MINIMIZE YOUR NEEDS!
Atman is pure knowledge and bliss, but it can function only through a body! To get out of the karma, the endless cycle of births and deaths and attain liberation, Atman has to do sAdhanA through a body.
So everyone of us must take adequate care of our physical body. It is the living temple of the God within. To keep the body and soul together, we need certain bare necessities in life.
We don’t have to make the list of our requirements a very long one! The more the number of things we depend on for our happiness, the more bonded we become. The more things we willingly give up, the more liberated we become.
When the firm, clean ground is a good enough bed, why do we go for cots and super comfort beds? When our arms can serve well as warm pillows , why do we go for sponge pillows?
When raw fruit and a simple meal is enough to sustain us, why do we go in search of fancy food, with fancy names and fancy tastes and flavors?
When the simple cotton clothes are enough for our modesty, why do we go for silk and brocade dresses?
When a hearty smile is enough to light up the face and make it beautiful, why do we buy jewels made of gold, platinum and diamonds?
When a small clean house is enough to live in, why do we build sprawling houses?
Even after amassing enough wealth to last for 7 generations, why do we still run after money all the time?
When the public transports are good enough for our travel, why do we need A.C cars?
All the other creatures depend on nature to provide for their needs. Only man has an insatiable desire for everything in life and loses his equanimity, peace of mind and ruins his precious health.
Minimize your needs! Maximize your services rendered to the others. A selfish man is never really happy and a selfless-man is never really sad.