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— Waylon & Elephant Journal (@elephantjournal.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 4:43 PM

Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis presents:

This week on our longrunning, ongoing “Walk the Talk Show” podcast and video series, with awards and millions of views over the years…

“Your things are not your life it’s just your stuff ❤️”, a best friend recently reminded me, of my move out of my longtime home.

I replied: “I hear you but don’t fully agree. We give things meaning through use, care, & love, & we select things through training in or searching for yun. “Stuff” & “crap” is demeaning, cheap, it’s what you buy on Amazon.”

Waylon discusses the idea of “stuff” as he goes through the process of moving out of the home he’s lived in for 18+ years. A close friend shared that it wasn’t Waylon’s “life in that box” when Waylon shared a video of his Pod being taken away.

Rather, his friend replied that it was “just stuff.”

“I replied that I half agree. Things are things, and yeah: if a fire consumes my house, I’m gonna run out with my wife and my dog and myself, and count myself lucky—right? Ultimately, our health and our corporeal bodies and minds and hearts are far more important than some cool lamp.

At the same time, I disagree…” ~ Waylon Lewis

Cheap goods devalue “things.”  “Stuff” and “crap” is demeaning, cheap, it’s what you buy on Amazon.

We’re not defending crap, but things that we genuinely appreciate. We give things meaning through use and care and love, and we select things through training or searching for yun.

 “When we own craft items, these objects in the Buddhist term give Yun—inherent richness—which contributes to a meaningful home and a meaningful life.” ~ Waylon H. Lewis 

For added context about what Waylon mentions in this video: 

>> A Practice for Cultivating Yun: How to Be Rich.

>> F*ck Minimalism. F*ck Modern. Give me Joyously Cluttered, Antique, Upcycled, Repurposed.

Can’t watch? Why not listen: 

Reader/Listener Comments: 

“Agree with what you are saying. That aside, I think what your friend was saying is ‘you are not your pod. You are not your office.'”

Waylon: “totally! I agreed with his take too. And yet I am my things just as much I am my hair or eyes or clothes or bike! I am not just me or my body. I am in community and nature and memories and connection. We’re fluid, not confined, just.”

“It’s curating your space and how you live – for those of us who are sentimental and hold onto family artifacts or heirlooms or who are committed to thrifting and repurposing in a unique way – it can make things irreplaceable. I love what you said about your coffee mug and the potter who made it. That’s a lot of value”

“I applaud your eloquent description of ‘stuff.’ As previous comment stated ‘a curated home’ filled with meaningful objects.”

“Our stuff is who we are and who made us who we are. It’s our connection to our soul. And when we’re ready we will release our stuff and move on to another chapter in our life and our growth. And if we’re never ready, that’s ok.”

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