mold the world towards graceful ends
If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.
William Morris
I’ve been Kondo-pilled since I heard about the petite Japanese lady a few years ago. Mistakenly, many people misunderstand Kondo’s message. It’s not about getting rid for the sake of getting rid of things, but only keeping what brings joy.
The objective of this post is to remind you to seek joy in the small things. The often overlooked trivialities in your life. To pay a specific kind of attention to them: introspective awareness of the sensations of using it, and a keen appreciation that they are impermanent and will vanish.
This is what the Buddhists mean when they talk about ‘non-attachment’. It’s about deeply experiencing the contents of consciousness, without grasping for more or pushing away the unpleasant, but being totally immersed in each moment.
This sounds dramatic to apply to objects, but its a form of gratitude practice. It becomes automatic after a certain point. You own objects. Use them, value them, and when the time comes, let them go.
Own few things
Don’t get attached
Use them, value them, be grateful and when the time comes- let them go.
Leave the earth with nothing
Give away everything you own to your family, your friends and society
Leave quietly
What do you value? Here is a small list from me.
- Biophilic design
- Paper notebooks
- Fountain pens
- Worn books
- Coffee mugs
- Typing on a mechanical keyboards
- Wood and glass
Your physical environment often ends up being a manifestation of your internal environment.
A change I’ve noticed is a keener appreciation for art and beauty in life. It’s definitely a ‘peak’ in conscious experience that I want to consistently come back to.
I’ll leave with this directive. Look deliberately for beauty, especially in the mundane. Pay close attention. As Alain de Botton says, seek to ‘mold the world to graceful ends’.