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She didn’t seem to know what I was talking about.
Why would I eat ascetically? What does that mean? How does this relate to being an artist?
Find out by listening to the CultureCast above (by pressing the little blue play button), or by clicking through and checking out the transcript and further sources.
Asceticism: Living Simply (CultureCast #046)
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Transcript
Hello CultureCats, this is Joshua Hwang delivering a minimalist 90 Seconds to Culture podcast.
Asceticism: Living Simply
These days, I have been looking for something more, some purpose in my life. One popular way for people to reconnect with some higher power, or to gain clarity, is through ascetic living: asceticism.
Although definitions vary, asceticism is the avoidance of worldly pleasures such as sex, drugs and alcohol. These worldly pleasures can be expanded to include many foods or even brightly coloured clothes in the case of the Quakers.
Why live this life of self-denial? Why become an ascetic? For the religious, by avoiding “worldly” pleasures, they can avoid distraction and find God. Some describe how they have gained clarity of mind with a radically simplified life-style. Even artists and great thinkers believe in “getting away from it all” to find the core of their artistic ideals and vision.
Buddha before reaching enlightenment was said to have lived a very ascetic life after discovering death and old age, however later he abandoned this way of life to seek a middle (moderate) way.
Mahatma Ghandi wore simple clothes and led a very simple lifestyle, which he felt would lead to enlightenment, though as a Hindu.
Henry David Thoreau wrote his famous book “Walden” modeled after his simple isolated living by Walden Pond.
Philosopher Ludwig von Wittgenstein spent two years in isolation to hone in on his philosophy on logic and language.
From monk or artist, asceticism is one more tool used over the centuries to hone in on ourselves or on God.
Sources / Further Reading:
Wikipedia: Asceticism
Wikipedia: Ludwig von Wittgenstein - One of my favourite philosophers: mostly because he was so brooding.
Wikipedia: Siddhartha Gautama - The historical account of the Buddha’s life
Wikipedia: Mahatama Gandhi - Simplicity was one of Gandhi’s guiding principles.
[tags]asceticism, ascetic, simple living, monk, culture, podcast[/tags]
(image from Dey via Flickr)
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