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RE: What's The Point? Considering Giving Everything Up

in #spirituality7 years ago

As a perpetual traveler of 3 years now (with my family), we have given up everything (home, possessions, some investments), to travel the globe. I homeschool my kids from the road and they are working a homeschool project that they will eventually turn into some kind of business - when more business is done on the blockchain (which you know isn't too far away now).

While we are free of most "normal" possessions (other than the 1 suitcase and 1 backpack we each carry), we are not free from inconvenience that not having a landing pad with "things" brings. There are trade offs. We used to think not having "things" made us feel more free as we weren't attached to physical possessions. We used to think it allowed us to focus more deeply on our relationships to one another, our passions, our projects - and being free of possessions freed up energy to be focused in other places (like healing/health). We've learned along the way that it's not really the act of being possessionless that gives us the freedom and connection we desire - it's our lack of attachment to external material things/distractions that we used to expect to make us happy. Instead we try to focus on gratitude, sincerity and curiosity.

We recently went through a period of what I call "winter". My son was diagnosed with Epilepsy and he was restricted from swimming, hiking, bike riding - anything physical that might endanger him if he were to go into a seizure. Here is a kid (then age 12), already with a learning disability, who had already given up everything to travel and explore the world, suddenly with another disability, now on anti-seizure meds, wondering what you are wondering right now - what's the point?

While we (as a family) struggled with these new challenges (and mood swings), we focused in on what we could do in the present moment to shift into a more connected, heart centered space. We tapped into his inner passions about life - what brought him joy. When he "didn't know", I had him write letters to himself in the future thanking himself for a, b, c.....future forcasting his greatest joys/inspirations. We found everyday activities to be thankful for and wrote them out - For example: "I am so happy and grateful that I was able to walk to the coffee shop today without symptoms" or "I really appreciated the time I spent playing by myself today". Even if the gratitude felt menial, we included it. We invited questions into our awareness like, "I wonder what it would feel like/be like to....(fill in the blank)".

Everyday moments met with conscious gratitude and curiosity provided the kind of personal connection we all needed to move through that winter. Those exercises also helped us to vision their current homeschool project. To date, the kids have now produced 3 children's books and an upcoming music CD they composed music for to accompany their future comic book series. Had we not taken the time to go deep within, who knows if these inspired ideas would have surfaced.

So, in my experience, it wasn't the lack of physical/monetary possessions that helped us answer the question, "What's the point" or "What's my purpose?". It's been more the continued cultivation of gratitude, sincerity, humility and curiosity. It's the attitude and sincerity with which the questions of the mind are invited to be answered by the deeper levels of our awareness (heart/soul).

I don't believe the answers are in the woods, my friend. Wherever you go - there you are. It's all within.

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Great point. I live in Alaska where people come from all over to live secluded in the woods. Many have given up everything. Some find the answers and peace they were looking for, some don't but it was never the woods that gave it to them. It was within.

BRILLIANT!!!! AND TRUE!!!

Material possessions only POWER what we are DEEP within. So if anything, material possessions help FACILITATE what we are at core.

For example, I envision a life where I don't have to trade my time for money and explore life on different planes...while my friends who are born into money who can do these things are AFTER more money...so you are absolutely RIGHT, it is not the possessions, it is our core that needs introspection!

Thank you for sharing!

You have a touching story, but please let me ask you how you manage all the expenses to have such a "free life", considering also all the problems? From time to time I am also dreaming for such a freedom, but it seems this lifestyle is suited only for wealthy people. But if you depend on a bank account you are not really free, isn't?

I was 22 when I went traveling the world , and have been for the last 25 years or so - I walked away with $700 in my pocket, and never looked back ( admittedly I have stayed single, and with no kids- somakes the logistics much easier)
I have had an amazing ride !

You are a star.

@cm1 Just wondering if you have looked into using CBD for your son. It provides many benefits in relation to neurological issues. You might like to look up https://pluscbdoil.com/

@birdsong, yes, my son takes cbd's (where it's been "legalized"). Some countries we visit do not allow the use of cbd's - even if they are over the counter cbd's from the states (like Native Hemp or CW Botanicals). So this has presented new challenges in how/where we travel and/or for how long we travel. While cbd's are incredibly helpful, they do not eliminate all the seizures. We've been dialing in his nutrition while he also has been on the ketogenic diet. To date, with combined nutrition, keto and cbd's, he has seen a 50% reduction in seizure activity and about an 80% reduction in seizure related symptioms (aura's, etc). I'll check out the link you sent . Thanks so much! :)

Yeah, you may not want to visit Australia too soon. The government here is so pro big pharma and anything that actually works becomes illegal. Doesn't help when the prime ministers wife is on the board of a pro vaccine creating company. As to your son, make sure you are using the correct concentration. I believe the gold blend from pluscbd is very good and then it's simply a matter of increasing the dosage until you get the desired result. Might be worth contacting them directly to get some guidance. Also, I forgot to mention, if you use the code RSB15 you'll get a 15% discount. It's a discount given to Robert Scott Bell listeners (I'm one of them) who are big promoters of pluscbd. Robert's podcasts are well worth subscribing to.

All the best.

Awesome inspiration. Going to try thatt one day

This is fantastic. Thank you.

Well written! It is a difficult illness to deal with and I wish anyone who is, all the best.

Deep and yes!!!! you are right, the attachment itself if the thing.

THANK YOU for sharing that. We chucked the city life to become farmers, and that is not really going that well. The thought of "Liquidate and go gypsy" haunts me at times. I appreciate your input VERY much...