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The Definition & Next Evolution of “Simple Living, High Thinking”

By Kyle Kowalski · 4 Comments

I’ve seen “simple living, high thinking” a few times lately, so I took that as a sign to do some digging about it. It’s a bonus that I also find the phrase intriguing and subject to personal interpretation.

I figured there would be some original quotes including those words along with an origin story. To my surprise, I can’t seem to find either (at least an origin story).

If you search it, you’ll mostly find results dominated by Indian spiritual leaders and philosophers. You may even find a “simple living, high thinking” quote attributed to  Mahatma Gandhi . If you aren’t familiar with Gandhi’s story, it’s an amazing one—he didn’t find his purpose until an incident when he was 23 years old. Yet today, he is the personification of simple living—literally, he’s the featured image for the “Simple Living” page on Wikipedia.

Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian yogi and guru, was also alive during Gandhi’s same time period. Perhaps the phrase originated from one of the following:

Plain living and high thinking should be your goal. Learn to carry all the conditions of happiness within yourself by meditating and attuning your consciousness to the ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Joy, which is God. Your happiness should never be subject to any outside influence. Whatever your environment is, don’t allow your inner peace be touched by it. — Paramahansa Yogananda This day marks the birth of a new era. My spoken words are registered in the ether, in the Spirit of God, and they shall move the West! Self-Realization has come to unite all religions! We must go on — not only those who are here, but thousands of youths must go North, South, East and West to cover the earth with little colonies, demonstrating that simplicity of living plus high thinking lead to the greatest happiness! — Paramahansa Yogananda via Swami Kriyananda

What is Simple Living, High Thinking?

“Simple living” is fairly straightforward—at least in comparison to “high thinking.” We’ll come back to simple living in a bit.

Let’s start with high thinking.

I asked a couple people to define “high thinking,” and this was the response:

• High thinking could mean taking a macro or long-term view of your life
• “High thinking” like “high level” (an overview, not in the weeds, etc)
• “High thinking” sounds a bit elitist
• I would take it to mean “focused thinking” (prioritized, disciplined, above the noise, etc)
• “Highly aware” is probably better

Personally, when I first heard this phrase, I associated “high thinking” with “intellectual thinking” or “deep thinking.”

But, thinking isn’t easy:

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it. — Henry Ford

And, high/intellectual/deep thinking? Well, that should be even harder:

The five ascending levels of intellect: Smart, Intelligent, Brilliant, Genius, Simple. — Einstein

If you believe high thinking is only for certain experts, consider this:

The world’s greatest thinkers have often been amateurs; for high thinking is the outcome of fine and independent living, and for that a professional chair offers no special opportunities. — Havelock Ellis

There needs to be a shift in focus— from the outer world to the inner world, turning inward instead of focusing outward.

A shift in focus brings about a shift in time— from spending time on the external to the internal. Some refer to this as a shift from the body (physical world) to the mind (non-physical world).

These shifts in focus and time result in a reduction of non-essentials —both physical things in your life and distractions of your time:

In order to seek one’s own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life. — Plato The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have the more free you are. — Mother Teresa

Which comes first: the High Thinking or the Simple Living?

Is high thinking a result of simple living? Or, is simple living a result of high thinking?

I think this is a chicken and egg situation here. This is a pretty good video that proposes that the entire phrase should actually be reversed: High Thinking, Simple Living.

In my personal case , the high thinking came first, followed by the simple living, and then more high thinking. I’m not sure I would have come to simple living before doing some critical thinking. This is likely a sign of the times—it’s countercultural today to live simply in the modern Western world .

In actual life, it requires the greatest art to be simple. ― Carl Jung Simplicity is an advanced course. — Sri Chinmoy Simplicity is complex. It’s never simple to keep things simple. Simple solutions require the most advanced thinking. ― Richie Norton

At the same time, you could make a case that it’s all a circular process. Once you are living simply, then you free up more time to think. High thinking leads to simple living which leads to high thinking which leads to simple living and on and on.

The more you know, the less you need. — Yvon Chouinard

But, what if we take high thinking a step further? What if high thinking isn’t thinking at all?

