Lifestyle
I see how people put efforts into a certain lifestyle. And I hear how people judge others for not living a certain lifestyle.
Wearing natural clothes instead of synthetic materials does not lead to liberation.
Taking the bicycle instead of driving a car does not lead to liberation.
Nor does ...
– buying natural tooth brushes
– lighting incense sticks and candles
– going strictly by religious rules
– yoga or kundalini activation
– and believing in a Guru or an Avatar
lead to liberation.
Not even ...
– living alone
– quitting the job
– being against money and society
– hating technical evolution
help to find liberation.
You cannot strive for liberation by...
– not eating meat
– not drinking coffee
– not taking alcohol
– and not having sex.
Yes, we all know, after having had wine or too much coffee meditation will not be possible. Alcohol can make you sleepy or make you talk too much. And regular meals containing meat are a problem for your entire system.
What do we have to change?
-
We do not have to make changes in the illusion by living a lifestyle that is defined by elements of the illusion.
- One has to change one's own mind in order to become quiet. Since you have come to this world, live in this world – there is no other. Accept it and go for your liberation.
Living accordingly to this insight, you liberate yourself. Liberation lies in your own hands.
It is your own mind that keeps you in human bondage. And it is the same mind that leads you to liberation.
Living a lifestyle
You identify yourself as a woman or man – as a cat lover, a conservationist or as a good thinker. Along with your identification you live a lifestyle.
By living a certain lifestyle, you are giving yourself a role and then you live by that role or identification. This is a self-feeding system!
The worst thing with that: People expect you to live by your own self-given role!
You think about living a spiritual life? Maybe even as a hermit monk or as a hermit nun?
How has a spiritual person or a hermit to live? And what has one to do, or not to do?
People will tell you even unasked what you have to do and how you have to live! Everyone has his/her own expectation about your life. And you are supposed to live according to their
idea. 
People who have not the knowledge and the experience are not the right consultant.
We do not listen to their unproven mind-concept.
The moment you identify yourself with your role you have your own picture of yourself and your lifestyle. With that you have your own mind-concept of dos and don'ts.
How has a hermit monk or nun to live?
(Or any spiritually minded person.)
- Quietly by himself; or quietly by herself.
- And what has to be done, has to be done.*
* When you don't know if a certain thing has to be done or not, just ask yourself what if you don't do it.
AND
Think practical. When it makes sense to eat the soup with a spoon, go get a spoon.
Don't limit yourself. Don't read a book by candle light. We got electricity 100 years ago!
Do not unnecessarily relinquish. When you have the need of wearing a nice outfit, then put it on.
In a television program I was once asked: “What do you need a cellphone for as a hermit monk?”
He definitively had a picture of a hermit like Nicholas of Flue who had no cell phone and no electricity – 500 years ago.
My simple answer was: “Without a cell phone I wouldn't be here (in the television studio).”