Embracing Simplicity

Especially in cosmopolitan cities we see a constant desire for “more.” The assumption being that excess is the ideal.  Manhattan, with its skyscrapers, crowed shops, and glittering runways, is the poster child for materialism.  Just walk down the street on trash night; the mountains of garbage produced from our city’s inhabitants on a weekly is mind-boggling.  We at Essentia New York believe that sometimes the most rewarding aspects of life are uncomplicated

Leonardo DaVinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”  What…do you think one of the world’s greatest artists and self-taught thinkers, truly meant by those words?

Eastern philosophy teaches us the value of clarity, and shows us how to gain focus through decluttering the mind.   While it’s true, many of us seek to live a more holistic environmentally conscious life, and daily we attempt to decrease our usage of plastic and paper.  We reuse our grocery bag when shopping, pack a lunch to work, and seek out foods that are chemical free and genetic modifications.  Still, even with an attitude of mindfulness toward our planet, how often do we choose to throw away, or donate old clothing instead of purchasing new ones?  Or adopt a homeless animal in a shelter instead of a designer puppy?

There is very subtle and active movement going on, one that leans back to a more uncomplicated style of life.   It’s a new kind of choice, where people of varied ages and economic brackets choose to grow their own foods, play records, and not only don’t text, some don’t don’t even possess cell phones.    Not all of them live in farms, communes, or have Brooklyn backyards, some may be your next door neighbors who have chosen to scale down their way of life.  If the idea of clearing our your mind and life sounds appealing, you may want to check out one such group of modern pioneers known as: the simplicity collective.  Here participants practice something called voluntary simplicity in order to lead a balanced and meaningful life.   http://simplicitycollective.com/start-here/what-is-voluntary-simplicity-2