Minimalist by definition means to strip down to the fundamental aspects of life. Isn’t this how Krishna Consciousness teaches to live our lives?
Srila Prabhupada often talked about simple living and high thinking. Basically, Krishna Consciousness teaches us to live simple lives yet engage in high thinking. Material consciousness, on the other hand, is exactly the opposite where we are encouraged to live a life in “abundance” (whatever that means) giving no much thought to the consequences of our thoughts and actions. In other words, we are educated to live a life that is just about “us” thus increasing our attraction to the idea of “I” and “mine”. The entire bureaucratic system, religious system, social systems, etc are functioning in this day and age just to fulfill this idea of "abundant" lives.
Srila Prabhupada often talked about simple living and high thinking. Basically, Krishna Consciousness teaches us to live simple lives yet engage in high thinking. Material consciousness, on the other hand, is exactly the opposite where we are encouraged to live a life in “abundance” (whatever that means) giving no much thought to the consequences of our thoughts and actions. In other words, we are educated to live a life that is just about “us” thus increasing our attraction to the idea of “I” and “mine”. The entire bureaucratic system, religious system, social systems, etc are functioning in this day and age just to fulfill this idea of "abundant" lives.
Srila Prabhupada states in one of his lectures what it means to live a simple life. A simple way of life is a life of minimal usage. In other words, we become “minimalist”. For example, if one can sleep on a floor comfortable without much problem, then a minimalist will gladly sleep on the floor without much fuss. If one can drink water by cupping his palms, then what need is there for an artificial cup? A minimalist will depend less and less on material objects and depend more on nature and nature’s way of giving thus enabling to live a “simple” life. Srila Prabhupada continues that this way of life can create a situation where we can easily elevate our consciousness and depend on Krishna more and finally learning the art of complete surrender. At the end of the day, high thinking simply means, according to Bhagavad Gita, is to surrender unto the Supreme Lord without which we cannot break this cycle of birth and death.
Therefore, Srila Prabhupada exemplified this minimalist lifestyle when he was on this planet. He used the minimum (as much as needed) without wasting even a farthing. Just from an environmental and sustainability standpoint, this is how everyone should live, but Krishna Consciousness teaches us this way of life naturally. The four regulative principles is a minimalist attitude. We do not use our senses unnecessarily for frivolous subject matter such as illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat eating. If we can keep our body and soul without those activities, what then is the need for it? Therefore it is imperative we study the lives of great devotees as to what it means to live a minimalist life. This way we can live simple lives and engage in high thinking.
So….if we have the strength to walk….walk, why an artificial transport? A minimalist, basically, will not unecessarily engage in excess. In other words, will talk, eat, sleep, live as much as needed - minimally!
I guess, this is a minimlaist sloka
vāco vegaḿ manasaḥ krodha-vegaḿ
jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ
sarvām apīmāḿ pṛthivīḿ sa śiṣyāt
A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world. - NOI text 1
Hare Krishna
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