Recently in one of my courses for university, we discussed the issue of luxury, spirituality and social media as being interconnected in one’s lifestyle.

Right now in society, materialism encompasses the vast majority of our lives and especially if you are young, in your teens, thirties, forties, fifties, or twenties like me.

This is speaking about it generally. In my degree, I’m studying fashion design, I can see this unhealthy trend of overconsuming ‘things’ that will just give us momentary satisfaction.

This is unsustainable.

Like the linear fast fashion equation, where there’s cheap mass production of clothing from factories, constantly—new styles, looks, and advertisements for something physical selling the idea that if you have it, you will be cool, you will feel happy etc, etc.

Yet what’s underneath this facade, is what few people know—slave labor, detrimental environmental impacts, and put simply greed.

Social media promotes this idea of materialism and everything is about aesthetics. But, that’s not what I’ll be going into today.

In my perspective, the spiritual and material are total opposites. Surely, the item you buy is physically existing, but the longest you can obtain it for is only this one lifetime. However, the intangible and the spiritual is what last the longest, it goes beyond.

Amusingly, I find that being a spiritual person is what’s most precious and fulfilling to the inner being even though the elements to it are intangible contrary to a materialist. Then is it wrong for me to assume that materialists are rather shallow to a certain extent? Whilst spiritual believers have a more enriching aura about them?

As I go about my daily life, I sometimes feel a sudden unexpected joy and gratefulness about who I am and it just feels so nice when you don’t need anything to trigger this. I’ve realised that less is more and truly, who needs that much stuff anyway?

If one is at peace with oneself, from inside to outside, one would automatically not desire or pursue various wants. That itself is luxury. Life would then be a lot easier to enjoy and hardship would bring joy—as only once it’s overcome, does one realise the preciousness of the journey.

There’s so much more to life than we know, search for the unknown, look inside yourself and discover what it is you genuinely need, what’s important, what your values are, where is your purpose, or what’s your goal?

Nowadays there are many people that offer mindful practices. I suggest Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, there’s so much to learn and it’s all free.

Read 5 Reasons Why Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) is Great!

Good luck with all your future endeavours!

Peace,
Rose Jane.

Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings.

‘Learn Falun Gong—Australia’ is a website run by Australian Falun Dafa volunteers for the benefit of the general public.

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