THE HOMESTEAD 1854

611 E. Main Street, Plano, IL

Admission is free | Donations welcome!
A virtual option is available to patreon members: https://patreon.com/kindmind

Doors open at 6pm with food and drinks inside the house.

Gathering begins at 7pm with talk, conversation and guided mindfulness. Come meet a friend or make a friend. The talk ends at 8:30pm and grounds close at 10pm.

To register for yoga at 5pm or to book a room at The Homestead 1854, please visit https://thehomestead1854.com

Topic: Being vs Having

In 1976, German social psychologist Erich Fromm published a book which presented the titular question, "To Have or To Be?"  This philosophical inquiry would resurface throughout his work as two distinct modes of existence.  He further claimed that modern society in its materialism prefers having.

In our meetings and mindfulness practice, we often consider the dialectic of being vs doing.  Well, Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa wrote, "to have is to tarry."  In a sense, the more you have, the more you have to do which can weigh you down in terms of freeing your mind.

But does that mean that the goal of spiritual growth would be to eliminate possessions?  I don't think it's that simple.  It is more about transcending possessiveness.  

There is a clear cultural example of this difference when comparing the legacies of human relations with the land or ecology.  If you look at a map of Native Land that shows historically Indigenous territories, you will not find the straight lines and rigid markers as is the case with modern states and countries.  It's much more fluid like the area of defense on a baseball field, with any location more or less covered by a player.  This ties into the notion of stewardship as opposed to ownership of the land, as well as the experience of land as a community rather than a commodity.

Today, what could change with our life, work, responsibilities and relationships if we brought this awareness into our consciousness and mode of existence?  

What changes and what matters more in the moment between:

having something and being present?
having friends and being friendly?
having success and being sincere?
having love and being loving?

Looking forward to exploring this and more with you this month.  And feel free to comment or add suggestions to what you hope to hear about.