The Self-Sufficient Mind

[Flytyer24]

I couldn't agree more... Or have wrote it better. The last post I had put up was kinda getting at that that; we may have different versions but they can be closely related. So our personal definition in what we believe can be vastly different, but most of us come to these definitions in the same method.

The qoute you had just put up was interesting... And here is a link that shows the different translations. It is really interesting to look at. I have only read the King James version. But the different translations can make us think slightly different things. Different fingers pointing at the same moon?

http://bible.cc/hebrews/11-1.htm

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe....but they are all fingers. Not toes, sticks, stones, laser pointers or sandwiches. Just fingers...pretty much the same digits pointing at the same object.

 

[Flytyer24]

Fair enough...

 

[luvinlife offthegrid]

Edit-the funny thing is, I wrote my post before reading eceryone's responses. We all have a little in common, even though we are so different. I've read the whole thread, and it made me smile.


Allow me to free associate on the topic a little, I tend to ramble, and your post and inspired some thought.

I am not as into the self sufficient mindset as most people here. I mean- I have solar panels, have a garden, raise chickens, and really appreciate the value of fresh locally raised (by me or by someone down the road) food. But I don't have large livestock or own a farm, and I never plan to.

I will elaborate on what I mean by 'appreciate'. To me, the current way that humans live (and eat) on the earth with so much convenience has a cost. And that isn't just reflected on the price of food items in the store. It takes a toll on the world around us in regards to human society/culture and also environmentally. My mindset carries over to everything else I consume, Including household cleaners, using glass storage containers instead of plastic, using reusable bags, buying higher quality items instead of trying to save money by buying plastic crap from big box stores. Clothing is much more challenging, but I try to buy higher quality clothes produced at least in North America. I don't sew. I could probably be more creative in the "repurposing" department, but there's only so much storage space I have. I think of everything in terms of toxicity. I use the least toxic dish soap I can, use vinegar and baking soda to clean, club soda for the windows, etc. I wonder how the earth can or can't process the things I dump down the drain. And think about why I feel I need something. When I buy paper cups (rarely), I get the wax-lined instead of the plastic coated ones. I try to buy less packaging.

That being said, I also try to be realistic and practical. I tried the baking soda and vinegar hair wash thing, it didn't work for me. I only have a certain amount of time for gardening and canning, so I get stuff from local farmers and process their goods. Hubby hunts, I am getting meat chickens next spring. I cannot realistically raise enough food to process for an entire off-season for my family, and I am ok with that. After all, man is a social being. We humans can work really well together sometimes, so I have no problem sharing my strengths and using another's. I really like the CSA (community supported agriculture) model. It seems to be more efficient time and labor wise for community to be self-sufficient than a family. Bartering works well in this area, and I'm wondering what I can trade for other goods, as I am damn good at baking bread, raising eggs, and making applesauce, jams, etc.

My father's family has practiced sustainable forestry and ran an apple orchard for 4 generations. I guess I took the hippy part a little further than my baby boomer parents did. But my dad is not a materialistic man. He has always been well off, but for Christmas, he wants a pair of wool socks, new gloves, or a book. Or maybe dinner at a nice restaurant. He served in Vietnam, and has a great appreciation for the simple things in life, as do I. The way he always told it, "If I am not leaking blood from somewhere in my body, or not in the hospital for some terminal illness, I'm doing ok". He taught me to be be very observant. not just of the situation at hand, but on a large scale as well, and throughout time. History repeats itself. Human nature is a fairly static thing, and societal change takes a long time. Humans are geared biologically for instant gratification because of survival, Etc.

One thing I have observed is that gardening and agriculture in general seems to be a compete battle with nature. Weeds, bugs, rodents constantly after my chicken feed, etc. There has to be a different way.


One can consume resources while being less of a burden on the earth. I do not ride a bike everywhere, but I am very conscious of how much I drive, and try to conserve as much fuel as possible.

Spiritually, I am agnostic. Or even atheist, but I just don't know. I'm ok with no higher being having a plan for me, or destiny, or anything else. I'm ok with not having an afterlife. I accept myself as part of the earth. I try to be the best human I can with what I have, try to help others, and generally be a benefit (rather than a deficit) to society.

I believe in balance and randomness. And odds. When something dies, something else is given life. Yin and yan thinking, I suppose. I think my views on life and spirituality are more like Native American or Asian philosophies. I thought I might relate mostly to Budhism, but now I think I'm more of a Taoist. I also find fractals interesting because they seem to be a manifestation of nature's ordered randomness. Nature + Math = Awesome.

Life is a big science experiment and learning experience for me. I am like a small child, always observing and in wonder at what I see. I will never stop learning. I will always ask "why?" and if I don't know the answer, I look it up. If there seems to be no answer, I accept it and just be amazed. That is how I hone my mind. But I don't work at it. I guess it's hard to explain. And I'm starting to feel a little silly about sharing, and this post is getting quite long, so I'll stop now.