DH is out there pushing a mower but oh well. I am domestic by nature so keeping the house tidy with my own hands is a pleasurable activity - again something one doesn't dare admit around here.

Gardenarian
11-21-15, 7:02pm
Here's the verse:


Imagine a small country with few people.
They enjoy the labour of their hands
and do not waste time inventing
labour-saving machines.
Since they dearly love their homes,
they are not interested in travel.
Although they have boats and carriages,
they are rarely used.
Although there may be weapons,
nobody ever uses them.
They are content with healthy food,
pleased with simple clothing,
satisfied in snug homes.
People take pleasure in being with their families,
spending weekends working in their gardens
and delighting in the doings of the neighbourhood.
Although the next country is close enough
that they can hear their roosters crowing and dogs barking,
they are content to leave each other in peace.

I like this very much!