There's nothing wrong with the vegetable
Mind Museum #2
Welcome to The Museum of Small and Important Things’s Mind Museum! This is the place where I inform you of what small treasures have been occupying my mind over the past week. Shall we begin?
1. There’s nothing wrong with the vegetable
I went to a good talk by Eli Brown-Stevenson at the Zen Center last week. It was about asking “what conditions are present” rather than “what’s wrong with me?” He used the example of a vegetable in a garden. If a vegetable is struggling, we don’t blame the vegetable. We look to the garden and evaluate the present conditions.
We can approach our experiences and emotions the same way, getting curious about present conditions rather than identifying with emotions (thinking “anxiety is present” rather than “I am anxious”). He also talked about the five hinderances, one of which is sensual desire, or attachment to pleasurable physical sensations, objects, or ideas. He described these thoughts with the phrase “if only”—like, if only I had this I would be happy. I get caught up in those thoughts a lot. Do you?
2. “I do not portray being: I portray passing.”
I’m feeling a bit down this week and one thing that always helps is listening to the Philosophize This! podcast. I’ll can throw on any random episode and be certain that it’ll contain a perspective shift or idea that will, even if only for a moment, snap me out of my despair and maybe even remind me that despair itself is something worth getting curious about.
The ideas in Philosophize This!’s essay about Montaigne feel very aligned with the ideas in Eli’s talk. From the essay: “The description of a tendency can be useful: “I shut down when conflict feels unsafe.” But if that becomes the general air of me, then I risk lumping every future moment into the same one-dimensional story I have about myself.” I feel like the message that humans are multi-dimensional, paradoxical, passing, moment to moment, and unlabelable is not mainstream enough.
I wonder what might be possible if I stopped trying to cram myself and others into convenient little stories. I’m picturing myself joyfully frolicking in a garden filled with the discrepancies of my identity—a bunch of misshapen vegetables and wonky flowers—all strange, perfectly fine, and meant to be there.
3. Five essential reminders for renters:
I found this giant frame on the sidewalk the other day and promptly inserted my own artwork into it and hung it, instantaneously transforming the vibe of my kitchen. I just wanted to say:
walls are repaintable
bad art in good free/thrifted frames can always be swapped out
coziness is urgent, necessary, and non-negotiable
you’ll live there longer than you think
so do it now!
4. A better question: what’s in your bag?
Next time you’re at a party or a dinner (or a date?!), ask your company what’s in their bag. Watch them remove the contents of their bag bit by bit and share stories about the objects they carry around. Then, of course, share the contents of your bag too. Or maybe go first if you like to lead with vulnerability. This is a rare tactile question.
Thanks for reading The Museum of Small and Important Things! My name is Allie Sullberg and I’m an artist, writer, and illustrator. If you liked this post, a huge way to support my work is by liking, commenting, sharing, and of course subscribing!
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I really love the artwork you framed! Such joyful colors and a Mary Blair-esque vibe!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts - I've really enjoyed the Mind Museum series so far! I also love a good (and detailed) What's in My Bag, but never thought to ask other people. Something to think about at the next gathering I attend!