Well, it’s been over a week and I still have no furniture! Actually, the floor is getting more and more comfortable but since my research tells me that it would be good to get a little breathing space between the floor and the surface that is slept on (for hygiene reasons), I have decided to get a traditional Japanese tatami mat with a very thin futon mattress on top and of course a frame which keeps it off the ground.
I am very into the Japanese/Zen style of interior design. I just want my apartment to be a place of tranquility where I can always come and be at peace when things get too hectic. Oh, and I also plan to get lots of green plants (big and small) so the air is always fresh and clean.
I realized a simple truth the other day. There are really four areas in life to concentrate on.
The first and most important is the “self”. That would include the body, the mind, health, fitness, personality, intelligence, style. All of these can constantly be developed. It is very important for me to continually strive for growth as a human being and build my character. It never ceases to amaze me how much potential we all really have and how much capacity in our brains is left unused. It is unfortunate how little most people use that potential and even avoid it or kill it with drugs and self destructive lifestyle choices. Come to think of it, I used to be one of those people not so long ago.
Second, our home. In the second paragraph of this post I provided a description of what I personally want my home to be like. In a way everywhere is home. But I think for the modern human, a personal space is an important part of keeping yourself in tune so you can be ready to take on life’s challenges yet also a place where you can completely release yourself and fully rest. Some have more options than others with this but we each can make the most of what we have.
Third, work. For me that is my career as an artist and musician. It’s my passion and it gives me inner power to do something which I know I’m good at. Right now I am working on a big music project and I will write more about this in the future..
Last but not least is of course relationships. Not just with people but with the world, with nature, with the universe. It can be empowering to know and feel deep inside that we are apart of everything. Everything is connected. Everything matters.
I’ve sold pretty much my entire music/movie/book collection and donated almost all of my clothes (hey, I gotta wear something) to charity. I am also thinking about getting a vinyl player and restarting a record collection on vinyl. I feel it is a more ritualistic way to experience music rather than just pressing play on an ipod. In fact, I am not listening to any music right now although of course I’m constantly working on my own music. However, I am eagerly anticipating one of my favorite bands, Mew, to release their new album on the 25th of this month. I guess I’ll just get it online to begin with since I can’t afford the vinyl gear just yet.