Evolve from High Thinking to High Awareness

There’s no doubt that thinking plays a major role in our lives. It’s said that what we believe determines our behaviors which determines who we become ( beliefs → behaviors → who we become ):

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. — Buddha What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality. — Otto Rank

However, the thinking mind is both a gift and a burden of humanity:

A mature first­-year student at twenty­-five, I saw myself as an intellectual in the making, and I was convinced that all the answers to the dilemmas of human existence could be found through the intellect, that is to say, by thinking. I didn’t realize yet that thinking without awareness is the main dilemma of human existence. — Eckhart Tolle

Intellectual thinking alone will only get you so far. No one will ever know everything:

No one knows everything. No one knows nothing. Everyone has a piece of the puzzle. — Lama Surya Das

What is above intellectual thinking? I’d say it’s spirituality. But, spirituality is a broad subject. Let’s try to break it down a bit.

Perhaps high thinking means thinking beyond yourself or above yourself (or your self). Observing or witnessing the thinking mind. Is it synonymous with consciousness?  Overcoming ego ? Maybe it’s literally beyond oneself completely—focusing on others vs yourself.

What happens when you rise above thinking?

Peace is in the emptiness. Emptiness is in the fast of the mind. — Lao Tzu All you need to do is be aware of your thoughts and emotions – as they happen. This is not really a ‘doing,’ but an alert ‘seeing.’ In that sense, it is true that there is nothing you can do to become free of the ego. When that shift happens, which is the shift from thinking to awareness, an intelligence far greater than the ego’s cleverness begins to operate in your life. — Eckhart Tolle

Abraham Maslow, the creator of the hierarchy of needs, is said to have criticized his original “top of the pyramid” in his later years—ultimately causing him to introduce self-transcendence above self-actualization as the top of the hierarchy of needs:

Transcendence refers to the very highest and most inclusive or holistic levels of human consciousness, behaving and relating, as ends rather than means, to oneself, to significant others, to human beings in general, to other species, to nature, and to the cosmos. — Abraham Maslow,  The Farther Reaches of Human Nature The self only finds its actualization in giving itself to some higher goal outside oneself, in altruism and spirituality. — Abraham Maslow (Note: I can’t find an exact attribution of this quote to Maslow, so it may be paraphrased)

I truly believe this is the next phase of humanity’s evolution:

Humanity can still prosper for 150,000 years…but this depends on choosing a voluntary simplicity …growing qualitatively, not quantitatively. — Matthieu Ricard

If this piqued your interest, check out these two posts:

• Humanity’s Evolution to “A New Earth” (Eckhart Tolle Book Summary #3)
• Humanity is a Teenager — We Will Evolve Through Simplicity (from Duane Elgin’s book “Voluntary Simplicity”)

About Kyle Kowalski

👋 Hi, I'm Kyle―the human behind Sloww . I'm an ex-marketing executive turned self-education entrepreneur after an existential crisis in 2015. In one sentence: my purpose is synthesizing lifelong learning that catalyzes deeper development . But, I’m not a professor, philosopher, psychologist, sociologist, anthropologist, scientist, mystic, or guru. I’m an interconnector across all those humans and many more—an "independent, inquiring, interdisciplinary integrator" (in other words, it's just me over here, asking questions, crossing disciplines, and making connections). To keep it simple, you can just call me a "synthesizer." Sloww shares the art of living with students of life . Read my story.

Sloww participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you purchase a book through an Amazon link, Sloww earns a small percentage at no additional cost to you. This helps fund the costs to support the site and the ad-free experience.

Reader Interactions

October 20, 2019 at 12:54 PM

Hello Kyle 🙂

Awesome site and great post! I thought I would share with you that the phrase “plain living and high thinking” is in an 1802 poem by William Wordsworth, which I will share here:

Written in London. September, 1802 BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

O Friend! I know not which way I must look For comfort, being, as I am, opprest, To think that now our life is only drest For show; mean handy-work of craftsman, cook, Or groom! — We must run glittering like a brook In the open sunshine, or we are unblest: The wealthiest man among us is the best: No grandeur now in nature or in book Delights us. Rapine, avarice, expense, This is idolatry; and these we adore: Plain living and high thinking are no more: The homely beauty of the good old cause Is gone; our peace, our fearful innocence, And pure religion breathing household laws.

Hope you enjoy. Thanks!

November 1, 2019 at 10:09 AM

Awesome, thanks for sharing Sarena! Perhaps this is a good example of all creativity is a remix .

July 7, 2021 at 7:42 AM

Thank you for taking the time & diving in this deep deep topic of simplicity coupled with “your highness”!

Thank you for this valuable composition on the knowledge of the topic, it is wildly appreciated.

It definitely has expanded my personal outlook on this wonderful combination.

