Simple Living
Travel
The Luxury of Simplicity
29.2.16No electricity. No mobile reception. No internet. These were the conditions of my two weeks staying in a rural farming village hidden in the heart of sweltering Sri Lankan jungle. Far from an exercise in self-abnegation, or an indignant ambition to challenge myself with "extreme" living, it was with excited anticipation of rest and relief that I discovered the eco-retreat Ulpotha.
We slept in mud huts open to the nocturnal noise and benevolently cool night breezes, comfortably cocooned in a mosquito net. Walking in the jungle on narrow, meandering paths lined by lush jackfruit trees; watching tribes of monkeys parading around like they're boss. Days spent exploring nature, doing yoga, reading and writing; making friends with people from all walks of life and all corners of the world; meals of flavourful curries and spicy sambals, cooked the traditional way over an open fire, all from organic, locally grown produce. I could feel myself easing into the natural rhythm of the vibrant and carefree jungle teeming with life.
My refreshing two weeks of living off the land taught me how to savour simplicity. Simplicity is a luxury that is ironically ubiquitous - it's always there. Simplicity is the background beneath the layers of complexity with which we unnecessarily burden our lives.
It may not be possible to replicate this blissfully simple way of living in the "real world"; however, making small shifts in our thinking can help us to declutter our growingly complex lives.
Discern want and need. Most of us are not naive to the fact that many of the things we believe we "need" are products of social conditioning and clever marketing. But how often do we consciously question our inner voice that convinces us we "need" something? A world away from materialistic Western culture, in a place where makeup looks out of place and shoes are optional; where there are no power plugs for appliances or shiny gadgets, I realised that what I need to be happy are actually very basic.
Slow down and absorb everything from the present moment. Savour the small things. Life can only be lived in the present - move too fast, and you miss it.
Practice detachment. It's ok to want: things, recognition, success, relationships, a lifestyle. The trouble is not in desire - the trouble is trying to simultaneously want, and striving to get what you want, whilst being content with the outcome that you may never get it.
Remind yourself of the bigger picture. I have a profound appreciation of the memento more in still life paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Far from morbid, those lopsided skulls perched amongst flowers and fruit are sobering reminders of our mortality and human fragility. In an age when material wealth flourished, it served as a reminder that, no matter how materially prosperous one may be, we all look the same in the face of death. It asks us the question: What's really important?
Want to know more? Read my next post on Ulpotha
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