Welcome to The Wildroot Parables weekly discussions! This is where we can come together as a community and have real talk with one another: open, honest, gracious, and curious.
This is YOUR space to discuss with each other, not just engage with me! Because of this, SAFE SHARING is my highest priority. If you are not engaging safely and with grace with others, you will have to leave. Period.
Thank you for entering this space with care!
On Monday, I wrote about the difficulty of slowing down, and how in order to embrace a slower pace of life one has to change their perspective on what “luxury” means.
The exploration of luxury as a concept is tricky, nuanced, and definitely includes varying levels of privilege. But that said…
Our question today is: what do you define as your personal idea of “luxury”? If you could live any lifestyle, how would it look? Does your definition of a luxurious life match what the world seems to think it is?
Luxury to me is quiet and stillness. Mine and my husband’s dream is living in a cabin in the woods one day. He says when we retire, but I say why wait that long? Why not work toward making that a reality now? I definitely think my idea of luxury is not the world’s standard. I work in social media and it’s draining. I find myself craving the woods now more than ever.
I wonder what your experience working in social media is like! Especially when it comes to finding that balance between keeping up with the "new" vs. sticking to what feels "good". I recently deleted my IG account due to the frustration I felt from disconnecting with myself :/
Yes it is exhausting trying to stay relevant and even though I’m a creative person I get burned out because my output becomes greater than my input ( you need to have down time to let ideas come to you). And yes constantly wanting that content to be on trend.
Oouf I love today's topic - such good timing as I've been contemplating what luxury means to me this week!
Luxury, to me, is presence. It's when I can be completely present in my life, because I've decided to choose my peace over worry and stress. While having things like nice clothes, house, bags are part of my "dream lifestyle" (a beautiful house in the forest please!)... those things don't matter me if I don't have love or presence in my heart. How can I truly enjoy anything if I'm not present?
I don't think my perspective of luxury matches what is portrayed on social media. A lot of apps are designed to show us the "what" of luxury, but not necessarily the "why" or "how".
Luxury to me means freedom in many ways...I know most in America are focused on the bigger house and expensive car but I find both stressful & oppressive. A bigger house means more to clean and less time for what I really want to do (or a cleaning service which would mean people in my house regularly... no thanks lol). Expensive cars are usually complicated to maintain - parts that are hard to find, longer shop times, etc. Personally, my idea of a luxury lifestyle is a small (by the American dream’s standards) house surrounded by nature, a place to walk, and all the time in the world to read, study and listen to music.
I wish I had the luxury of understanding the subtleties of translating what I write in Word into sub stack posts. I wrote an overly long screed but I have almost as much time trying to get it pasted into this and now I have to give up because I'm going to indulge myself with the luxury of a nap. A nap made even more luxurious by the fact that it is also following medical advice. Later this afternoon I will return to the discussion
Every year at this time I need to remind everyone not to buy me any presents. I either already have everything I need. Anything I *want* would cost upwards of $10,000, like for instance, a killer stereo.
Not many people would look at what I already have and think "that's all I need," but I long ago adopted Thoreau's perspective to the effect of "I measure my wealth, not by how much I have, but how little I need."
Of course, due to my various addictions, I was pretty much making a virtue out of necessity, another variation on the theme of “Don’t Even kNow I Am Lying.” As any addict knows, when referring to addiction, the phrase "how little I need" is an obvious oxymoron and would be more appropriately put as, "I always *feel* like I need *more*."I came to realize that the only way I will control that behavior is if "the amount is zero and the frequency is never."
Since I had that “Spiritual Awakening” in 1985, I have had the “luxury” of making my decisions based on the needs of others, rather than on the selfish cravings of a hijacked Reptilian Brain.
I guess I still need *more*! My Mammalian Brain can never get enough of the satisfaction I feel when I see other people find their own Happy Life.
I hope we will see a time when selfish bullies are no longer able to sacrifice the Happy Lives of others on the altar of their own addiction to power, money, attention…
One of the justifications I came up with while under the spell of “Slick,” was “All I need is a library card, rice, lentils and enough yogurt to ease the sickness originating in my belly and spreading throughout my body.
The library still feels like a “Sacred Space” for me when I take my grands there, but the internet more than fulfills my need to read. The many Rabbit Holes I encounter take me on many luxurious journeys through time, space and the accumulated wisdom (and follies) of humankind. It connects me to people like S. E., Carol and Holly, Randal/Jane, the Amazing Worlds of Mike S. and many others.
I am probably going to join several of my brothers in having the luxury of a rhythmically beating heart, if it is recommended that I get a pacemaker. I have the luxury of not worrying about the medical bills. because fifteen-years-ago, I made the decision to supplement my Medicare coverage with the no- longer-available-to-newcomers, Plan F.
I have the luxury of filling the air around me with joyous, sad or energizing music, according to my mood (or my desire to change it) from my .mp3 library of thousands of songs.
I have more friends of 50 years plus, than I can do justice to. A currently-in-recovery “expanded” family in the community I “accidentally” wound up in 30-years ago.
I also have the luxury of a quiet bedroom, with blackout options for the windows, so I can enjoy the restorative power of sleep at night and during my mandatory nap, which is calling me right now.
