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The term “Village Living” conjures up different thoughts for different people when I ask. For me, the 3 terms that stand out are peace, nature, and back-to-basics. What is so great about Village Living that provoked me to want you to listen to today’s conversation? Allow me to expand on what I call “the practical philosophy of Village Living” today. I believe that you do not need to live in a village to experience Village Living – you could experience it where you are today if you know how.

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Contents

Background and Motivation
What is Village Living?
Why Village Living is a Good Thing
Roots and Ruptures
1234Migration – Villages to Cities and Back
1234Dwindling Populations
1234Losing the Village Connection
1234Infrastructure
1234Decline in Villages
Implementing Village Living
1234Nature Connect
1234Movement
1234Fitness Activities
1234Food and Nourishment
1234Rest and Sleep
1234Working from Home
1234Working Forever
1234Hobbies
1234Mindfulness
1234Human Connection
1234Community Contribution
1234Celebration and Ritual
1234Leadership
1234Polymath Spirit
Tracking
Take-Home Message
Parting Message

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Background and Motivation [top]

It was about 5 years ago that a realization came to me. Despite living in 3 megacities, London, Hong Kong, and Mumbai for most of my life until then, I had become someone who much preferred being physically located in a village. It happened by chance that, at the end of 2021, with COVID restrictions mostly dismantled, I experienced living in a village in Goa for about 6 months. Ever since then, I have tried to minimize my time in cities, large and small. I then started to question why I had this preference for rural over urban, for rustic village over high-tech city. Over time, I curated my thoughts into what I say today. The reason it will be useful to you is that living in a village is not necessary for you to experience Village Living.

It is now 13 years since I redesigned my work so that my life could be lived where I choose for any month of the year. I have been working remotely for many years prior to COVID out of conscious choice. I know that very few of you have made the effort to change how you work so that you, too, can have the luxury of spacetime flexibility like I do. And, maybe you are someone who does not want the flexibility of location, perhaps because you have young kids or older family members to take care of. Today’s conversation is to encourage you to experience Village Living wherever you are.

What is Village Living? [top]

Village Living is best understood as a conscious adoption of rural rhythms rather than a mere residence in a rural place. It is a practical philosophy that values peace, nature, and simplicity, reminding us that one need not live in a village to embody its essence. The habits are simple: rising with the sun, resting earlier, moving through the day with natural activity like walking, gardening, or small repairs, and eating fresh, local food that fosters self-sufficiency. These rhythms create mental spaciousness by reducing overstimulation and digital clutter, often through screen‑free evenings that invite reading, crafting, or quiet reflection. Socially, Village Living emphasizes bonds on a human scale — neighbours helping neighbours, shared spaces nurturing trust, and relationships offering emotional security. At its heart lies the mantra of “simple living, high thinking,” which shifts focus from material distraction to wisdom and growth of internal wealth.

Why Village Living is a Good Thing [top]

The primary reason Village Living is considered beneficial — especially when contrasted with traditional village life — is that it represents a conscious lifestyle choice rather than a fixed location. One does not need to reside in the countryside to embody its rhythms; Village Living can be practised anywhere by adopting habits that prioritize peace, simplicity, and alignment with nature. Unlike village life, which is historically bound by kinship obligations, seasonal survival, and pervasive social control, Village Living allows individuals to selectively capture the benefits of rural existence while retaining autonomy, privacy, and modern standards of well-being. It fosters the “good-life effect” of regained time and lowered stress, encourages voluntary community bonds on a human scale, and supports the philosophy of “simple living, high thinking” by reducing material excess in favour of reflection and growth. For professionals, it also provides an environment conducive to deep work and creativity, borrowing the advantages of modern connectivity while avoiding the overstimulation of urban centres. Ultimately, Village Living is a portable sanctuary: a way of living that trades convenience for calm, and transforms everyday life into a restorative practice of wisdom and balance.

Before diving into an implementable plan, let us cover a few related topics briefly.

Roots and Ruptures [top]

As you read the 5 ideas below, reflect on how the Unholy Trinity drives progress for humankind while simultaneously giving rise to deeper, more complex problems.

Migration from Villages to Cities and then Back [top]

The poor in villages are often drawn to what they perceive as glittering opportunities in cities. Yet that glitter is not always gold. Every city dweller, if traced back far enough, has roots in a village. A large fraction of urban residents finds themselves locked in a cycle — educating themselves to work for or run businesses they cannot abandon, because their aspirations, and those of their children, tie them to the city. The very rich, however, often seek a form of rural connection, not for survival but for space to thrive — through a second home in the countryside or a farmhouse just beyond city limits. Ultimately, there remains a deep human desire to stay physically connected to nature, rather than to brick, concrete, steel, and glass.

