the subtle changes of each passing moment. We long to find the space to listen to another person and to our own hearts with total attention. Intuitively, we know these spaces teach us about what is significant, about how to find our path in this world, what nurtures us and how to be touched by the world around us.
Moments of stillness and genuine simplicity offer us glimpses of what it means to live in a sacred and free way. We know we do not need yet more sounds, thoughts, experiences, possessions, or attainments. We have had so many and they fail to quench our thirst for freedom and stillness. They do not make us happier, more free or compassionate. Instead, we discover that the clutter of our lives and minds entangles us in an escalating cycle of haste, alienation, and exhaustion.
In our hearts we know that genuine freedom is much deeper than a permission to have more, accumulate more, or become more. Freedom is the ability to live in such a way that there is no sense of imprisonment. To be free in our lives is to live authentically, embodying creativity, wisdom, and compassion in all dimensions of our lives. Freedom implies a genuine understanding of the source of happiness, the end of despair and conflict. Freedom and simplicity are close companions; simplicity teaches us the ways to release the layers of complexity and confusion that blind us. In their falling away we discover the innate vastness of freedom within us.
We are the most materially affluent of all generations. In pursuit of the “good” life, we have the possibility of more possessions, attainments, and choices than ever before. We are also a generation of great despair, alienation, and unhappiness. We tend to be hoarders, amassing, accumulating, and gathering endless stockpiles of “stuff,” inwardly and outwardly, which itself becomes a source of anxiety and tension. The clutter we accumulate, the endless possessions that no longer serve us, the distractions that fill our days, the incomplete conversations and relationships, the long list of things we “meant” to do, take over our lives, our homes, and our hearts.
There is a story of a wise king who, nearing the end of his life, invited his most devoted subjects to his palace so he could choose an heir. Before the meetings began they were offered fine clothes to dress in, dined on the best of foods, and were entertained by the finest performers. Several hours later, the king asked his attendant to invite his subjects before him so he could question them as to how they would rule the land. Red-faced, the attendant confessed that all the people had gone home. Lost in the pleasures and distractions of the evening they had quite forgotten why they were there.
A path of conscious simplicity teaches us how to recover ourselves and our lives. A new profession of lifestyle advisors has emerged to aid those who find themselves drowning in the clutter and complexity of their lives and hearts. These professionals remind us that having is not the same as happiness and that simplicity may bring the inner space from which authenticity and creativity emerge. Clearly, the meaning of our lives cannot be defined by the accumulation of things and achievements. The meaning of our lives is defined by the quality of our presence in this world and in each moment.
We need to learn how to be our own inner lifestyle consultant. What do we lean upon for security, identity, and reassurance? What are the sources of confusion and unhappiness in our lives? Does the source of happiness lie in the accolades, objects, and attainments we gather or do the roots of genuine happiness lie in our own heart? There are times when it is wise to step back from our preoccupations and listen more deeply to the rhythms and quality of our hearts and minds. In these moments the cultivation of stillness is a great gift of kindness we offer to ourselves. We discover the wisdom of ceasing to externalize the source of happiness, reclaiming instead our own capacity to nurture inner wellbeing and wholeness. In learning to let go of the complexity and busyness in our lives, we are also learning to let go of confusion and agitation.
We have the capacity to shape our lives, and the choices we make directly impact on the quality and well-being of the world; a world that is in dire need of people committed to compassion, integrity, and freedom. Simplicity in our lives expresses respect and care for our world; simplicity in our hearts expresses respect and compassion for ourselves and all living beings.
The search for simplicity is a sacred quest that embraces the many dimensions of our lives and hearts. In seeking simplicity we are not asked to abandon our lives but to reflect on the many strategies, objects, and pursuits that preoccupy us. Do they serve us well? Do they make us more happy or free? What can we let go of, re-examine, complete? It is not enough to unclutter our outer lives and leave intact the restlessness, anxiety, and insecurity at the heart of our confusion. Instead, we are asked to reflect upon our inner life—where can we be more mindful, how can we learn to be wholeheartedly attentive, what we need to let go of, what is the source of genuine happiness and freedom.
Our speech, ethics, livelihoods, the efforts we make in our lives, our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs—this is our world that asks for wise attention and understanding. Throughout the following chapters, the path of simplicity in the teachings of the Buddha is explored. It is a path of wisdom that teaches us to be a Buddha in our own lives. It is a path of awakening and compassion. The falling away of our layers of confusion and complexity will reveal to us the possibility of a life of freedom and compassion.
A disciple once asked the Buddha to explain the depth and profundity of his teaching. After sitting in silence for a few moments, he simply held up a flower and smiled. We may think of the path to peace and freedom as long, complex, and arduous. Instead, we can simply turn our attention to this moment, this life, and let it speak to us of wonder, mystery, harmony, and peace. There is no better moment in which to awaken and discover everything our heart longs for, than the moment we are in.
The birds have vanished into the sky, And now the last cloud fades away. We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains. LI PO
LIVING in Asia as a young woman, my entire life could fit into a single backpack and be moved within minutes. The momentous challenges of the day involved choosing between three varieties of lentils to cook, selecting which of four outfits to wear, and deciding when to meditate. Today, it would take more than one removal van to transport my life; endless planning and words such as “priorities,” “commitments,” and “meetings” have become a regular part of my vocabulary.
We are the first generation of spiritual aspirants to attempt to find a life of awakening and freedom while living in the world rather than within the cloistered walls of a monastery. There are few sure voices or blueprints to guide us. We are learning the lessons of engaged renunciation—treasuring simplicity within a life of consciously loving, working, and creating. The dilemma each one of us faces is how to meet our heart’s longing for calm simplicity amid a complex life. It is a journey that may involve a change in our lives. It will surely involve a change of heart. It is a journey that asks for honesty, commitment, wisdom, and a willingness to learn.
Spiritual traditions throughout history remind us that we can live with joyous simplicity; a life where our mind is our friend, our hearts are loving; where we are at home in our body and at peace with each changing moment of life. Simplicity is the mother of creativity and immediacy, intimacy and understanding, compassion and depth. The key to profound happiness and freedom lies in our capacity to discover simplicity in each moment.
Idealizing simplicity, we dream of mountain caves far removed from life’s demands and challenges. We envy the hermits and monks who appear unflustered by timetables, commitments, and responsibilities. Yet any monastic would tell us that renouncing the material world has its hardships, but letting go of the agitation and complexity of the mind is much, much harder. A newly-ordained monk confided that beneath the serene appearance he presented in his first years, much of his inner life had been dedicated to designing his home of the