“High thinking” taken as a perspective has been quite revealing. I have always tied the phrase with “Godly” thinking, so as, not to pass a judgement or a haze of any negativity, skepticism or pessimism on any idea, thought or matter of fact. Taking the approach of acceptance & loving kindness in welcoming anything that comes my way with the knowledge of blessing, even if it is hidden or in disguise.

Maybe it is only my “smart” solution to fixing a personal trait of distrust, yet it certainly has helped liberate many hang-ups along the way!

Happy day & thanks again!

August 18, 2021 at 4:15 PM

So glad you enjoyed it and that it helped provide new perspective, Anastacia!

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Essay on Simple Living High Thinking

Simple Living High Thinking implies that we must lead a simple life but at the same time our thinking must not be limited. This is to say that we must not restrict our thinking only to the nitty-gritty’s of everyday day tasks. We should think big to bring about positive changes in our lives as well as that of those around us.

The proverb lays emphasis on the importance of living a simple life devoid of any kind of show off. We must keep a check on our wants and desires. However, when it comes to thinking, it must be big. We must not think only about ourselves but also about those around.

Long and Short Essay on Simple Living High Thinking in English

Here are essays of varying lengths on Simple Living High Thinking to help you with the topic in your exam. You can select any Simple Living High Thinking essay according to your choice:

Simple Living High Thinking Essay 1 (200 words)

Simple living and high thinking go hand in hand. Only those who believe in living a simple life can think high and do great deeds in life. Those who prefer living lavishly only think about fulfilling their own desires one after the other and there is no end to it. Such people are so engrossed in gratifying their desires and impressing others by showing off their materialistic possessions that their thinking becomes limited to it. They cannot think high or develop a broad mindset.

On the other hand, people who understand that they must only focus on their needs and not go after every materialistic thing their heart longs for lead a simple life. They only buy things of need and focus on becoming better human beings by way of their deeds and not by showing off their belongings. They try to help those around them, involve themselves in charity work, indulge in activities to improve the environment and more importantly spend quality time with their loved ones.

Now, this does not mean it is wrong to be ambitious and earn money to lead a comfortable life. There is a difference between living comfortably and having a lavish lifestyle. There are many rich people around the world who lead a simple life and possess high thinking. They indulge in charity rather than spending lavishly on themselves.

Simple Living High Thinking Essay 2 (300 words)

Introduction

This proverb advises human beings to limit their wants and desires as there is no end to them. If we run in pursuit of every desire of ours we shall never be satisfied as these keep growing on and on.

Live Simple – Stop Impressing Others

We all agree that most of the things we want are not really for ourselves. We want them to impress our neighbours, friends and relatives. This kind of life can never be fulfilling or pleasurable. This is because we are not born to please or impress others and we can never even do so. Whatever we do people only look for opportunities to find flaws in us and this leaves us all the more dissatisfied. We try to earn more and more, reach at a high position in the company, increase our social circle and shop for expensive clothes and household items – what for? All this is done to establish a good social standing.

Now, this is not to say that there is something wrong with being ambitious and making a good living. All this might as well bring us satisfaction at some level but it also takes away a lot from us. However, in the quest of making it big professionally and earning more and more to quench the undying desires people spend a lot of time at work and neglect their parents, spouse and kids. This distances them from the family and disturbs their personal relationships and all this only leads to stress.

If we lower our materialistic wants and stick to our needs, we shall be able to create a balance between our personal and professional life. This way we shall be able to spend more time with our family where the true joy lies. We shall also have enough time for ourselves, to look within and find out our true purpose of life.

Simple Living High Thinking Essay 3 (400 words)

Many learned people in the past have followed the preaching from this proverb and have made a mark in the history. Some such people include Sant Kabirdas, Mahatma Gandhi, Pope Francis and Abraham Lincoln. All these people have led an extremely simple life and inspired several people around them to do so.

Why must one lead a Simple Life?

Very few people lead a simple life today others are busy running after their desires and trying to impress others by their latest possessions. Here is why one must lead a simple life:

• Get Closer to Family

When you stop living an artificial life trying to impress others and turn towards a simple life you grow close to your roots. You get closer to your family members and the love showered by them brings immense joy.

• Recognize Your True self

When you stop looking for more and more things to gratify yourself and spend time with yourself you finally begin to recognize who you truly are.