Dwindling Populations [top]

The population of my beautiful village in Assam has shrunk over the last five decades. In cities, adults are having fewer children—often just one, and sometimes none, something unthinkable a generation ago. In my opinion, this is a troubling trend, and I will write about it separately one day soon.

Losing the Village Connection [top]

The elitist school I attended as a child in Mumbai had over a hundred students in my year. Yet, to my knowledge, only one other student maintained a connection to their ancestral village hundreds of miles away — and, four decades later, still does. We studied at globally reputed places like Yale and Cambridge, but we remain rooted in rural ties, or even establish new ones. We won the sperm lottery twice: first through the genes and environmental support of our parents; then through their wisdom in preserving a physical connection to village life and Village Living.

Over 6 decades, I have observed in others a breaking of these rural bonds. To me, the desire to explore other parts of the country or world cannot justify such complete fractures. After all, you do not dismiss your cook at home simply because a Thai restaurant has opened in your neighbourhood. And perhaps you might ask yourself: which of your very distant relatives still live in villages, and what are their lives like today?

Infrastructure [top]

A marked difference between urban and rural settings has usually been modern infrastructure – the traditional basics (motorable roads, 24×7 electricity, clean water supply) and the internet age basics (mobile telephony, internet connectivity, online shopping).

Infrastructure is just that – infrastructure. And so, like a tool, like a knife – you can use it for the betterment of self and society, or for making things worse.

If motorable roads made travel between distant villages easier, they also brought noise and air pollution. If 24×7 electricity allowed families to use time-saving appliances, it also disrupted circadian rhythms with artificial light at night. If reliance on government water reduced illness from waterborne diseases, it also displaced robust, low-cost rainwater systems, leaving expensive schemes prone to poor maintenance and breakdowns.

If mobile phones made instant communication across villages possible, they also brought constant interruptions and the erosion of quiet time. If internet access opened doors to education, commerce, and global awareness, it also flooded communities with misinformation, distraction, and addictive platforms. If digital networks connected villagers to opportunities beyond their borders, they also weakened local bonds, replacing shared stories and traditions with solitary scrolling and virtual dependence. And if online shopping brought convenience and access to goods once unavailable, it also encouraged dependency on distant supply chains, eroded local markets, and reshaped expectations of instant delivery.

Infrastructure is a knife: it can carve connections or cut away the bonds that sustain us.

Decline in Villages [top]

Modernization has brought many positives to traditional villages—from critical life‑and‑death improvements to lighter, everyday conveniences. Yet I also see signs of decline, both in the Goan village where I live and in the villages of Assam, mine and others, where I have spent time. Today’s conversation is not about halting that decline, but about empowering you to consciously embrace Village Living wherever you may be, on any day of your life.

Implementing Village Living [top]

I do not know who you are, but it is highly likely that you do not live in a village. That does not mean you cannot experience the benefits of Village Living right where you are. Whether in the concrete jungle of Mumbai or a leafy suburb of London, I manage to do much of what follows. Once you decide that Village Living is to be part of your Internal Culture, it simply comes down to closing the Implementation Gap.

Nature Connect [top]

The simple and wise in my village are not drawn to cities—except out of curiosity. Unlike goldfish confined to a bowl, they know they are immersed in nature. When I am surrounded by nature, whether in my villages in Assam or Goa, I feel no pull to visit the nearest town or city. Nature is not just a view from your window; it is a bond with the earth itself. Rising with the sun resets the body’s clock, and even a small balcony garden can remind you of growth’s quiet cycles. I make it a point to step outside at least twice a day—whether into a forest path or simply under an open sky. Even in a concrete jungle, the act of seeking nature is possible, though not always easy. Step onto the soil, water a plant, or look up at the sky—each is a reminder that brick and steel are not enough. Ask yourself: do you know when the sun will set tomorrow, where you are? Are you aware of the moon’s phase today?

From the bond with earth flows the way we move upon it.

Movement [top]

Even when offered a ride on a motorcycle or in a car to where I am headed on foot, I say no. Movement should not be scheduled like a gym class; it should be woven into the urban day. In Village Living, walking becomes the default, shrinking your reliance on cars and lowering your footprint. Errands done on foot build vitality and keep life at a human pace. And when you need to go further, faster, choose a bicycle instead of a motorized vehicle. Carry your provisions home in bags of natural fibre, accept the discomfort of hot sun, or welcome the cool wind on your face—and remember: feet for the near, human‑powered wheels for the far.

And movement, when lived daily, becomes the very foundation of fitness.

