Gourt > Society > Lifestyle Choices > Voluntary Simplicity
Simple living (similar but not identical to voluntary simplicity or voluntary poverty) is a lifestyle individuals may pursue for a variety of motivations, such as spirituality, health, or ecology. Others may choose simple living for reasons of social justice or a rejection of consumerism. Some may emphasize an explicit rejection of "westernized values", while others choose to live more simply for reasons of personal taste, a sense of fairness or for personal economy.
Simple living as a concept is distinguished from the simple lifestyles of those living in conditions of poverty in that its proponents are consciously choosing to not focus on wealth directly tied to money or restrictive, cash-based economics. Although asceticism may resemble voluntary simplicity, proponents of simple living are not all ascetics. The term "downshifting" is often used to describe the act of moving from a lifestyle of greater consumption towards a lifestyle based on voluntary simplicity.
History
From the 2nd millennium BC various Hindu and Buddhist groups in the Eastern world had established a voluntarily simplified spiritual lifestyle. This practice continued with various Abrahamic religious movements in the Middle East and Europe. Various notable individuals have claimed that spiritual inspiration led them to a simple living lifestyle, such as Francis of Assisi, Ammon Hennacy and Mahatma Gandhi. More on [ Simple living ]
Alternative Health
Frugality :: Homemaking
Rural Living
Homesteading
Sustainable Agriculture :: Agriculture
Green Living :: Niche
Consumerism :: Environment
Rethinking Work :: Work
@RosabethKanter -- just read about voluntary simplicity in Age of Heretics!
sharontb (SharonTewksburyBloom) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:33:26 -0000
@RosabethKanter -- just read about voluntary simplicity in Age of Heretics!
New Question: Does the idea of voluntary simplicity (even radical simplicity) have any appeal for you?: The idea of... http://bit.ly/8xjoiy
EP_Questions (EP Questions Answers) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:44:17 -0000
New Question: Does the idea of voluntary simplicity (even radical simplicity) have any appeal for you?: The idea of... http://bit.ly/8xjoiy
Voluntary Simplicity http://bit.ly/51idSC
go4more (Jeryl Tan) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:43:26 -0000
Voluntary Simplicity http://bit.ly/51idSC
Voluntary simplicity. The best decision I've ever made.
jakeNNFS (Jacob Duncan) Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:00:10 -0000
Voluntary simplicity. The best decision I've ever made.
"Voluntary Creative Simplicity", RT @mygreenbean Thinking Small: [Downsizing] from Annual Income of $42,000 to $6,500 http://ow.ly/KHVK
yourlocalfoods (Your Local Foods) Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:36:33 -0000
"Voluntary Creative Simplicity", RT @mygreenbean Thinking Small: [Downsizing] from Annual Income of $42,000 to $6,500 http://ow.ly/KHVK
Beginning to wonder if simplicity is a cutting edge discipleship issue for American Christians . . .I didn't say a vow of voluntary poverty.
davidwornom (David Wornom) Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:01:54 -0000
Beginning to wonder if simplicity is a cutting edge discipleship issue for American Christians . . .I didn't say a vow of voluntary poverty.
Hermitary - Offers resources and reflections on hermits, eremiticism, and solitude, which is a form of voluntary simplicity. Includes articles on historical and living hermits, news, book reviews, and philosophical essays on solitude.
Meta Description: [ The Hermitary offers resources and reflections on hermits, eremitism, and solitude. ]
Frugal - A growing site with the goal of providing information and tools for those wishing to simplify their lives and live more frugally.
Meta Description: [ Simple & Frugal is a website dedicated to those on the journey toward simplifying their lives. Here you will find original articles, discussion forums, announcements, chat, and simple living tips, tools, and techniques. ]
Transformation - Wilderdom refers to natural living. They seek to explore human-nature relations and to derive sustainable solutions to modern-living. Wilderdom is also a sustainable living center in Australia.
A Family Living in Voluntary Simplicity - A family which strives to maintain a life of voluntary simplicity through homeschooling, organic farming, music, yoga and ecology.
Meta Description: [ A homeschooling family in which organic farming, music, yoga and ecology are aspects of their ]
A Real Hermit - A photographic story about a hermit that lives in the woods of Ohio, describing his lifestyle in a tiny cabin.
Meta Description: [ A little information about a real life hermit ]
A Real Life Magazine: Simple Organic Living - A Real Life magazine offers unique, practical, upbeat inspiration to create a simpler, healthier, more balanced and fulfilling life in an earthy and intimate ad-free format.
Meta Description: [ A Real Life offers inspiring holistic weekend retreats on Fire Island, New York. ]
Affluenza: PBS Program on the Epidemic of Overconsumption - The online companion to the PBS program on the high social and environmental costs of overconsumption and materialism, helps to recognize and treat affluenza as well as educate the public.
Meta Description: [ The online companion to the PBS program on the high social and
environmental costs of overconsumption and materialism, the site provides
teacher's guides, print resources, Internet links, plus help diagnosing and
treating affluenza ]
Alternatives for Simple Living - Organization that is working to equip people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly. Started in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas.
