“There’s happiness in having less.” – Fumio Sasaki
We live in a consumer society. We are told to buy, buy, buy. The more you have, the happier you will be. You don’t want to be a “have not.”
But it is a lie. More does not lead to happiness, but to unhappiness.
I define minimalism as a spiritual practice of reducing your possessions to a minimum. It is also called voluntary simplicity, and it goes back way before the Japanese minimalism wave started in 2009.
Minimalism is more than a practice, it is a mindset and way of life.
Rabbi Hyman Schachtel once said, “Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.”
Like so many things in life, it comes back to the mind. Our mind is our greatest asset and our greatest source of unhappiness. It all depends on how you use it.
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Jay Forrest
Dr. Jay N. Forrest is an Ordained Interfaith Minister and Certified Meditation Teacher who guides others on the Mystic Way through contemplative teaching and interspiritual insight.Since becoming a Christian in 1983 and earning his Doctorate in Ministry, Jay has served within a rich range of Christian traditions—including Pentecostal, Charismatic, Baptist, Methodist, and Liberal Catholic churches—and provided compassionate care as a Hospice Chaplain.His journey has also led him through catechism studies with the Orthodox Church in America, minor orders in the Liberal Catholic Church, and over two decades of Buddhist study and practice. His path is one of depth, integration, and a lifelong dedication to the transformative power of spiritual practice.
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