• Sense of Control

When you lead a simple life, you require bare minimal to stay content. When you do not have numerous loans running for different things, you feel more confident. You no longer need to immerse yourself in work to earn more and more to pay off your loans and bills. You have a greater sense of control over your life.

• Lower Stress Level

You are no longer under constant pressure to earn more than your siblings, friends and neighbours. You no longer want a bigger house, bigger car or greater bank balance to feel good about yourself. The stress caused due to this constant pressure will all be gone when you chose to lead a simple life.

• Balanced Life

You will no longer toil too hard in your office to get to the top. This is because your wants would be limited and your needs can be met even if you are earning fairly well and not too much. You will thus be able to get home on time and spend time with your family. This will help create work life balance.

While many people continue to thrive for a lavish life many have turned towards leading a simple life after seeing the dreadful consequences of the former. It is time we must recognize that we should live for ourselves and not for impressing others. We must understand that happiness can only be found within and not in the outside things. Inner peace and happiness can only be found if we lead a simple life and have a high thinking that inspires us to do good for others.

Simple Living High Thinking Essay 4 (500 words)

Simple living and high thinking must be the motto of life of each one of us. However, people these days prefer leading a luxurious life with their thinking restricted only to things that can fetch them worldly pleasures.

People who Adopted the Golden Principle of Simple Living and High Thinking

• Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is one of the best persons to exemplify this proverb. He led a simple life and dreamed big. His lifestyle was extremely simple but his thinking was high. He did not only work towards driving the British out of the country but inspired several others around him to support the cause.e He was the He His life    hhhh He made use of a simple weapon that is non-violence to drive the British out of the country.

Buddha was a king who had numerous servants available at his beck and call. He had a loving family and all the luxuries of life. But he left all these to lead a simple life in the jungles. He could concentrate, look within and think high only when he began to lead a simple life. Had he stayed in the palace and led the life of luxury, he would never have attained enlightenment.

• Abraham Lincoln

American President, Abraham Lincoln who could afford all the luxuries of life and live lavishly chose to adopt a simple lifestyle. He did not employ any servant to take care of any of his tasks. He did all his personal tasks on his own.

Ways to Lead a Simple Life

• Identify Difference between Your Needs and Wants

The first and foremost thing to do is to distinguish between your needs and wants. Remember your needs are limited but wants unlimited. In order to lead a simple life you must only keep the things of necessity and not run after acquiring and attaining every materialistic desire.

• Focus on Inner Peace

We all look for happiness outside. We try to socialise, go to malls, try different cuisines, do unnecessary shopping and indulge in several such activities. While all these things can give temporary happiness you wouldn’t find yourself truly happy if you are not at peace within. To live a simple and fulfilling life you must focus within.

• Don’t Do Things to Impress Others

You are not born to impress others. Your life will not get any better if you continue to look for ways to impress other people. Your life will be fulfilling when you focus on yourself and not others.

• Help Others

Instead of spending lavishly to show off you should indulge in charity. This does not mean you have to donate a huge sum each month. Do whatever little you can to help the poor and needy.

Just relax, meditate and let go of all the negative thoughts in your mind. Your mind must focus on the positives in life.

Living simple is not difficult. It is rather simple; you just need to limit your desires and let go of the need to impress others. When you lead a simple life only then you can think high else you will only be busy gratifying yourself.

Simple Living High Thinking Essay 5 (600 words)

Simple living high thinking is a common proverb used to emphasise the significance of leading a simple life and having high thinking. If each one of us leads such a life, the world would become a much better place.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Life Exemplifies Simple Living High Thinking

Mahatma Gandhi is undoubtedly the first name that comes to mind when we hear the proverb – Simple Living High Thinking. Popularly known as Bapu, this great man led an extremely simple life. He was highly educated and could have easily got a high paying job. He could have lived in a lavish bungalow and driven expensive cars. However, he chose to live in a hut. He wore the simplest of attires, a dhoti and ate simple food. While his materialistic needs were limited his vision was broad. He was a man of high thinking. He dedicated his life to the nation.

India’s independence had become his mission and he followed the path of non-violence to attain the same. His aura was so strong that thousands of Indians got inspired by him and joined him in his struggle for freedom. He initiated various movements and several Indians actively took part in the same. He also addressed masses from time to time to share his words of wisdom and inspired them to dedicate their lives to the freedom struggle. His simple yet effective ways to deal with the tyranny of the British officials were highly appreciated by people. Mahatma Gandhi was one of the main forces to drive the British out of the country.

Why are People unable to Practice Simple Living High Thinking?