Meta Description: [ Alternatives is a non-profit organization that equips people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly. Started in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas, our focus is on encouraging celebrations that reflect conscientious ways of living. ]
Barenakedfamily.com - Family whose values include getting rid of stuff to simplify their lives and live their dreams. Describes their eccentric traveling lifestyle and unschooling with photos.
Better Times Webzine - An e-zine of sustainable, simple, and frugal living, published by the Oscar Romero Catholic Worker House.
500
Car Living - The definitive survival guide to living in your car, with real stories, information and resources. Simple living at its extreme.
Center For a New America Dream - Non-profit movement of anti-consumerism - simplifying lifestyles by reducing waste and only buying what is needed in order to be happier and preserve the earth.
Meta Description: [ The Center for a New American Dream helps Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice. As for the “new” in New American Dream, we help people live the dream, but in a way that ensures a livable planet for current and future gen... ]
Cyber Simplify your Life - Provides practical hints on how to create your own meaning for information to prevent overload, communication crisis and technostress. Includes coaching tips and stress-reduction exercises.
Deliberate Life - Comprehensive articles on simple living, homesteading, homeschooling and sustainability, for those who want to change the world by improving their lifestyle.
Meta Description: [ The ultimate homesteading, sustainable agricultural, lost arts portal and online school. ]
Desiderata - A famous poem and declaration of what is essential to one's life and how to live peacefully.
Fringe Wisdom: Spirituality, Love, Food, Nature, and The Art of Being Human - How to change the common point of view which is destroying our world, to one that teaches us to nurture, sustain life on this planet, and evolve.
Meta Description: [ Life and the human condition, viewpoints and how and why they are skewed. Language and communication, beliefs systems and how they relate. ]
Getting a Life - Information, ideas, philosophy and articles on voluntary simplicity, sustainability and spirituality. It focuses on the practical application of the Your Money or Your Life program and the concepts of the Ecological Footprint to achieve a sustainable future.
Hitch Hike Mike: Mike Gitelman - A Canadian hitchhiker and traveller, with his autobiographical writings on his voluntary homelessness, and a description of his simple life in a tree house.
Meta Description: [ 'The Happy Trails of Hitch Mike' and 'Happily Homeless' is Mike Gitelman's self published story spanning 15 years of thumbing rides, having fun, living light and thumbing his finger at authority. Guitar in hand, sleeping bag on back, Mike criss-crossed North America, Europe, and Israel, doing dri... ]
Life: News about Sustainable Healthy Living - News and articles about sustainable living, health, family, livelihood, and mostly voluntary simplicity, since 1976.
Meta Description: [ www.life.ca - Tools for Sustainable, Healthy Living ]
Live Simple - An E-book that sets out specific suggestions for simplifying possessions, home, daily routines, personal goals, and use of resources.
Meta Description: [ A complete ebook to help you simplify your life--from your stuff, to your home, routine, dreams, and resources. ]
Live Simply With Style - Authors Mary Helen and Shuford Smith offer retirement, travel, and photography tips for a simple lifestyle.
Meta Description: [ Authors Mary Helen 'Mara' and Shuford 'Ford' Smith offer tips on living -- retirement, travel, photography, and cooking -- to add zest to your life ]
Living Lightly on the Earth - This site is based on an assumption that every human being has a right to an equal share of physical space on this planet, purely by virtue of being human.
Living Simply at Suite 101 - Tips, information, encouragement, and discussion for those who wish to take control of their lives and learn to relax and simplify.
Meta Description: [ Tips, information, encouragement, and discussion for those who would like to stop running on empty in the fast lane; simplifying at all levels -- monetary, spiritual, material, emotional; one can live simply and still experience abundance. ]
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MindfulCanada: The Canadian Voluntary Simplicity Network - A Canadian online community, message boards, newsletter and information on being mindful of what we are doing to reduce the impact we have on our own lives and the earth.
Meta Description: [ The Canadian Mindful Living Network ]
New Liberty Village - A community and network of websites with articles on self-sufficiency, voluntary simplicity, and spirituality. A movement of ideas and freedom which is providing an online school of right living.
Northwest Earth Institute - Discussion courses on sustainability, deep ecology, living in place, and the practice of simplicity for groups and individuals in the Northwest and across the United States.
Meta Description: [ Northwest Earth Institute promotes environmental education. ]
Path to Freedom - One Step at A Time - Strives to inspire individuals to think globally, act locally by motivating them to live a simpler and more fulfilling life.
Pioneer Thinking - Capturing the Essence of Simple Living - Internet natural living community. Share health, home, and beauty tips, mens health, and crafts.
Meta Description: [ You will find it all from Hair Care, Skin Care, Parenting, Crafts and Gardening to Relationships, Health and Weight Loss... This is the place to be! ]
Real Simple - An online magazine devoted to simplifying life and making it more meaningful for busy people, based on the print magazine.
