Macrobiotic Life

I am realising that I really would like to posses as minimum things as possible.

Articles from my favorite sources are supporting me with fresh reminders:

How much belongings do you need, why is there limit for your belongings – explanation to the rules for life

limit your belongings to what you can carry on your body

and what you need to do your work serving God

posses as much property of land as you can personally handle

own as much housing as you and your family can live in at one time

never loan money to others,

if you have more than you need for the next few days or weeks,

share it with those in need

share all your material belongings that you have in excess

of what you actually use and need these days and weeks with those in need

10 Essentials

If I have the 8 items above, I’m very happy: jeans & t-shirt, water & fruit, a book and a notebook, a walk in nature. You don’t need consumerism to be very happy — in fact, I’d argue that life is better without it.

I see that it’s not enough to stop consuming, buying new things, but that I also need to de-clutter, clean my environment – put the old stuff away.

Learn to reduce the amount of stuff carried on in life. Dump or give away or sell whatever has been useless to you for the past many months or maximum past one year. The more stuff you discard or abandon for others, the less burden you feel and the more you enjoy mobility and flexibility in life.

There are numerous examples of paring down — I whittle down my clothing collection, for example, on a regular basis. I will look at a room and remove unnecessary objects. I’ll clear out programs on my computer I don’t use.

There’s also deep meaning in following words – I never thought about it like this:

Leaving stuff behind, means you surrender your liability and responsibility to those who have to care on your behalf for your stuff. That may take their freedom to die when needed or to move on in their own life as needed to progress. You alone are liable and responsible for your own property and belongings! NO night guard, no body guard, no bank or parents or relatives ever have a true duty to care for your belongings while you are away.

It means to me, not to make problems, rubbish to others.. not leaving rubbish behind me – I can see, it really prohibits freedom of people that have to deal with this rubbish – we are really responsible for all our stuff we use or leave.

I can give you more inspired examples from my most admired persons – Ohsawa’s (macrobiotic founder) opinions on the life of Gandhi (he admired him very much), Ohsawa’s comments about Gandhi’s vows – it is written from the perspective of Herman Aihara (Ohsawa’s student) in his book Kaleidoscope.

The vow of non-stealing: Ohsawa used to say to us that it is stealing if we posses extra clothes, houses, or even foods more than we need; we stole them even if we think we paid their cost. For example, if we eat an apple every day we are stealing another’s apple because apples are not produced enough to supply the earth’s whole population. The same is true for animal foods. The rich pay a high price for meats and the poor can’t buy them. We do not consider this stealing, but in Gandhi’s sense this is so.

The vow of nonpossession: One of the macrobiotic principles Ohsawa taught was to live with only absolutely necessary things.

What then do I need 8hr money earning jobs for?
There’s so much fun with the free time I have and so much freedom without all the things around

For more inspiration, you can read my older article on the same topic:
Peace Pilgrim – Living the Simple Life

“I don’t need to buy more, to work more in order to get more of products and services. In fact, I can be happy, content, joyful, creative without spending a single dime. All I need is the sun and the trees and the water and a good friend.”

Stop the pathological process of constant money spending on worthless shit – every modern product harms our earthly environment – we should not destroy our home (Earth) just because we are stupid buyer addicts.

Let the economy collapse from the less buying, producing, spending, creating – the economic system is not prepared on the LESS ideology, but who cares – the transition will be rough, but there’s no other way from insanity, only through the real hard detoxication – drop some of your addictions every day – you can start with foods easily – simplify, eat less salt, sugar, spices – spend less each day.

There are many relative truths these days.
But many of them seems to be relative, because things are very complex – and their real logic is hard to find.
We are lost in believing many things that dig grave to our own children – and we even pursue them with great zest, as many others around do.
It’s hard to see the simple logic, but it’s hard only because we are not learnt so – because we are overwhelmed with thousands of unuseful informations.
Unuseful from the context of sustainability – of the ecosystem, which is our living environment and us.
Sustainability of our human health.
Sustainability is the key word to everything we do.
But the meaning is lost in times of the cheap abundant energy.
Many stupid undoable things are happening every hour, which we can understand in a minute, after we imagine world without cheap fossil fuels – many things are clear and we know what is needed to do, we are becoming effective in each moment – and at the end of the hard day, we are somehow internally happy, satisfied with ourself – something we are striving so hard to find in present society.