Fitness Activities [top]

Even with paid help in our village, I often see my 95‑year‑old father take on physically demanding tasks himself. Fitness in Village Living is not about machines or memberships; it is about the outdoors. A daily walk is the foundation of health, and tasks like gardening or repairs in your urban home add functional strength. Nature itself becomes the reset button—whether through a short stroll or a longer trek. Pulling weeds, chopping wood, or carrying water are not exercises but life itself. The nervous system calms, the body strengthens, and the spirit steadies. Keep and use your gym membership, but remember: true fitness is not measured in repetitions, but in rhythms. Before urban sickcare was known to village folk, they stayed healthy even as they lived with the fear of “rising sickcare costs.”

Strength finds its balance in nourishment, for the body thrives on what it consumes.

Food and Nourishment [top]

People in my village in Assam know of my obsession with green leaves for a long Healthspan, and will regularly bring us seasonal produce from their gardens—fruits and vegetables too. Village Living is inseparable from what we eat. Fresh, local food is not just healthier—it ties us to the land and to the people who grow it. Cooking with seasonal produce, buying from nearby farmers, or even growing a few herbs yourself brings a rhythm of self‑sufficiency into urban lives. A meal becomes more than fuel; it becomes a ritual of gratitude. To eat simply is to live richly.

After eating and exertion, rest restores the rhythm and steadies the spirit.

Rest and Sleep [top]

My years of detailed sleep logs confirm that I get my best rest in my village in Assam. Villages rise with the sun and settle with the night. Aligning your sleep — whether in Noida or New York — with natural light restores balance to the body and calms the mind. Early nights, screen‑free evenings, and waking with dawn create a rhythm that urban overstimulation often erodes. Rest is not idleness—it is the foundation of vitality. To sleep well is to live well.

With vitality renewed, even our work can be reshaped to honour freedom and place.

Working from Home [top]

Thanks to a smart investment in electricity backup systems, I can work from my remote village in Assam to follow global financial markets and clients whom I mentor spread across the world. Working from your urban home — even if only a few days a week — offers a taste of freedom. On those days, you can choose to be where you feel most alive, not where an office tower dictates. Even limited remote work brings its gifts: deeper focus, less noise, and a chance to step outdoors between tasks. I find it helps to carve out a small corner for work and to end each day with a ritual — closing the laptop, stepping outside, and letting the professional fade into the personal. Without such boundaries, the office creeps into the home, and the home loses its soul.

And when work recedes, regained time opens space for pursuits that anchor presence.

Working Forever [top]

In my village, there is no retirement age. I plan to be socially productive there at 110.  From early childhood until late in life, each person in the village has tasks that contribute to the family and community. The nature of that work changes as they move from childhood to old age, but the contribution continues. Even if you dream of retiring from an income‑generating business or employment, find pursuits that build both internal wealth and external wealth. Reading the newspaper or watching TV should not be your way of passing Healty Time in the city. At the age of 95, my father remains active on the land in our remote village in Assam, just as he is in our homes in Mumbai and London.

Work is not abandoned — it is transformed into contribution across the seasons of life.

Hobbies [top]

Some of my hobbies—like LHW or mathematics—shape only my internal space. Others, such as language learning or researching and teaching Healthspan extension protocols, allow me to be very useful to others, though they are not tied to my location. But it is the foraging for wild fruit, berries, and edible leaves and flowers that is easier in villages, yet I enjoy the challenge of pursuing it during the few weeks I spend in cities. That is me; for you, it will be different. Regained time is best spent on things that make you present. Reading, crafting, repairing, or cooking from scratch are not chores but anchors. A screen‑free evening opens space for these pursuits, and it is in that space that patience and focus return. Gardening or mending something by hand reminds us that life is not only about consuming but also about creating. Bake bread, stitch a torn shirt, or plant a seed — each hobby is a quiet rebellion against hurry. A hobby is not a pastime — it is a practice of presence.

Every hobby, like every task, deepens when approached with mindfulness.

Mindfulness [top]

We ought to approach everything with mindfulness — whether reading our bank statements or communicating through prayer. Village rhythms slow the pace and invite presence. Screen‑free evenings give the nervous system a break from urban overstimulation. In that quiet, reflection deepens, and wisdom grows. Mindfulness here is not a technique but a way of living — less reactive, more attentive. It shifts focus from material distractions to the cultivation of internal wealth. Every little task that needs doing can be done with greater mindfulness. To be mindful is to live with fewer jolts and more pauses.

Mindfulness within naturally extends outward, shaping how we connect with others.

Human Connection [top]

Whether in Mumbai or London with their massive populations, or in my village in Assam or Goa, there is mutual familiarity with people in my neighbourhood. Village Living thrives on bonds at a human scale. It is about recognizing faces, greeting neighbours, and becoming more than a number. These small interactions build belonging and comfort, making life less anonymous. A handshake or a namaste, a wave, a shared smile, or a brief chat can do more for emotional security than any digital network. Walk to your neighbourhood stores to get your provisions from shopkeepers whose names you know, and who now know your preferences. Connection is not built in grand gestures — it is built in daily presence.

