Last Sunday got me thinking about what Black's Beach means to me. I went down to Black's on a day when the forecast called for clouds in the morning with sunny skies breaking out at midday. I got there at about noon. A mile from the beach it was bright and sunny ... but at the beach itself it was cloudy. I decided to go down anyway, and I'm glad I did because I had a wonderful time, even though I never saw the sun.
It didn't start getting chilly until about 4pm, so I was comfortable being nude for a while. Between a bit of reading, a bit of dozing, a bit of sitting meditation and my interaction with a squirrel (who really wanted into my bag), I had a great time. I realized that the sun is nice, warm water is nice (it was cold!), but that's not the only reason I love Black's. I can see myself going there all wrapped up next Winter just to feel the peace. (I think that will have to be on a sunny day since I don't handle cold too well.)
At the end of the day, what are we all looking for? I'm looking for peace of mind. That's why I meditate, that's why I read, that's why I listen to music, and that's why I sometimes leave the music off. For a shot of peace, I spend a day at Black's.
Why Black's Beach? Why not any other beach? I have tried other beaches, so I know it's not just the beach that I'm looking for. I think it's the feeling of the place, the fact that I can shed my clothes and it's just nature and me. Sometimes, it's nice to sit down or lie down directly on the sand and really feel the earth under me. Doing the same thing anywhere else will also feel good, but there aren't too many places where you can be nude, enjoy nature, and not be bothered by someone being bothered by what you're doing or not doing! I intend to try some of the other places where I can do the same in due course, but I'm in no big hurry. Peace of mind has come from not rushing to do what I think I could be doing. It has come from learning to enjoy the here and now, for the here and now.
Showing posts with label Simplicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simplicity. Show all posts
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Simplicity
Why do we humans make things so complicated that they become unsustainable?
As part of the re-thinking of my life that I have gone through in the past year, I've realized that one of the things I want in life is simplicity. The simplicity I seek isn't in the extreme. I am not looking to isolate myself from civilization. I'm seeking simplicity in everything I do as a functioning member of society. No more keeping up with the Jones' (something I thought I didn't do, but I now see I did to some extent), no more buying things for the heck of it, no more complicating my life just because I can.
Complexity in everything we do seems to be human nature. Take agriculture - we have made agriculture so complex that it appears to only be economically viable with large farms that pump chemicals into the ground and use more water than they should. The costs of this type of production are high because of the chemicals, effort and water used. The land used loses it's efficacy over time and eventually it takes a small change in the system to make it unsustainable. We should be working with nature rather than fighting nature. Besides, chemical farming only appears to be a better method because we subsidize it.
At the other end of the technology spectrum, take cars. Cars have become amazingly complex. The backyard mechanic is practically non-existent. A lot of the change in cars has been for better safety and so on, but companies like Lotus demonstrate that we have gone too far. Most manufacturers throw technology at a problem to solve problems created by other technologies until we have a behemoth that guzzles fuel and consumes more resources than it should at birth. Lotus on the other hand is based on smart design so that you get supercar performance combined with great fuel consumption from a much cheaper, much lighter car.
In whatever I do, I'm going to think simplicity. I'm not going to be a fanatic about it, but I know it will improve the quality of my life as it already has.
As part of the re-thinking of my life that I have gone through in the past year, I've realized that one of the things I want in life is simplicity. The simplicity I seek isn't in the extreme. I am not looking to isolate myself from civilization. I'm seeking simplicity in everything I do as a functioning member of society. No more keeping up with the Jones' (something I thought I didn't do, but I now see I did to some extent), no more buying things for the heck of it, no more complicating my life just because I can.
Complexity in everything we do seems to be human nature. Take agriculture - we have made agriculture so complex that it appears to only be economically viable with large farms that pump chemicals into the ground and use more water than they should. The costs of this type of production are high because of the chemicals, effort and water used. The land used loses it's efficacy over time and eventually it takes a small change in the system to make it unsustainable. We should be working with nature rather than fighting nature. Besides, chemical farming only appears to be a better method because we subsidize it.
At the other end of the technology spectrum, take cars. Cars have become amazingly complex. The backyard mechanic is practically non-existent. A lot of the change in cars has been for better safety and so on, but companies like Lotus demonstrate that we have gone too far. Most manufacturers throw technology at a problem to solve problems created by other technologies until we have a behemoth that guzzles fuel and consumes more resources than it should at birth. Lotus on the other hand is based on smart design so that you get supercar performance combined with great fuel consumption from a much cheaper, much lighter car.
In whatever I do, I'm going to think simplicity. I'm not going to be a fanatic about it, but I know it will improve the quality of my life as it already has.
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