“A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogi [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything-whether it be pebbles, stones or gold-as the same.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.8)

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ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तृप्तात्मा
कूट-स्थो विजितेन्द्रियः
युक्त इत्य् उच्यते योगी
सम-लोष्ट्राश्म-काञ्चनः

jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā
kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ
yukta ity ucyate yogī
sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ

1. No more pets

“I have had it. I don’t care anymore. From this moment on, we will not visit anyone else’s house. As soon as we get in the door, we get attacked by their stupid cat or dog. And yes, they are stupid. But don’t you dare raise an objection with the owners, because they are too dumb to see what is going on. Did it ever occur to them that some people like to sit down in peace and have a conversation without disruptions? I hate these people. We are never getting any pets. I swear to it.”

2. No more clothes

“What does it matter? We buy these fancy clothes to look good in pictures, but those pictures only make me sad. Why are we trying to impress others? They don’t really like us. They are not real friends. If they were, they wouldn’t care what we wore. It’s time to slim down. Wear whatever we need and nothing else. This will free up a lot of closet space.”

3. No more cars

“Why do we need so many cars? I don’t care what the neighbors are driving. You can talk to me for hours about the engine and what year it was made, but I have no interest. It is a vehicle, after all. Its purpose is for going to places and then returning. As long as the car works, I am fine.”

4. No more food

“I am sick of takeout sitting in the fridge for days and days. It is not that good to begin with. It does not really make us happier. It is expensive. These restaurants use the worst oils for cooking. They are so cheap; they will do anything to turn a profit. I am done. We will eat simply. Basic dishes that can be prepared in minutes, with minimal effort, at home.”

5. No more stuff

“My goodness, did you see their house? It was like visiting a junkyard. How in the world did they collect that much stuff? They are not even embarrassed by it. I swear, in one of the rooms I could not see the floor. It is such a mess that I would not know where to begin for a cleanup effort. We have to promise to never make our house like that. Anything that we do not need, throw it out.”

…

The science of self-realization is built on the foundation of the distinction between spirit and matter. I am not the body. I am not my hands. I am not my legs. I am neither a child nor an adult. I do not belong to a specific gender and my country of origin can change based on the circumstances of birth.

If I am not any of the temporary designations, then what am I? Vedanta philosophy, which represents the conclusion of knowledge, says that I am Brahman. I am spirit soul. I am different from the body. Nothing that happens to the body can affect my identity. Nothing will ever impact my standing as a spark of Brahman.

This is well and good in theory. An open-minded person might be willing to accept the principles. They may even start applying the correct designation when interacting with others. They are able to answer the different questions, such as knowing what comes in between myself as I currently am and my actual Brahman identity.

The answer to that question is maya. Maya is illusion. The literal translation is, “that which is not.” From this definition we see that my identification with the body is maya. This is because the body is that which is not, in terms of proper identification. It is maya which stands in the way of my realization of Brahman.

But what exactly is that realization? How can it be substantiated? How can we tell if someone has actually realized the truth as opposed to simply knowing the theory? Is there any benefit to knowing Brahman?

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that the person who has vijnana, which is practical realization of knowledge, reduces their bodily necessities to the minimum. This is the natural consequence to assimilating the principles of Vedanta philosophy.

In terms of applicability, vijnana is always more important than jnana. Knowledge is the starting point, but that knowledge should be put to use. The certified doctor must have undergone training in the field. The driver should have sat behind the wheel prior to transporting passengers in a vehicle. The professional lawyer should have demonstrated their knowledge in actual legal challenges, with give and take, back and forth, and the like.

Reducing the necessities to the minimum should not be a difficult concept to understand. Even within the maya consciousness, there is one end of the spectrum that involves renunciation. Life in illusion is something like swinging on a pendulum. On one side is bhoga, which is enjoyment. On the other side is tyaga, which is giving up or releasing.

We swear off so many things. We usually come to this decision once we realize the detriment the excess poses. When we see so many things and realize that they are not necessary for our happiness, we lose interest.

The Sanskrit word is anartha. The literal translation is, “that which is not profitable”. Addiction to intoxication. Killing innocent animals for food instead of settling for fruits, grains, and milk. Chasing after sex pleasure when one spouse should be enough. Placing one wager after another, when even the successful bets fail to bring any lasting happiness.

The bhakti-yoga tradition offers an easier way to get to vijnana. Instead of focusing on eliminating this thing and that, find a higher taste. Do something in the positive direction that brings happiness. Trust what others recommend, who have the vijnana themselves based on their outward behavior, the knowledge they share, and the way they help to change lives for the better.

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते
निराहारस्य देहिनः
रस-वर्जं रसो ऽप्य् अस्य
परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते

viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ‘py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate

“The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.59)

Otherwise, through dry renunciation the taste for objects of the senses might remain. This makes the life in renunciation more difficult than it should be. The person who is always trying in service to the superior Brahman, who practices the yoga of devotion, can tolerate ups and downs, highs and lows, and cold and heat because of their singular interest.

In Closing:

When clutter to produce,
Desperate then to reduce.

Space trying to free,
So floor in room can see.

When proof of vijnana to find,
See how priorities assigned.

Whether living only with needs,
And work for Supreme proceeds.

Categories: the five

Tags: declutter, god, hare krishna, hoarding, minimalist, poem, poems, poetry, yoga