It's no small thing that the first tenet of Buddhism acknowledges the existence of suffering. Following this, the remaining 3 tenets concern the causes of suffering, how to mitigate its effects and suffering's eventual end.
Having dumped this weighty subject on the table for your consideration of where's-she-going- with-this, I would suggest that 'shopping' is a pretty important antidote to various degrees of human suffering. In fact 'shopping' is the basic hunter/gatherer instinct updated. So, for such a critical task, is it not fitting to elevate the very considered practise of 'shopping' to the level of art form? I believe so.
And what might be some of the aesthetics of the 'shopping' artist ? Surely, at the top of the list, would be the art of balance ... does the value merit the cost, does the product deliver on the promise, and ultimately, does the object, for a reasonable amount of time, stave off our suffering / dissatisfaction with life. It is this last provision that propels the economies of the world.
Because my closets were bulging, storage containers stacked too high to be reached anymore,
and bare surfaces ... a mere memory, I began the process of breaking down the empire. It is from this place of betrayal that I now hold all objects-of-want to supreme standards ... like the vintage ocelot cape! But aside from that, most items I covet today are either intangible in nature, or ridiculously simple in relation to the comfort they provide. I hope to suggest some of these to you in the future, with a lot less build-up and a bit more substance. And to underscore the first and foremost of these prized additions to my life today, I type but 4 letters: YOGA. 'Shop' for a good teacher.
IMHO,
Meribe