For the last several years I have been addicted, yes addicted is the best description, to powering down, to down sizing, and simplifying. It is truly amazing to me to get to a level of existence that seems radically below where I once was, settle into it a while, then start seeing even more areas where I can simplify even further.

There is a wonderful feeling of liberation and freedom that comes with this activity that can be addictive.

My whole family, wife and two children, are actively participating in this process and share the feeling, although now and then my children talk about some of the “cool stuff” people have. My children have perhaps benefited most from this exercise because they no longer have the huge pressure that the “American Dream” represents, hanging over them. Consequently they have blossomed. They are both wonderful musicians, artisans, technicians, hard working craftsperson’s, highly social, and physically active. All of this on their own leisurely schedule (and we thought if we didn’t constantly ride them they would never do anything, ha!).

I don’t kid myself that it will be easy or that it is even going to happen but I am optimistic that a new way is possible.

My current passion is to create a labor movement where people can perform simple, useful tasks in return for food, shelter, clothing, etc. combinned with a central gathering location for fun and entertainment like music, reading/storytelling, plays and productions, games, and stuff.

This discussion was started by Phiya’s Facebook message. I would like to reprint it here, for other people to benefit.

Phiya >> Macrobiotics must necessarily address addictions, be they from more serious substances such as drugs and alcohol, or from foods such as sugar, ice cream, chocolate, fried foods, junk foods, baked foods and processed foods. It isn’t enough to stop the addiction itself but to also address the addictive patterns of thinking and behaving as well…

---

Me >> Macrobiotic should provide more theories about all energies beside the food. Macrobiotic is very good in setting the exact food pattern, standard plate – people like precise rules. I think, there should be similar precise pattern for the rest of the life energies/activities. People are not aware of this.. that they should balance all their …

---

John >> Interesting point, Frantisek, although wouldn’t there be a danger that so much precision and control over everything would kind of squash out all the freedom and joy of living? Just a thought…

---

Me >> John: I think there are two sides as usually. Some people would become too rigid (yang) because of this, some people would be helped to become less unresponsible (yin). For me, I try to look at mental body the same as physical. I think the exactly same question can be put over the food plate. Doesn’t it cause too much control? From what I see and people I know, there are many rational/logical thinkers in the macrobiotic movement. I think, one of the reasons for this is – the precision with which the macrobiotic sets all the food rules (the whole logical taoism yin/yang logic). I can imagine the same style of rules for the spiritual/mental/emotional life. They don’t need to be perfectly precise.. the importance would be put on the overall harmony/balance logic. There would be suggested ‘plate’ models with the basic theory around – that everyone is different, unique and has to find his way. I am just suggesting more discussion about the spiritual/mental part in the macrobiotic. I know top M leaders are aware of this very well and they try to address this issue. For example in the latest edition of Cancer Prevention Diet – there’s whole new part about Emotions related to Cancer development.

I am getting inspired by Integral Life Practices last days – I like how they try to make balance from different world practices – http://www.kenwilber.com/personal/ILP/MyILP.html

I am just speaking from my daily macrobiotic practice, from my life experiences with M and from many M people I know around. I see where they make mistakes, where I have made mistakes.. and this issue is one of them – on of the biggest mistakes I made – I just simply didn’t balance all my parts of life, I have concentrated too much on food

---

John >> Excellent insights, Frantisek…I am often in conversation with students and friends here in Scandinavia who repeatedly bring up the issue: “if MB food is meant to be local, how come it all comes from Japan?”

I have very well thought-out and articulated answers to such questions, of course, but what if one applied the same criteria to “spiritual food?”

Many of the arguments that one can make about solid food do not make sense when applied to spiritual food.

