Dec 6, 2010
Step Out of the Rush…
Here is a wonderful story that has been floating around in cyberspace. THE SITUATION In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a... read more
Nov 29, 2010
Technology and the Simple Life
Apparently, ballpoint pens don’t work in space because of the lack of gravity. It is said that NASA, troubled by this realization, spent many millions of dollars designing a ‘space pen’ that could function in the absence of gravity. The Russians used a pencil. Whether or not this story is true, it raises interesting questions about how technology is used in modern society. Are we, like NASA,... read more
Oct 19, 2010
Take Back Your Time Day: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty
In a few days – on 24 October – a growing number of people will acknowledge, ‘Take Back Your Time Day,’ an initiative established in 2001 by world leaders in the Voluntary Simplicity Movement, most notably, John de Graaf. This initiative falls on 24 October because that is the day many North Americans and Australians would finish work for the year if they worked the same hours per year as the... read more
Sep 2, 2010
Audio Lecture on Voluntary Simplicity
Dear Simplicity Collective, Just a short note to bring your attention to a free, audio lecture by leading ‘simple living’ advocate, Mark Burch, which is available for download here. It is an insightful and eloquent overview of the idea of voluntary simplicity, particularly useful because of the thoughtful questions posed by members of audience at the end of the lecture, to which Mark responds.... read more
Aug 8, 2010
Breadmaking Workshop a Delight
Contining the Simplicity Collective workshop series, last weekend a roomful of novice breadmakers came together in the name of simple living to explore the art of breadmaking. We were very fortunate to have Andrea, Leesh, and Em as our wise and passionate tutors. Thanks so much to them for their time and willingnes to share their knowledge. It was a delightful afternoon of questions, practice, tastings,... read more
Jul 26, 2010
Small Ways to Make a Big Difference
Over the last three weeks, a large group of writers, educators, and activists organized by Raam Dev has come together to create a free ebook entitled, ‘Small Ways to Make a Big Difference.’ In terms of content, the book’s title speaks for itself. Many of the short contributions made in this book mesh nicely with the underlying ethos of the Simplicity Collective (I’ve made three... read more
Jun 29, 2010
A Brief History of Voluntary Simplicity
The celebration of the simple life is about as old as human history itself; so too are warnings about the dangers of greed and materialism. The story could begin with Siddhartha Gautama – the Buddha – who at the age of 29 gave up the superficial luxuries of a royal existence to seek spiritual truth in a life of extreme asceticism. After nearly starving himself to death through his practice of... read more
Jun 9, 2010
Life after Growth (Short Film)
The economic crash of 2008 revealed not only the frailty and vulnerability of the economic system, it also showed the false basis that the growth economy is built upon. The prescription from mainstream economists is more growth – but is this just taking more of what ails us? Has growth become uneconomic? Is there another way? There is, and the link below provides an inspiring introduction to it in... read more
May 20, 2010
Simple Living Workshop
Last night the first workshop for the Simplicity Collective was held and I am happy to report that it was a success. A wonderful evening of story sharing, philosophizing, and homemade spicy pumpkin soup. Thanks to everyone who turned up. It was truly inspiring to hear your stories and insights. No matter how many books I read on simple living, I learn the most when I am in conversation with others who are... read more
Apr 30, 2010
What Does the Simple Life Mean to You?
Here is an opportunity to share your ideas, perspectives, and insights on simplicity of living. One of the paradoxes of ‘simple living’ is that it is complex. Nobody has all the answers. The simple life is not so much a destination as it is an on-going creative process, and one way to creatively explore your own understanding of simplicity is to put it into words. What does the simple life mean... read more