The world has literally become a place to show off. Leading a simple life and thinking high is a concept that you can rarely see in anyone anymore. People are extremely busy showcasing how happy, wealthy and full of life they are. While earlier they used to throw parties, invite people over and buy new things to impress those around with the advent of social media the quest to impress others has reached a whole new level. People visit exotic locations, go out for lavish dinners, party with friends, buy new stuff and all this is uploaded on the social media within no time. Rather than enjoying the moment, people have now become more interested in showing others as to how cool their life is. And the definition of cool is far from simple.

Those who indulge in such activities regularly are known to have a happening life and everyone wants to befriend them and go out with them. On the other hand, those who do not stay active are considered rather dull and boring. No one likes being around such people. So showing off and talking highly of oneself has actually become the need of the hour. No one wants to live a simple life. Simple is actually considered as boring. Thinking high is beyond question as people are so engrossed in impressing others that they don’t understand that real happiness lies in finding our real selves and helping those around find the same.

Someone who tries to defy these new formed norms of the society is considered anti-social or just plain dull and boring. Those who do not keep abreast with this new lifestyle are often left alone. Even if someone cannot afford lavish dinners and doesn’t have a cool gang of friends and leads a simple life, he also tries to impress people by uploading fake pictures and posts on the social media.

Simple living high thinking is the mantra to lead a happy life. We must try to stop being a part of the rat race and look within. This way we shall understand that the things that can give us happiness and help us live a wholesome life are simple.

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Simple Living High Thinking – Proverb Meaning and Expansion of idea

The proverb ‘simple living high thinking’ promotes simplicity of life and high thoughts in morale and in conduct. It teaches us to adopt a simplistic approach towards our standard of living. We shouldn’t be trying to display our opulence and materialistic possessions everywhere and to everyone; rather we should be more concerned about our own moral highness and purity of thoughts because that is what actually matters.

Expansion of idea

The proverb simple living and high thinking is the one that encourages us to make our lives more meaningful rather than affluent. Here a simple way of living refers to a simple and non-expensive standard of living. We should be worried about only the very basic needs essential for a living. For example, a diet consisting of simple non-vegetarian food and a modest house is enough for one to live and stay. Above these basic needs whatever we aspire is our greed, but not need.

The phrase ‘high thinking’ in the proverb refers to the purity and highness of thoughts and deeds. More than making our lives affluent, we should be more concerned about its value and worth. It is our thoughts and deeds and their impacts on others that matters the most. Thinking that is devoid of cruelty, jealousy, hatred, and is filled with love and respect is superior to a rich yet corrupt life.

Short Stories on ‘Simple Living High Thinking’

A well-written story on the proverb ‘simple living and high thinking’ will let you better understand the proverb’s meaning. I am giving below a couple of stories for your knowledge, also to help you better understand the proverb.

Short Story 1

Once lived a doctor in a remote Indian village. His name was Dr. Pramod. He was highly qualified and aluminous of a prestigious medical college. For years the doctor had been serving the people of the village in sickness and disease. He lived in a modest hut that had a fan, a bed, and electricity; though, he had a big garden, where he liked to spent time.

Dr. Pramod looked immensely satisfied with his life and was happy about what he does every day. Once, a news reporter was in the village to cover a political issue. The reporter heard about the doctor and was impressed by the respect villagers were giving to the doctor. The reporter decided to meet the doctor.

Finally, the reporter and the doctor met at the doctor’s hut. Their conversation about the doctor’s life and education had the reporter speechless. The reporter knew that with such a good qualification the doctor could have been earning millions in any major city of the country, but he rather chose to spend his life in a remote village which doesn’t have even a proper road.

Why is he doing it? In fact why anyone would chose a life like this over an affluent standard of living? These were the questions that troubled the reporter. He can’t contain his curiosity and asked the doctor – why did he choose a life like this? The doctor said that he belonged to a family of wealthy farmers who lost their lands in the due course of time. He had seen both richness and poverty at close quarters. He knew that monetary wealth is destined to lose with time and decided to spend a life that is more valuable and impacts the lives of others as well. This is the main reason for his being in the village and serving the people.

The reporter was impressed and the next day an article about doctor Pramod was printed in the local newspaper with bold heading ‘Simple living and high thinking’.