Connection matures into contribution, where belonging is expressed through action.

Community Contribution [top]

A system of barter ensures that governments cannot tax you for exchanging goods and services with friends, family, and neighbours. Over the last century, organizations — companies, governments, and educational establishments — have inserted themselves as intermediaries, breaking the bonds of reciprocity and barter that villages sustained for centuries. To live in a village spirit is to shift from passive consumer to active participant. Share skills, tools, or produce; offer help in small ways. Attend a meeting, lend a hand in hardship, or simply be available. These acts weave a safety net of trust, mimicking the bonds of rural life. Offer your neighbour a ladder, exchange recipes, or help repair a fence. Contribution is not charity — it is belonging expressed through action.

Contribution blossoms into celebration, rituals that weave meaning into shared life.

Celebration and Ritual [top]

It fascinates me that in my village in Assam, there is always something being celebrated or a religious offering or prayer every week. I am not wise enough, yet, to be able to see that so much time and resources being expended in something so apparently wasteful is not wasteful indeed. Village Living is marked by small rituals and shared celebrations — festivals, harvests, or even a neighbour’s gathering. In an urban setting, you can recreate this spirit by marking the seasons, hosting simple meals, or celebrating milestones with your community. Rituals remind us that life is not only about tasks but about meaning. To celebrate is to remember that joy is communal.

And through celebration, the spirit of leadership emerges—guiding others gently by example within community life.

Leadership [top]

I have never been drawn to modern, conventional leadership positions conferred by election or authority. You do not need an institution or corporation to grant you a title to lead. Leadership is a behaviour available to anyone, in any place. The best way to lead is by example. Just as in a village, think twice about your actions so that the young and old, impressionable alike, adjust themselves toward a better path. Whether within the rigidity of the urban establishment you have chosen to be part of, or in the freedom of your home and neighbourhood, be a leader from now until the day you die. That is my everyday plan.

Leadership is not a position—it is a lifelong practice of example and presence.

Polymath Spirit [top]

In my village in Assam, men and women of all ages carry competence across many tasks — skills that in cities are fragmented into narrow specializations reserved for individuals. The “high thinking” of Village Living is about broadening the mind once material needs are simplified. It is in our basic nature to be polymaths. To grow beyond the narrow tracks of specialization and hyperspecialization — paths laid down by schools, corporations, and governments largely for their own convenience — requires conscious choice. Learn practical skills, but also cultivate reflection. Balance modest physical routines with expansive intellectual pursuits. This mix builds resilience and clarity, preparing the ground for spiritual growth. Read philosophy after tending your garden, or learn a new craft alongside your daily chores. To be a polymath is not to know everything, but to live with curiosity across many domains. Simplicity outside, richness inside.

Tracking [top]

To live Village Living is to notice the rhythms of your own day. Tracking is not about rigid measurement but about gentle awareness—observing when you rise, how you move, what you eat, and how you rest. A simple notebook, a few lines at the end of each day, or even mindful recall before sleep can reveal patterns that either nourish or drain you. The act of tracking is itself a practice of presence: it helps you adjust, rebalance, and return to simplicity.

To track is not to measure alone—it is to notice, adjust, and return to balance.

Take-Home Message [top]

Village Living is not about where you live, but how you live. It is a practical philosophy built on conscious adoption of rural rhythms — rising with the sun, moving naturally through the day, eating fresh local food, embracing screen‑free evenings, and prioritizing rest, mindfulness, and human connection. You can practice it anywhere, whether in a concrete jungle or a leafy suburb, by closing the gap between intention and action: walk instead of drive, tend a small garden or balcony plant, know your neighbours, contribute to your community, and work with purpose without letting it consume your life. Infrastructure is just a tool — use it wisely, but do not let it replace the bonds of nature, simplicity, or presence. At its heart, Village Living means trading convenience for calm, distraction for depth, and material excess for internal wealth. It is a portable sanctuary, available to you starting today, exactly where you already are.

Parting Message [top]

Village Living — whether in a palace, a penthouse, or even a prison — is not about location but about mindset. It is a lifestyle that places you on the path to a long, healthy life, while opening the way to positive spiritual evolution and elevation.

It is your smallest of habits that define who you are today and who you will be tomorrow. If everything you do is consistent with your core beliefs and desires, then a long and healthy life of joy is pretty much guaranteed to be yours. If you would like detailed guidance, you know how to reach me. If you found this useful, please do share it with others.

Puru

Dr Purnendu Nath spends his waking hours focusing on helping individuals and organizations reach their goals, to make the world a better place. He speaks, writes and advises on topics such as finance, investment management, discipline, education, self-improvement, exercise, nutrition, health and fitness, leadership and parenting.