There used to be a time in my life when I used to wait for sunday evening to come so that I can go to my neighbour's home and watch Giant Robot on the television.
There used to be a time in my life when I had 10 rupees in my pocket and I used to be happy counting the number of eclairs I could buy with it.
There used to be a time when I had a lot less than what I have now and I used to be happy.
Life is Elsewhere, the title of the Milan Kundera novel, comes to my mind. When we have a lot going for us, It is strange how our mind is not able to fix its attention on any one thing. The mind is disconnected from the senses. What is right before us is not seen.
A hundred channels on the TV ? More often than not, we would just keep on surfing and end up seeing nothing at all. One channel ? We end up watching what is available and inspite of ourselves end up enjoying it.
It has been told in countless stories already of how the poor are happier than the rich. What could be the reason for this ? It is the Philosophy Of LEss( POLE ) working in their favour. Simply put, They have less. Their mind is focussed on what they have. Their dreams extend only as far as seeing a sunday evening movie followed by bhelpuri.
The fact that children are happier than adults could again be attributed to the philosophy of less. Their minds in not occupied by the impending war against iraq or the russian hostage crisis. All they know and care about is playing. Their mind has focus. There is minimum of clutter. There is less so that there is more room for happiness.
The concept of “unlearning” has caught the fancy of academicians all over. Maybe, It has a greater significance as a way to prepare your mind so that hapiness can come and stay.
The Philosophy of Less will be explored in greater detail in a later post.