Living with less posessions.
I have recently stumbled upon a proverb in japanese about minimalism. “Ware tada taru wo shiru.” It could be translated as “I simply know what is enough.”
I first came across it while watching a video by a youtuber called Samurai Matcha. I forgot which video, but I remember him showing a coin with those four kanji then continued to explain about it.
This proverb first appears as an inscription on a tukubai, which is a washbasin that is used by visitors to purify themselves before entering a temple, at Ryoanji Temple. The tsukubai is dated to the 17th century.
The four kanji, when read alone, does not mean anything, yet when it’s combined with the square in the middle (could be seen on the picture), it creates the kanji 吾, 唯, 知, and 足. I believe it could be read in many ways, but it is mostly read as what I have already written on the first paragraph: “Ware tada taru wo shiru.”
When Aki, whom video I saw on youtube, explained about the meaning behind the coin that he’s holding, I was intrigued. I am really new to this idea of minimalism, so I was easily excited. The concept of minimalism and essentialism could be seen on this four kanjis.
Minimalism teaches me to tell the different between what I want and what I need. This simple understanding brought so much benefits to my daily life. From making me more focused when doing things, having less stress, saving money, having more storage on my device, and many more. But the change that I felt the most is how my head feels a lot lighter than it used to feel.
I was the kind of person that when something catches my interest, I would impulsively buy it, even knowing that I would not be using it in a long term. I was aware that it is an unhealthy habit, yet I still lack the self-control that I needed back then. Realizing that I do not really need it helps me save the money from buying impulsive things.
Same thing with getting rid of stuff that I have not used in a long time and do not need. Having less stuff on my room really helps clearing my mind from distractions. It also gave more space for me to walk around.
You get the idea, right? Knowing what I need and what I want, doing what I could do and not thinking those that are beyond my control, deleting files that aren’t necessary, getting rid of similar photos, etc.
Fast forward a couple years, a lot from me changed. This lifesytle teaches me to be more aware of what I am doing. It teaches me to be present and aware of my surroundings. To treasure those that I have.
No one could satisfy a person’s desire. The more you have, the more you want. To find that minimum of one’s desire is my goal. The journey isn’t nearing the end at all. There’s still a lot to learn, there’s still a lot of spaces to improves. But for now, I am glad to have what I have. I am still on my way to learn what is ‘enough’.