I have personally derived ENORMOUS benefit from Far Eastern spiritual practices, but I find it much easier to explain to a Finn why he should eat miso soup every day than why he should chant the Diamond Sutra every day…

Perhaps we should continue this very interesting conversation somewhere other than Phiya’s FB wall: he probably wants to put the cat out and get some sleep : )

BTW, how can you possibly have such excellent English?

best wishes,

John.

---

Me >> I think we can continue chatting here, Phiya can just ignore and others can see it and join, if they want.

Excellent English? Thank you, but I don’t think so. The same question could be send to you also, right? Or at Finn, it’s usual to talk English there? For me, I am self-employed from 99, I make money from net, I get info from english websites, so I consider myself as very poor learner.. for so many years of reading in English, I am not good at all But writing, talking and reading is very different, you know. For writing, the best practice become from my blog writing http://www.macrobiotic.name

About the local macrobiotic issue. I was dealing with the same question myself and from people around, asking me why so many Asia groceries. I have found general macrobiotic answers for this – the logic of the same climatic zone and also the logic of “the more water food has, the closer to you it has to be”. It served me well. But finally, I am questioning the same thing again. Looking from different perspective and now the perspective could be described as “simplicity” and “self-sustainability”. From this point of view, I am for localizing macrobiotic to each country/environment. I am asking myself, what if there will be world crisis, what if I want to live deep in the nature. I am sure, I can live from the local production, without miso, kuzu, umeboshi, seaweeds. I think they can be exchanged with other fermented foods or that I can learn how to prepare them similarly. In the end, the fermented foods were in each country’s history, we just have to rediscover and also learn about wild plants/weeds. They are my seaweed replacement
Maybe the little problem is with rice. I like rice very much. But I am going to learn about no-water rice cultivations (if I say it right, they just don’t need so much water and warm/wet weather).

For the spiritual practices. I think we are in the quest of rediscovering our old roots too. At least I am. Pagan, druid religions were the basis of nearly all religions (if you look closely and open your mind). Sacral geometry is hidden everywhere. It’s all about energies, the spiritual practices differ just like the different exercises for the body. But I have no problem with doing aikido in the Czech, or meditating vipassana style, because I see it all as having exact energy on me (more yin, more yang). Meditations and exercise are in christianity, just under different names

John, so you are Finn macrobiotic lecturer?

Thanks for the conversation, awesome topic

---

Patrick >> i enjoyed this exchange, it is clever;just suggesting that everyone that is interested in this kind of mind excercise could go and simply rediscover the diet of their peaceful ancestors, some times very difficult to do find (peaceful)
michio’s work is tremendous!!
we all could turn into what i call lattitude”izing” MB,and trust me there is lots of work to be done in it’s longitude”izing” as well; to be continued if you so desire??? love peace, namaste

---

Me >> Patrick: I am not sure what you are talking about. I surely desire for continuation
And I agree, Michio’s work is colossal!!

---

Patrick >> frantisek, in simple terms i’m talking about about the true regionalisation of MB latitude and longitude wise, michio only touched base with that! and also i have to remember that this way of life is base on the motto of ” one peaceful world”
therefore my question about following the diet of peaceful ancestors ( pre traveling foods) is i think a crucial one

i have in storage in mass a tremendous book of about 500 pages written by a polish man ( don’t remember his name now) about fermented food complete history and geography

---

Me >> Patrick: thanks for the explanation, somehow your English is a little hard for me (I don’t consider it as your problem).
You remembered me about the “Ferment & Human Nutrition” excelent book from the Bill Mollison (father of Permaculture movement), maybe this is the one you mean, but he is not polish I think

Check the reviews.. really great book!

For a better entertainment: I suggest you click the play button at the above video and start reading, the music of the video is important

Don’t underestimate the simplicity of life!

People make things unbearably complicated.
In the ‘making things complicated’ they already manifest their mental illness, their deviation from the Natural principle – which is Simplicity.

We are born Strong, we are born Love, we are born Responsible to our real Self! All child are being born with these characteristics.