Short Story 2

There lived a wealthy businessman with his only son in a big mansion. The businessman had no time for his family yet, their house had everything in the entire world that money can buy. The son had to spend most of his time alone, with his cars and gadgets, but he was happy with it. He started valuing materialistic possessions more than human sentiments or relationships. The boy started taking immense pride in the things he owned and looked down on his not so wealthy friends.

Slowly the friends moved away, but the boy was still happy with the riches he got. The businessman was worried about his son’s perception of wealth and relationship but had no time to deal with it.

One day, it so happened, that the businessman’s childhood friend from his village, came to meet him. The businessman was so happy and asked his friend to spend the night in his mansion. The son was introduced to his father’s friend but had disrespected him by looking down on him as he was poor and came from a village.

Disheartened, the businessman thought of teaching his son a lesson. He asked him to join in one of his businesses as a trainee and also asked him to stay in a single room staff quarters. The son was angry but had no choice. Moving out of the affluence and into the real world of pain, sorrow, and happiness had changed the boy very much. Soon he was respecting the poor and the rich alike. He was a changed personality. Now he loved people and they also loved and respected him back.

Happy to know about his son’s transformation, the businessman asked him to move back to their house. The son wrote a note to his father stating that they would be meeting on weekends but he refused to shift in the mansion. He further wrote that he loves this simple living, high thinking, and chose to be like this only.

A well-written example is effective in understanding the true meaning of a proverb. I am giving below a couple of examples based on the proverb ‘simple living high thinking’ that will help you understand the proverb’s true meaning.

“Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi wore simple loincloth throughout his life and religiously followed the principles of truth and non-violence. He is a perfect example of simple living and high thinking.”

“About simple living and high thinking, Mahatma Gandhi had once said that we should focus more on our needs than our greed.”

“Manan said – Yesterday I had been to a Buddhist monastery. There were monks with their heads shaved off, wearing only a simple cloth. Yet when I talked to them, they seemed to be filled with purest thoughts about the planet and its creatures; truly an example of simple living high thinking.”

“A few days back, I met a poor old man who has donated his month’s earnings for the education of children; truly an example of simple living and high thinking.”

“Many personalities in history have been an example of simple living high thinking. They lived their lives in the simplest possible way, yet they have been thoughtful of bringing value to the world. This is an example of simple living high thinking.”

The exact origin of the phrase is unknown; however, it is hugely attributed to the Indian freedom fighter and father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. In his several speeches and writings, he had mentioned that a person should live a simple yet rewarding life. The stress should be more on the value of life and its impacts on others rather than the materialistic possessions and their worth.

Some even attribute the origin of the phrase to Indian guru and yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), who had said “plain living and high thinking should be your goal. Learn to carry all the conditions of happiness within yourself by meditating and attuning your consciousness to the ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new joy, which is God.”

The phrase teaches us to make our lives more valuable by avoiding unnecessary excesses of money and material. It gives the key to true happiness and inner satisfaction.

It also conveys that true happiness lies in the purity of our thoughts rather than anything else. It inspires us to recognize our roots and avoid any act of affluence. The true worth of life is not in what are our materialistic acquisitions but it is in what we think, do, and how many lives we touch every day.

Simple living and high thinking had always been at the root of Indian culture. The phrase might have been coined later, but the philosophy that it portrays had always been at the core of Hindu religious ideology.

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Simplicity: A Not-So-Simple Concept

For an aspiring devotee of Lord Krishna, what does it mean to live a simple life? By Vishakha Devi Dasi Lord Krishna’s devotees differ from nondevotees in describing the essence of the simple life.

Srila Prabhupada encouraged his followers to adhere to the principles of simple living and high thinking, and he himself exemplified those principles. People may associate simple living with minimalism, a current movement that encourages us to avoid overcollecting and conspicuous consumption. Minimalism has been shown to result in a less hectic, less cluttered life, with reduced stress, lower blood pressure, better sleep, and generally improved health. These perceptible and profound benefits, however, are only some side effects of what Srila Prabhupada referred to as simple living. For him, simple living was much more than this, for it was inextricably linked to high thinking, which includes, among other characteristics, accepting the spiritual identity of all beings, the supremacy of God, and the goal of trying to reconnect with God through selfless and devoted service.

A person who is practiced in high thinking sees past all bodily coverings and mental biases to the spiritual essence, the  atma , within. In Sri Krishna’s words, “The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle  brahmana , a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Gita 5.18) While not naive or foolish, that person is trusting and trustworthy and a kind friend to all.

