The Bare Necessities

I was inspired to write this post from my recent viewing of 'The Jungle Book' with my almost 2 year old.  To start off I'd like to enlighten you to the fine lyrics of "The Bare Necessities" song that good ole', jolly Baloo the bear sings to his little human buddy, Mowgli:

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

Old Mother Nature's recipes

That brings the bare necessities of life

Wherever I wander, wherever I roam

I couldn't be fonder of my big home

The bees are buzzin' in the tree

To make some honey just for me

When you look under the rocks and plants

And take a glance at the fancy ants

Then maybe try a few

The bare necessities of life will come to you

They'll come to you!

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Forget about your worries and your strife

I mean the bare necessities

That's why a bear can rest at ease

With just the bare necessities of life

Now when you pick a pawpaw

Or a prickly pear

And you prick a raw paw

Next time beware

Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw

When you pick a pear

Try to use the claw

But you don't need to use the claw

When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw

Have I given you a clue?

The bare necessities of life will come to you

They'll come to you!

So just try and relax, yeah cool it

Fall apart in my backyard

'Cause let me tell you something little britches

If you act like that bee acts, uh uh

You're working too hard

And don't spend your time lookin' around

For something you want that can't be found

When you find out you can live without it

And go along not thinkin' about it

I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you

The song has a catchy tune and I found myself singing along and repeating that first verse even after the movie was long done and I realized the genius of those words. 

Baloo's Wise Words	My Interpretation
Forget about your worries	Don't waste time focusing on your troubles in life
Look for the bare necessities	Concentrate only on your basic needs
Old Mother Nature's recipes bring you the bare necessities	All that we really need is provided by nature
The bare necessities will come to you	Have faith that your basic needs will be met and don't try to worry about how you'll get what you need
If you work like the bees, you're working too hard	Don't be always on the go - slow down and take in the world around you
Don't spend your time lookin' around for the things you want	Try not to be thinking about the stuff you want, instead be grateful for what you already have
When you find you can live without it, you'll go along not thinkin' about it	Realize that the stuff you think you want, you don't need then you'll be able to stop wanting and enjoy life more
Then the bare necessities of life will come to you	When you change your thinking, then your basic needs will be met more easily.

Now Baloo's got a few less needs than us, but I like the point he's makin' ; clarify what your needs and wants are  and decide that as long as your few basic needs are met you can live life happily.  When we let go of trying to control everything in our lives, we allow good things that are uniquely designed for our lives to flow in.  Depend on nature and God to nourish and fulfill you from the inside out.

Finding Mother Nature

About 4 or 5 years ago I was struggling with regular thoughts of discontent and it was recommended I read 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle.  I did read it back then and although found it good I couldn't say that the teachings changed my outlook at the time.  I just wasn't ready for it then.  In the last year, I have heard Eckhart speak a few times, read 'A New Earth' and reread 'The Power of Now' and see the truth and practicality in his teachings and how it relates to my life and thinking.  'The Power of Now' was one of my introductions to the need for humans to connect with nature.

Find more resources by Eckart Tolle

It seems that we all have the right time to realize some the the great truths in life and it will sometimes take a bit of time to really comprehend how it works in our lives.  Realizing the truth of nature is one of those 'truths' to comprehend.  Not with your thinking though; connect to it with your whole body. 

It's probably easier for most people just starting to see nature's gifts to be in an area where you can be for a while and just see life growing naturally, like a forest, park, country road.  Even in the city there's lots of areas to 'retreat' to and see trees, flowers and birds allowed to grow on their own, even if human planting started them off.  Walking along or sitting, look around at the true magnificence of how self sustaining nature really is.  How the birds are easily providing for themselves, trees and plants growing with just the natural elements being there to sustain them.  These living things are not wanting, not reacting negatively; just simply being. Don't put much thought into the experience, just notice your surroundings.

Feeling this appreciation for just short times, like 5 or 10 minutes will greatly refresh you and help you in seeing and feeling good ole' Mother Nature.