A piece of life that I have been examining for a stretch of time is how would it be to live as a street person. Does the simplicity and detachment make sense for inner stillness. India allows me to study a big container of this style of living. There were a lot of orange-robbed, "spiritual renunciates" in and around the Ramana Maharshi Ashram/city. The tropical climate suites that lifestyle better, but a look at the health plan, food supply, and overall quality of life is part of the question mark. There were even a couple of women. The job description appears to require begging which isn't a highlight for me. One beggar converted to a walking tour guide upon request, so flexibility with job titles is a possibility too. The point isn't that I seek this layer of living, but could I do it if it was necessary; zero to one hundred at the lower end of the scale. Yes, I realize that it isn't a requirement for spiritual seeking either as long as there isn't attachment to the things one possesses.
As I go for an evening walk through the streets of Calcutta, I see the small fire a family uses to warm themselves, the human wrapped in his blanket, the stray dog nesting in a pile of papers, and so on. It is a way of existence around the world, so the picture is familiar to all. Do we walk by them like they are discarded items on the side of the road or do we take a moment to reflect how are we different. Are we really? My examination has led me to look in their eyes, observe with an open mind/heart, and draw a conclusion. For now, I will take action to support a more comfortable/materialistically abundant way of living, but I could survive if I needed to. There is some freedom in recognizing this knowing.
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