Satish Kumar (whose book Elegant Simplicity is a real favourite) is a true inspiration of a man. Born in India, he ran away to become a Jain monk in his late teens. Satish really did live simply at the monastery. He didn’t have a bath for 9 years, he fasted regularly, even his ‘thick black hair’ was plucked out twice a year.
But although this did drop away a lot of worldly desires, what he really wanted was to cook and grow his own food, kiss a beautiful woman on the lips and inspire others to live simple sustainable lives they enjoyed.
So he ran away to travel the world as a peace pilgrim, before meeting his wife and settling in Devon, where for over 40 years he has edited a celebrated environmental magazine from his kitchen table (he also founded a small school). His life went from zero waste to a ‘bit more complicated’ but all for the good that it’s done to him and others!
Rather than offering ‘zero waste tips’ like switching to wind turbines or not buying stuff, he says just learn to love nature, and live in harmony with it. He says getting angry and campaigning against everything that is not green and good is ‘like churning sand to make butter’.
Throwing statues covered in toxic paint into rivers, does not solve racism, as it’s the same mentality (anger and resentment) that created it. And it doesn’t help the innocent marine creatures in the rivers, who get poisoned through not fault of their own.
When I speak of simplicity, I don’t mean a life of deprivation, hair-shirt living or hardship. I believe in a good life, in beautiful things, in arts and crafts and in sufficiency. This is why I put the word ‘elegant’ before simplicity.
We all need and should have a comfortable and pleasant life. But at the moment our complicated lives are no longer comfortable. If we are blessed with wealth, we can use it for caring for the Earth and her people. Satish Kumar