I have had the luxury of 80-years on this beautiful planet, provided by a Higher Power, one far beyond my limited power to truly “Understand.”
In short, I have a luxurious life and will remember more luxuries while my brain regenerates.
Luxury to me is quiet and stillness. Mine and my husband’s dream is living in a cabin in the woods one day. He says when we retire, but I say why wait that long? Why not work toward making that a reality now? I definitely think my idea of luxury is not the world’s standard. I work in social media and it’s draining. I find myself craving the woods now more than ever.
I wonder what your experience working in social media is like! Especially when it comes to finding that balance between keeping up with the "new" vs. sticking to what feels "good". I recently deleted my IG account due to the frustration I felt from disconnecting with myself :/
Yes it is exhausting trying to stay relevant and even though I’m a creative person I get burned out because my output becomes greater than my input ( you need to have down time to let ideas come to you). And yes constantly wanting that content to be on trend.
Oh man! Sounds tiring. I hope you get to create more of that down time moving forward xo
Oouf I love today's topic - such good timing as I've been contemplating what luxury means to me this week!
Luxury, to me, is presence. It's when I can be completely present in my life, because I've decided to choose my peace over worry and stress. While having things like nice clothes, house, bags are part of my "dream lifestyle" (a beautiful house in the forest please!)... those things don't matter me if I don't have love or presence in my heart. How can I truly enjoy anything if I'm not present?
I don't think my perspective of luxury matches what is portrayed on social media. A lot of apps are designed to show us the "what" of luxury, but not necessarily the "why" or "how".
Also when I hear the word "luxury" I think of "luxurious". And then I think of luxurious hair or luxurious chocolate: so pleasurable and enjoyable ;)
Luxury to me means freedom in many ways...I know most in America are focused on the bigger house and expensive car but I find both stressful & oppressive. A bigger house means more to clean and less time for what I really want to do (or a cleaning service which would mean people in my house regularly... no thanks lol). Expensive cars are usually complicated to maintain - parts that are hard to find, longer shop times, etc. Personally, my idea of a luxury lifestyle is a small (by the American dream’s standards) house surrounded by nature, a place to walk, and all the time in the world to read, study and listen to music.
I wish I had the luxury of understanding the subtleties of translating what I write in Word into sub stack posts. I wrote an overly long screed but I have almost as much time trying to get it pasted into this and now I have to give up because I'm going to indulge myself with the luxury of a nap. A nap made even more luxurious by the fact that it is also following medical advice. Later this afternoon I will return to the discussion
Luxury discussion
I am living a luxurious life.
Every year at this time I need to remind everyone not to buy me any presents. I either already have everything I need. Anything I *want* would cost upwards of $10,000, like for instance, a killer stereo.
Not many people would look at what I already have and think "that's all I need," but I long ago adopted Thoreau's perspective to the effect of "I measure my wealth, not by how much I have, but how little I need."
Of course, due to my various addictions, I was pretty much making a virtue out of necessity, another variation on the theme of “Don’t Even kNow I Am Lying.” As any addict knows, when referring to addiction, the phrase "how little I need" is an obvious oxymoron and would be more appropriately put as, "I always *feel* like I need *more*."I came to realize that the only way I will control that behavior is if "the amount is zero and the frequency is never."
Since I had that “Spiritual Awakening” in 1985, I have had the “luxury” of making my decisions based on the needs of others, rather than on the selfish cravings of a hijacked Reptilian Brain.
I guess I still need *more*! My Mammalian Brain can never get enough of the satisfaction I feel when I see other people find their own Happy Life.
I hope we will see a time when selfish bullies are no longer able to sacrifice the Happy Lives of others on the altar of their own addiction to power, money, attention…
One of the justifications I came up with while under the spell of “Slick,” was “All I need is a library card, rice, lentils and enough yogurt to ease the sickness originating in my belly and spreading throughout my body.
The library still feels like a “Sacred Space” for me when I take my grands there, but the internet more than fulfills my need to read. The many Rabbit Holes I encounter take me on many luxurious journeys through time, space and the accumulated wisdom (and follies) of humankind. It connects me to people like S. E., Carol and Holly, Randal/Jane, the Amazing Worlds of Mike S. and many others.
I am probably going to join several of my brothers in having the luxury of a rhythmically beating heart, if it is recommended that I get a pacemaker. I have the luxury of not worrying about the medical bills. because fifteen-years-ago, I made the decision to supplement my Medicare coverage with the no- longer-available-to-newcomers, Plan F.
I have the luxury of filling the air around me with joyous, sad or energizing music, according to my mood (or my desire to change it) from my .mp3 library of thousands of songs.
I have more friends of 50 years plus, than I can do justice to. A currently-in-recovery “expanded” family in the community I “accidentally” wound up in 30-years ago.
I also have the luxury of a quiet bedroom, with blackout options for the windows, so I can enjoy the restorative power of sleep at night and during my mandatory nap, which is calling me right now.
I have had the luxury of 80-years on this beautiful planet, provided by a Higher Power, one far beyond my limited power to truly “Understand.”
In short, I have a luxurious life and will remember more luxuries while my brain regenerates.