Asceticism

Asceticism is when you choose to live very simply to help your mind and heart stay focused on what really matters. It is like giving up video games for a week so you can spend more time outside or reading. You sacrifice a little bit of fun or stuff to gain a lot of peace. It teaches us that we do not need things to be happy. When we have less stuff in our hands, we have more room in our hearts for what truly matters.

Empty your hands. Now look at them. They can hold anything. That is what less gives you: everything. The monk with nothing owns the whole sky.

Asceticism is Regularization of the human state. Removing interior singularities of extreme desire achieves a more stable consciousness. Voluntary reduction of entropy increases the signal-to-noise ratio of spiritual life. A rejection of hedonic adaptation: sacrificing the pursuit of pleasure to find Ataraxia (tranquility). Strategic sacrifice of local, temporary happiness spikes for global, sustained contentment.

SOUND: Complete silence in a room that is usually noisy.

SMELL: Clean air and nothing else: the scent of simplicity.

TASTE: Plain, cold water: the taste of enough.

TOUCH: Sitting on the floor instead of a soft couch.

SIGHT: A room with only one window and a beautiful view.

BODY: Feeling very light, as if you have no heavy clothes on: freedom through less.

Music: The Suburbs by Arcade Fire

Part of The Sacrifice — MYTHOLOGY — Education Revelation