My Thai massage teacher used to say “Are you creating a problem, or are you helping?”
I used to be a climate change policy professional.
I worked hard in the city and I set my lifestyle as quite environmental conscious.
But flying over to another country for meetings, office with crazy air-conditioning, or frequent long distance drive were “inevitable”.
We have been living in a village of Southern Mexico, in a simple but absolutely beautiful eco-house, in front of this stunning beach.
And I wonder how much part of Climate Change problem solves if people stop chasing after.
Energy-consuming luxurious life comes from the sense of “Not Enough”. (even meat-eating.) And rather, turn to beauty of slow, natural, and simple life of inner fulfilment….
I don’t need more than this. This beauty.
We don’t use a car. Here electric appliances we use are only 1 small fridge, 2 computers and several gadgets, which makes me feel already more than enough. We have about 7 light bulbs charged by solar panels but we won’t use more than 2 at a time, because body wants to rest in darkness. Blightness in night is disturbing. Besides, stars and moon are too stunning to miss.
I sometimes happen to work with computer till 9-10pm! Which is not preferable.. Meditation in darkness is much more charming. Only the food of high mileage is olive oil, and all the rest is local food.
I have time for morning ocean dip, meditation and yoga practice from 6 to till 11am, and sleeping around 10pm.
Still I feel I am engaging with the outside world enough. I don’t travel even 1 hour away more than once in 2 months as here is so much abundance.
Why a simple and humble life become a luxury?
Because we cannot let go what we “own”.
To make this choice for this kind of lifestyle, I needed to give up a lot and trust all that I own is in my heart.
And in return, so beautiful and serene life is here.
And it happened to be that my lifestyle is fairly climate change-friendly.
Though infrequent intercontinental flights emit a lot, which make me contemplate.
In this small village there are already so much materialism. There is a sense of “Not Enough” implanted since childhood, a culture of “More and More”.
There is so much enough when we look into our heart, and into this magnificent nature.
When we look with a new eyes who we are, climate change solves.