High thinking leads to an inner satisfaction that in turn fosters sublime simplicity. A person who lives simply and thinks high remains firmly focused on a worthwhile goal. Again in Sri Krishna’s words, “Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one.” (Gita 2.41) This focus protects the simple, thoughtful person from tangential, trivial distractions and diversions that squander energy, time, and life itself. The person with such focused awareness is joyful.

Simple living and high thinking can revolutionize our lives. By guiding us past the pervasive foundations of lust and greed that our current civilization rests on, these two principles – simple living, high thinking – create a culture shock: they force us to be aware of what is actually necessary and what is superfluous. And to our embarrassment, we find that much of what we thought was necessary is actually superfluous.

Srila Prabhupada writes, “Live a very simple life, just maintaining body and soul together. Certainly one requires some means of livelihood, and according to one’s varna [occupation] and ashrama [spiritual order of life] this means of livelihood is prescribed in the shastras [scriptures]. One should be satisfied with this. Therefore, instead of hankering for more and more money, a sincere devotee of the Lord tries to invent some ways to earn his livelihood, and when he does so Krishna helps him.” ( Bhagavatam  7.14.5, Purport)

This joyful, focused awareness comes not just from doing one’s societal duty but also and especially from developing one’s attraction to the Supreme Person. Queen Kunti says, “O Lord of Madhu [Krishna], as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.” ( Bhagavatam  1.8.42) Srila Prabhupada explains: “This unalloyed devotion is the ultimate goal of life. Our attention is usually diverted to the service of something which is nongodly or not in the program of the Lord. When the program is changed into the service of the Lord, that is to say when the senses are purified in relation with the service of the Lord, it is called pure unalloyed devotional service. Srimati Kuntidevi wanted that perfection and prayed for it from the Lord.” ( Bhagavatam  1.8.42, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada’s Example

Devotees in the Hare Krishna movement carry a story with them that gives them a sense of simple living, high thinking and an appreciation of the value of pure, unalloyed devotional service – that is the story of Srila Prabhupada. In coming to the Western world with practically no possessions, money, or contacts, and freely giving the invaluable gift of transcendent knowledge as well as a practical process to attain the goal of that knowledge, Srila Prabhupada exemplified simple living, high thinking.

Srila Prabhupada’s remarkable story gives his followers a sense of family, a recognition of Krishna’s caring presence, an appreciation of His mysterious ways. Through this unique story his followers share a common bond, with shared values, goals, and affection for one another. And inspired by Srila Prabhupada’s qualities and character, as well as his seismic teachings, Srila Prabhupada’s followers strive to think high and be more internally and externally simple.

This sort of simplicity is far more than minimalism; it means extricating ourselves from the ironlike governance of bodily consciousness; it means giving up hankerings, including the hankering for honor, respect, and prestige; it means saying no to ungodly options; it means remaining satisfied with whatever we have; it means, despite everything, staying spiritually resolute in purpose, just as Srila Prabhupada did; it means tasting the ecstasy of our own insignificance.

On the principles of simple living and high thinking, Srila Prabhupada gave us a vision of the world we can build together. These principles are not only about doing what’s right but are also a moral framework by which to see the world and navigate in it while remaining unaffected by it. Simple living and high thinking are a way to understand our struggles and our journey.

Our Consciousness Matters Most

One would hope that it would be easy to understand and apply the principles of simple living, high thinking to our lives. But this isn’t always so. For example, on one hand Srila Prabhupada writes, “A devotee should not live very gorgeously and imitate a materialistic person. Plain living and high thinking are recommended for a devotee. He should accept only so much as he needs to keep the material body fit for the execution of devotional service.” ( Bhagavatam  4.22.24, Purport) Certainly most exemplary devotees of Sri Krishna follow this directive – they live simply, dress simply, eat simply, and behave simply. But we hear of highly advanced devotees who lived differently. Ultimately, simplicity is not about the number of possessions and responsibilities we have or don’t have; it’s about our consciousness. And externals may belie our consciousness.

Sri Chaitanya-bhagavata (Madhya-khanda  7.47–121, summarized here) relates an instructive episode in this regard. Mukunda Datta and Gadadhara Pandita were close associates and childhood friends of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. When Mukunda heard that Pundarika Vidyanidhi, who was known to him but not to Gadadhara, was visiting their town, Mukunda brought Gadadhara to meet Pundarika, whom Mukunda praised as an exceptionally advanced devotee. But when they visited Pundarika, what Gadadhara saw surprised him.

