FUNDamentals

Living Frugally and Being Content
Yes, it really is possible!

 Today, in our country the average credit card debt per household is about $16,000 and the average credit card holder has 3.5 cards. It has become possible and even commonplace for us to live beyond our means, accumulating debt without fully understanding the possible consequences, both of a material and spiritual nature. In this issue of FUNDamentals we would like to talk about readjusting our thinking to focus on living a bit more frugally, being more aware of what we save versus what we spend and even more importantly, learning to be content with what we have.

In this issue we will be sharing a few of the Baha’i writings that speak to contentment and frugality. We also came across a couple stories that relate to these attributes from people who embraced this new way of thinking. And of course, an issue of FUNDamentals wouldn’t be complete without the latest from Hank & Terri. Enjoy!

*If you have any thoughts on these ideas, please share them with us!

From the Writings
Seeking Contentment

O QUINTESSENCE OF PASSION!

Put away all covetousness and seek contentment; for the covetous hath ever been deprived, and the contented hath ever been loved and praised.

            (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

 

Contentment
Appreciating who we are and what we have

“All people will have sooner or later to recover, for example, the capacity for contentment, the welcoming of moral discipline, and the devotion to duty that, until relatively recently, were considered essential aspects of being human.” 

(Baha'i International Community, 1995 Mar 03, The Prosperity of Humankind)

 Have we let ourselves forget how to be content? Have we confused settling for less with being content to live within our means? In a society where bigger is better and we are always looking to spend for validation and happiness, how do we remind ourselves that to keep ourselves and our spirits happy and healthy we have to learn to accept and appreciate who we are and what we have?

    While looking for stories of true contentment, the FUNDamentals team came across a woman’s journey to accept what she had and learn to be appreciative of it. Over time, she changed her way of thinking and learned that “contentment and thankfulness are the rich soil where true happiness takes root.”

“The mind of a contented person is always peaceful and his heart at rest. He is like a monarch ruling over the whole world. How happily such a man helps himself to his frugal meals! How joyfully he takes his walks, how peacefully he sleeps!”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 452)

For many of us, as we begin to rebuild our ‘capacity for contentment’ we will find ourselves more appreciative of small blessings that we may have overlooked before. We may decide that being grateful for all the things we have in our lives is much more fulfilling than obsessing over those things that we feel are lacking. As Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha'i Faith and the Messenger of God for this day, wrote in the Seven Valleys regarding the Valley of Contentment, “Although to outward view, the wayfarers in this Valley may dwell upon the dust, yet inwardly they are throned in the heights of mystic meaning; they eat of the endless bounties of inner significances, and drink of the delicate wines of the spirit.”

Frugality in a Time of Uncertainty
Spending and saving and what we can learn from it

In some way or another almost everyone has been affected by the recent downturn in the economy. While we have started to see little pieces of evidence that the economy is starting to turn around, uncertainty still remains as to how long it will be until we recover. With that in mind, we are sure that reducing spending and thinking more frugally is on everyone’s mind. But frugality isn’t  only useful in uncertain financial times. Learning to live within our means is a valuable lesson no matter what the current economic condition may be.  

Living frugally means that we are more conscious of how we spend, being careful to save where we can and avoiding wastefulness. In our society, it has become all too easy to live beyond our means without really even realizing it. We use credit cards for common purchases without thinking about the interest and other consequences that we will face in the long run. Perhaps this is the opportunity we need to step back and reflect on our spending/saving habits and the cost of our actions, both materially and spiritually. We may find a new appreciation for what we have.

“Economy is the foundation of human prosperity. The spendthrift is always in trouble… We must never live on others like a parasitic plant…It is more kingly to be satisfied with a crust of stale bread than to enjoy a sumptuous dinner of many courses, the money for which comes out of the pockets of others.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 452) 

To begin thinking of some ideas of how we can all begin to live a little more frugally, we would like to share a story with you about a family who changed some of their spending habits after the recent downturn in the economy by passing their own “Economic Stimulus Package.” Read their story to learn how changing just a few habits ended up giving them a spiritual awareness that will stay with them forever.

Hank & Terri
FUNDamentals comic

It is our pleasure to bring you the latest Hank & Terri from The American Bahá’í. Enjoy!

(Click for larger size)