As the Meaning of Modern Luxury Changes, Love Grows for the Quiet Life of the Past

As the world moves forward at a fast pace, the swift changes sweeping through modern forms of life mean that the significance of expensive possessions and a luxurious lifestyle has taken on an entirely new outlook. In earlier times, luxury meant the latest model vehicles, large buildings and decoration that outwardly displayed financial abundance. But for people of this age, who are trying to find even a little breathing space from a life filled with modern busyness and digital stress, the greatest luxury has now become peace of mind and quiet. As the renowned Swiss mental-health expert Dr. Karl Young has said, in order to attain peace of mind, returning to the natural environment and a simple life connected to one's true nature is certainly beneficial. The renowned American neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman notes that this is something necessarily needed to relieve mental stress. According to Dr. Huberman, being in an environment where information keeps coming from digital devices without interruption burdens the functions of the mind and obstructs mental health. Looking at this change from a health perspective, it also has very large effects on the body's immune system and physical health. According to Dr. Mike Osthold, a renowned public-health expert in America, the best way to be protected from the damage the body receives from quickly prepared processed foods and chemical substances is to return to the simple eating and drinking habits that grandparents followed. Experts in dietetics and holistic medicine also agree that relying on naturally available fresh foods and the varieties grown on one's own land enhances the body's energy and keeps it away from heart diseases. In the time of grandparents, the way Dhivehis ate and drank was not merely about filling the stomach. It was the most complete state of health. In addition to fresh ocean fish, together with the varieties available from the land, food prepared from natural things brings the beneficial substances needed by the body in full. Today again, one sees people beginning to love that simplicity, in line with the advice of health experts. When we look back at the past of Dhivehi society, our grandparents' life was greatly intertwined with contentment, togetherness and nature. Even in the act of eating, there was togetherness, love and kindness. Returning to that environment is the greatest peace that today's busy society can receive. Therefore, true luxury is not living in large compounds. It is choosing a simple life with peace of heart and peace of mind.