minimalism / essentialism
Every block of stone has a statue inside it
and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.
~Michelangelo
I've been reading some of Joshua & Ryan's essays on Minimalism & two things came to mind.
1) Michelangelo's quote.
2) The notion that Minimalism could also be called Essentialism. Because in order to minimize the clutter in your life, whether that clutter is objects, people, or activities, it greatly helps to have some sense of what it is you must keep. What is essential to you? What do you want? What pathways lead you to joy? What doorways invite in peace?
If you are like me those can be very hard questions to answer. I often don't know the answers to them. Some of my ignorance is because I've learned that what I think is essential can change -and change a lot- depending on my circumstances. Some of it is years of practice in not wanting things. And some of it is knowing that very often there is no one right answer.
But I like the concept that if I want to minimize any aspects of my life it helps to know what I find essential. There will be lots of places where I can test those boundaries, but having a sense of where the boundaries are gives me a way to start paring down. Am I certain enough of the "sculpture" of my life to be to remove broad sweeps of things in one go? Or do I need to very carefully chisel away a little bit at a time?