“Pundarika Vidyanidhi seemed to be a glorious prince. He sat on a splendid red chair decorated with brass. The chair was beautiful with splendid fine cloth and graceful cushions on four sides. Above him were three splendid canopies. There were five or seven brass pitchers, both large and small. There were excellent betel nuts on a splendid brass tray. On both sides were splendid spittoons. Looking at Gadadhara Pandita and chewing betel nuts, he [Pundarika Vidyanidhi] smiled. At every moment two men fanned him with peacock-feather fans. . . . Although he was in truth an exalted Vaishnava, externally he seemed to be a materialist. He ate opulent food and wore opulent clothing, and his hair was anointed with opulent fragrances.”

Pundarika then heard Mukunda recite a verse from the  Bhagavatam  about how the merciless demoness Putana ate babies and was planning to kill infant Krishna by suckling him with her poison-smeared breast, yet despite this, because Putana approached Krishna as a mother and offered Him her breast milk, Sri Krishna gave her the post of being His mother in the spiritual world. The verse implies that only an ignorant fool would not worship Lord Krishna, who grants such mercy.

On hearing this verse, Pundarika Vidyanidhi began to weep and exhibit the overwhelming ecstatic emotions of a devotee possessed of the highest levels of love for Krishna. Gadadhara witnessed this transformation and became filled with wonder.

“Seeing Pundarika Vidyanidhi dressed like a materialist,” he said, “I thought, ‘He is a Vaishnava attached to sense pleasures.’ . . . I have committed an offense to Pundarika Vidyanidhi. But if I become his disciple, he will forgive my offense.”

When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was told of Gadadhara Pandita’s desire, He approved of it.

When Pundarika Vidyanidhi understood that Gadadhara wished to become his disciple, he smiled and said, “Destiny has placed a great jewel before me. I have no doubts. After many births I have become fortunate to find such a disciple.”

Actual simplicity is a heart fully devoted to Sri Krishna. Until we achieve that exalted state, however, simplicity means that whatever situation we find ourselves in, we think and act for the pleasure of guru and Krishna, we learn from that situation, we depend on Krishna, and we strive to advance spiritually. This consciousness is simple living and high thinking, and it will gradually qualify us to go back home, back to Godhead.

Vishakha Devi Dasi has been writing for BTG since 1973. The author of six books, she is the temple president at Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK. She and her husband, Yadubara Dasa, produce and direct films, most recently the biopic on the life of Srila Prabhupada Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement, and the Swami Who Started It All. Visit her website at OurSpiritualJourney.com. Source:   https://btg.krishna.com/simplicity-a-not-so-simple-concept/

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Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The Yoga of Ecology: Simple Living, High Thinking

By chris fici (krishna kisore das)   |  aug 03, 2012.

In the late 1960s, when the acclaimed Vedic scholar/teacher A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brought the timeless tradition of bhakti-yoga to the Western world, his vision of spiritual renewal for a society caught up in the throes of tremendous upheaval included a bold yet elementary cure.

Coming as he was from the sacred Indian village of Vrindavan, from a culture where sustainability and a respectful relationship with the Earth where inherently coded into the fabric of life, he knew that the massive disconnect in society at large was the effect of being disconnected from our most natural heritage. Borrowing a phrase from Mahatma Gandhi, who had influenced him as a youth, he challenged and inspired some of his first students to imbibe the ideal of “simple living and high thinking.”

Swami Prabhupada understood that the complexities of modern life could be a serious impediment to one’s spiritual growth. If one could live very simply, off the grid as much as possible, growing one’s own food and providing for one’s own necessities, and following in the traditional and modest cultural example of bhakti-yoga’s heritage in India, then the possibility of enlightenment even amidst the insanity of 20th-century life would be strengthened.

Now, over 40 years later, as life in the 21st century presents its own set of complications, “simple living and high thinking” is more prescient and vital than ever. Many of Swami Prabhupada’s students who took up this challenge have struggled and failed yet endured to create the kinds of rural communities and cultural examples that he wanted.

During my time as a monk in the bhakti-yoga tradition, I worked for one year with Terry Sheldon, one of Prabhupada’s students, on his organic farm project in the Ohio River Valley near Wheeling, W.Va. His Small Farm Training Center (SFTC) is Terry’s offering to the world on how we can practically, theoretically, and spiritually understand our relationship to the planet which gives us our life, breath, and heart.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-fici/the-yoga-of-ecology_b_1692190.html?utm_hp_ref=green

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