koi fish dancing now

all around my head

“Desire for things, once satisfied, breeds higher levels of desire and the market knows this all too well,” the monk said. “That’s why today’s marketing strategies are to promote consumption beyond the actual value of goods. They make us consume the brand and image to defy who we are. In Buddhism, we call it the consumption of illusion.”  -http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/04/10/business/business_30070471.php

 

‘Attachment is the origin, the root of suffering; hence it is the cause of suffering.’ [1] - The Dalai Lama at Harvard, 1988, Snow Lion USA, p.37

Non attachment gives us freedom to sincerely reflect upon our likes and dislikes, as well as creating a sort of shared consciousness by doing things not just for our selves but for the shared happiness for all or the greater good. Zen teacher John Daido Loori said,

“[A]ccording to the Buddhist point of view, nonattachment is exactly the opposite of separation. You need two things in order to have attachment: the thing you’re attaching to, and the person who’s attaching. In nonattachment, on the other hand, there’s unity. There’s unity because there’s nothing to attach to. If you have unified with the whole universe, there’s nothing outside of you, so the notion of attachment becomes absurd. Who will attach to what?”

This means that we go through life trying to add and own things that will make us happier, yet in the end craving is really just the product of being ignorant to our true selves. The Buddha said,

“When the thirty six pleasure-bound streams of craving are strong in a man, then numerous desire-based thoughts pull the deluded man along.”

Are we truly living as a deluded society? When desire fuels our lives, it may not be hard to realize that we are not as happy as we thought we would be…

The research that I was doing on clutter culture has helped me delve into the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi

This cultural adherence sings to the tune of simplicity, which is reflected in the structure of their tea houses.  The traditional Japanese tea ceremony is more than just drinking tea; it is a spiritual experience that embodies harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. These are all things that many people strive to achieve in their own homes.

“A typical teahouse in Japan, although built with great care and often at great expense, looks like a ramshackle, rustic hut. It emphasizes simplicity and austerity. The door through which the guests enter is very small, so that they must almost crawl through. The idea here is that they are leaving all worldly things behind—even in the days of samurai, then men were forced to remove their swords and hang them on a hook, otherwise they would not fit through the door.”( http://uwf.edu/japanhouse/chado.cfm )

This shows that peace and happiness in other cultures are traditionally found not through commercial goods but through the silencing of your mind and the concentration on stillness. This shows a large juxtaposition with American fast paced culture and our emphasis on constant stimulation.

Caught in a jungle of my memories

they cling to what I own

i made the discovery

they were not my rock, but a stone

smooth, round, and cyclical bound

they clutter my mind

yet don’t make a sound

this house adorns my treasures

the most loyal of my friends

a plethora of  pleasures

like all things, sure to end

time elapses, affinity fades

each item once cherished

now inflicts a malaise

though I yearn for something new

ill accumulate till I’m subdued

the house so hefty; unable to hug

devoid of what once left me snug

peace of mind is what I implore

not prepackaged won’t be sold in a store

you can’t buy happiness for she is no whore

simplicity engrained

in the answer to my cry

if you focus on your actions

instead of what you buy

a dedication to detraction

may help you say goodbye.

Notice how the Japanese strive for simplicity