ink and paper

I sit in my car down at the plaza and just watch, watch people scurrying back- in-forth with their many bags in toe, shopping, buying, more and more stuff. The American Shopper, how much stuff do we really need? I would be lying if I said that that was never me, but it was me, not long ago, I was just like them, scurrying around in the rat race, buying yet another trinket to sit on a shelf to collect dust. It’s only been in the last year or so as I have depended my yoga and meditation practice that I have come to loath shopping, loath stuff, and loath the American, “more” life style. How much do we actually need to live? We need food, clothing, and shelter. When I think about people all around the world that only worry about their next meal, digging thought the city’s trash to find clothing, or sifting water out of a drinking hole to try and get a cup of drinkable water, it makes me sad. I feel sad that so many people have so much when others have so little. But even in the West, we have our poverty, our starving, and our homeless. Even here in the land of plenty, we have people in need. BUT, it’s never too late to wake up and break the addiction of shop, buy, spend, and more… YOU can use that energy to help more, give more, and shop less. Take a look around your home, what do you really need? It’s time to clean house, donate, give, and live the life style of “less is more”…. Less “stuff” equals less clutter in the home and the mind.
Next time you go into town, just sit in your car and watch, observe, listen and ask yourself, how much do we really need? Don’t become a shopping zombie, stop the addiction of shop, buy, spend, and more. And as you deepen your yoga, meditation, and spiritual path, you’ll find yourself needing less and less “stuff” …. And having more and more peace.