‘Simplicity of the heart is of far greater importance and significance than simplicity of possessions.
‘To be content with few things is a comparatively easy matter. To renounce comfort, or to give up smoking and other habits, does not indicate simplicity of heart. To put on a loincloth in a world that is taken up with clothes, comforts and distractions, does not indicate a free being…
‘Outwardly you discipline and renounce, you chart your course, step by step, to reach the end. You measure the progress of your achievement according to the standards of virtue: how you have given up this or that, how controlled you are in your behavior, how tolerant and kind you are, and so on and on... Outwardly you have made your life simple, and through this thoughtful and calculated arrangement you hope to reach the bliss that is not of this world.
‘But is reality reached through external controls and sanctions? … why are we so concerned with this outward gesture? Why are we so eagerly determined to give an outward expression of our intention? …
‘Why do we wish to convince ourselves of our integrity? Does not this whole problem lie in the desire to be sure, to be convinced of our own importance in becoming? …
‘Seeing that time steals all things, we cling to the timeless. This struggle to be, positively or negatively, through attachment or detachment, can never be resolved by any outward gesture, discipline or practice; but the understanding of this struggle will bring about, naturally and spontaneously, the freedom from outward and inward accumulation with their conflicts.
‘Reality is not to be reached through detachment; it is unattainable through any means.
‘All means and ends are a form of attachment, and they must cease for the being of reality.’
—J Krishnamurti, Commentaries On Living Series 1
Where in your life might you be seeking security through your actions or self-control? What would change if you let go of the need to prove anything to yourself or others?
I invite you to experiment with focusing less on what you should and shouldn’t do and more on understanding the motivations behind your actions. The obstacle to peace and liberation might just be our seeking them.
May we know simplicity,
Simeon
Nietzsche’s Deepest Idea | Eternal Recurrence
What if your life, with all its triumphs and struggles, repeated endlessly? Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence forces us to confront impermanence and find meaning in life's fleeting moments. Discover how embracing life’s transience can transform suffering into a profound act of acceptance. Into love.