"Most of the luxuries..."

"Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind." Henry David Thoreau


Many of the quotes I hold close in my heart and apply daily to my life come from the great thinkers of the transcendentalist movement of the early 19th century. In a time when the political, emotional and moral climate of the country was drastically changing, there emerged some great analytical minds. Minds that call us to return to nature and to our being.

At first glance this quote might induce thoughts of all the obvious things we can agree have been a detriment to our society. Weapons, the things that we invent for our "convenience" that pollute the earth, obvious things. But I want to dig a little deeper, for it is only in the knowing of the cause that we can find the clarity to eliminate from our lives the things that have become our masters. What enslaves you? What traps your mind and renders you useless to living in the now? What has become your God? Is it food? Is it the television? Is it a substance? Is it your cell phone? Is it other's acceptance? Is it power? Money?....This is a vital question that is worth answering. We are all so different yet we are the same. What entraps us has the same result for all of us no matter what it is...the result is us not being FREE.

It's an interesting phenomena, we search for the things to make us happy and fill us up but these things if found from an external source can end up enslaving us. Emerson stated, "The great genius returns to essential man." What does this mean? On a surface level, yes we can all peer into our lives and eliminate our "things." But I would urge you as I urge myself, to find the answer to the question why? Why do we need these things? What is missing in us? Can we, in all sincerity look at our hearts and say unabashedly....I'm OK? Say it out loud now as you read this. See how it makes you feel.

I am taking myself to the task of self-restoration. I have come to the belief that it is not so much in the external "finding" of who we are that we ascend to peace. It is in the work of restoring ourselves to our true being. It is an inner event. Who we really are, what we are meant to give to the world cannot be found outside of ourselves. Re-acquaint yourself with the you before you were injured by life and the other hurt people trying to find their way through the maze. Re-acquaint yourself with who you truly are unaffected and live it out daily. Turn off the T.V. and engage the human beings in the room. Begin real heart wrenching, fulfilling relationships with people. People not things. Believe me friends, no outer circumstance, place or thing will give you peace. It is only found within. Come visit us at The Wellness Kitchen sit on our veranda with some healing tea and be still, and listen. And as always this is Sarah, encouraging you to eat peacefully...