RichGiving: Learning to Make Giving More Meaningful - Community site exploring ways to make gift giving more meaningful, through giving of the self, for the soul and for the future. Emphasis on ecology, sustainability, simplicity and spirituality.
Meta Description: [ RichGiving - Learning to give meaningful gifts ]
Seeds of Simplicity - A program of the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy at Cornell University, Seeds of Simplicity is a national, nonprofit public-membership organization working to help build a strong voice for voluntary simplicity as an authentic social justice and environmental movement.
Meta Description: [ Join Simple Living America to Get Satisfied and receive a 50% book discount on Get Satisfied: How Twenty People Like You Found the Satisfaction of Enough. Post your own stories to build a satisfaction movement with Ed Begley, Jr. ]
Simple Abundance - Sarah Breathnach's official website for her series, 'Simple Abundance'. Simple appreciation of every day life and beautiful things.
Meta Description: [ The official website of Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, Something More and the Illustrated Discovery Journal ]
Simple Living Network - Sponsors a huge range of simple living resources as well as communities and books. A one-stop place for most subjects involving simplifying your own life.
Meta Description: [ Providing Resources, Examples & Contacts For Conscious, Simple, Healthy & Restorative Living. ]
Simple Living Resource Guide - Resource guide for people interested in voluntary simplicity, simple living, and downsizing, maintained by the Pierce Simplicity Study.
Meta Description: [ Resource Guide for People Interested in Voluntary Simplicity, Simple Living, and Downsizing ]
Simply Living - An non-profit organization in central Ohio, educating people to live responsibly and sustainably in a joyful relationship with the earth and one another.
Meta Description: [ Simply Living, the organization for people who wish to develop earth-friendly lifestyles. ]
Slow Lifestyle Manifesto - The author takes an anti-workaholism stance, and promotes a slower lifestyle. The site offers humorous stories of the slow lifestyle and a forum to discuss the benefits of slowing down.
Meta Description: [ Slow Down Now:The almost serious antidote to workaholism. ]
The Center for Whole Communities - Beautiful learning center dedicated to nurturing the relationship between people and the land, a community gathering place, and a working family farm in Fayston, VT.
The Garden - A community of people on the internet who are striving for growth and transformatio, for creating a beautiful place in our own lives and on the Internet, and at the same time helping to preserve and restore some of the beauty of our planet.
The Journal of Voluntary Simplicity - Subscription information for the quarterly journal about simplifying our lives. Includes information on related books.
Meta Description: [ Simple Living from Janet Luhrs, simplicity expert, connects people, products, and ideas for a life of simplicity; with tips, secrets, and words of inspiration., Simple Living - Connecting you with people, products, and ideas that allow you to live more simply ]
The Lifestyle Movement - A UK movement working towards living in a way that uses the earth's resources responsibly, and also for social justice and equality.
Meta Description: [ Bargainhost Low priced webhosting in the Uk, with free domain names, cpanel, php, mysql, frontpage, graphical stats ]
The New Road Map Foundation - Providing people with practical tools and innovative approaches for managing and mastering basic life challenges.
Meta Description: [ Providing people with practical tools and innovative approaches for managing and mastering basic life challenges. ]
The Simple Times Newsletter - Free twice-a-month e-mail publication dedicated to the pursuit of simple living. Includes regular topic list.
Thoughts on Voluntary Simplicity - Explains the difference between voluntary simplicity and frugality; articles on topics such as building the simple life.
Meta Description: [ Voluntary simplicity is about freedom. Its about owning your own life. Frugality is living with less of what money can buy. Voluntary simplicity is wanting less. ]
Voice Yourself - Project started by Woody Harrelson and Laura Louie to encourage citizens to protest pollution of the air, soil, and water through everyday choices and behaviors. Includes information about their bike and bus tour, recipes, a guide to farms, and a forum.
Voluntary Simplicity from Natural Life Magazine - Articles on voluntary simplicity from the online version of Natural Life magazine, a periodical promoting natural living, home business and environmentally friendly products.
Meta Description: [ A portal to information about healthy houses, downshifting, green living, renewable energy, simple living, electric cars, alternative transportation, solar energy and other topics pertaining to a natural, healthy lifestyle, including information from Natural Life Magazine. ]
Voluntary Simplicity Overview - Essay on voluntary simplicity and why it is gaining acceptance, as well of some of the movement's roots in the 70's.
Meta Description: [ Living Better...for Less! Hundreds of articles to save you time and money. Even a FREE weekly newsletter full of dollar stretching ideas. ]
Voluntary Simplicity Study Circles by Janet Luhrs - Article from In Context on Janet Luhrs' study circles in sustainable agriculture and voluntary simplicity.
Welcome to Raven Talk - Raventalk is a portal for exploring how to create a sustainable planet future. Provides connections to people, activists and ideas which are working towards a healthy and sustainable planet for all living beings
Meta Description: [ A site to explore living harmoniously, sustainably and creatively on the Earth. ]
Work, Money, Time, Future - Arbeit, Geld, Zeit, Zukunft - Thoughts on work, money, time and future with questions that make us reconsider what we are doing to impact our lives and the future.
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