We just regrettably pay the price of Freedom.
Because freedom does mean, you are free to choose to be slave and to make slaves from others.
Yes, this is the real price of the real freedom. If you would be born in Greece, in Athens or Sparta, long time ago, they would keep you strong, responsible and brave for the whole lifetime. You would have no other choice, hence no freedom.

Realize your freedom, realize you choose to be weak, to be ill, to follow other’s commands instead of your own. To follow the material possessions instead of finding enormous joy in the non-attachment. All was done upon you, but you have all accepted, nobody hold a shotgun on your head, forcing you to accept all the rules of the dementic society.

Now, when you realize this, the next step is to return to the Source. Realize the intrinsic simplicity of the whole Universe.

If you are born strong, you can become strong again. The steps are very simple and this is the problem for many people. They can’t belief something so simple can be true. We have been learned to belief in complicated theories – left brain thinking.
Delete this self-destroying program from your mind, hack inside and erase it completely and start observing the simple laws of Nature everywhere.

Ok, enough of my philosophical (yin) introduction, now you’ll get the practical (yang) part – the Rules of the Battlefield.

Do all these things daily/weekly. Get them in harmony, balance them wisely. Which means – don’t stop doing any of the rules and also don’t start doing any rule too fanatically, too much. The exact balancing is upon you, upon your experiences, observations. We are all different. Find your way by constant practice.

That’s it, that’s all. Very probably I will update and change this list in the future. But the point is, to inspire you to start looking at life from the simple logic. To start being responsible for all that’s happening to you – to the deepest of your emotions and feelings. Your weakness, your fears, your depressions, melancholy, anxiety, aggressiveness – they are all very logical result of the life you live now. You have to experience them, because you live how you live, you do what you do. But by changing your daily habits, you change these core emotions and all your beliefs also!

This is a big Truth, that is available for you to discover daily. Try to be balanced in all the daily activities and you will get happy mind and life. Because the balance is another name for happiness and health.

Movie and book about simplicity, permaculture, sustainable living.

http://www.jancannonfilms.com/radsimstills.htm

We must know first that our acts are useless, and yet we must proceed as if we didn’t know it. That is a sorcerer’s controlled folly. —Don Juan

If we live like there is no tomorrow, we will create just that – no tomorrow. It comes down to, “If not me, then who? If not now, then when?” At some point, we will have no other choice but to make our stand.

http://www.radicalsimplicity.org/radical_simplicity_chapter_1.html

I have find out about Peace Pilgrim today. Some thoughts from the website:

I have walked 25,000 miles as a penniless pilgrim. I own only what I wear and what I carry in my small pockets. I belong to no organization. I have said that I will walk until given shelter and fast until given food, remaining a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace. And I can truthfully tell you that without ever asking for anything, I have been supplied with everything needed for my journey, which shows you how good people really are.

1. Purification of the bodily temple.
Are you free from all bad habits? In your diet do you stress the vital foods – the fruits, whole grains, vegetables and nuts? Do you get to bed early and get enough sleep? Do you get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and contact with nature? If you can answer “Yes” to all of these questions, you have gone a long way toward purification of the bodily temple.

I know enough about food to nourish my body properly, and I have excellent health. I enjoy food, but I eat to live. I do not live to eat, and I know when to stop eating. I am not enslaved by food.

Steps Toward Inner Peace by Peace Pilgrim

———-

As I put on my simple clothing one day after a swim in a clear mountain lake I thought of those who have closets full of clothes to take care of, and who carry heavy luggage with them when they travel. I wondered how people would want to so burden themselves, and I felt wonderfully free. This is me and all my possessions. Think of how free I am! If I want to travel, I just stand up and walk away. There is nothing to tie me down.

One outfit of clothing is enough. That’s all I’ve owned since my pilgrimage started in 1953. And I take good care of my things. I can always find a wash basin in a public restroom or a nearby stream to wash my clothes, and drying them is even easier: I just put them on and let the energy from the sun evaporate any dampness.

Living the Simple Life