A Simple Life

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The Testimony of Simplicity was one of the things that attracted me to Quakers 30 years ago.

What is a testimony? Well, Quaker’s have used the term “testimonies” since the 17th century to mean a public profession of religious experience, and understanding of the truth. In other words: A testimony is a spiritual leading to action, where spirit and action come together. 

Now as I become more active in climate justice, my calling to simplicity has become more central to my life. I lead a simple life in order to do what I can to save the planet!

Agenda this week:

1. Journal queries
2. Set priorities
3. Simplify my studio
4. Simplify my diet
5. Maintain hope

1. Journal Queries:

Simplicity, according to our book of Faith and Practice, is "cutting away everything that is extraneous, so that our outward life fully reflects our inward life. A simple life need not be cloistered and may even be a busy life. Its activities and expressions are correlated and directed toward the purpose of keeping our communication with God open and unencumbered. Simplicity is a Spirit-led ordering of our lives to this end."

Do I center my life in the awareness of God so that all things take their rightful place?
Do I keep to simplicity, moderation, and honesty in my speech, my manner of living, and my daily work? 
What helps me avoid commitments beyond my strength and light?
How do I order my life to nourish my spiritual growth?

2. Set priorities:

Life is just not simple- nor do I think it should be. And simplicity is actually a complex issue. Simplicity doesn’t mean EASY and it doesn’t mean ELEGANT. Generally, it means-

• everything in moderation- having just enough interests, activities, and stuff in your life to live comfortably and enjoyably; 
• allowing time and space for the things that really matter-- listening to God, caring for each other, and enjoying simple pleasures;
• being a good caretaker of the earth and using only your share of the earth’s resources;
• avoiding self-indulgence;
• maintaining a spirit of humility;
• speaking clearly and directly without exaggeration;
• accepting with thanksgiving all that leads to fullness of life and aids in the service of Truth.

So even though I don't expect life to be simple, I live with as much simplicity as I can manage: I leave time each day for the REALLY important things, and make life-style choices that have integrity.

In order to give time and space for the things that really matter I have to constantly re-figure out what they are... what ARE my priorities and what ARE my goals in life? Contemplation is a priority, so I schedule time for it. I turn over an hour or two first thing each morning to journal, pray, read, and plan- and write this blog!

I work constantly to balance my desire to DO stuff with my need to SLOW DOWN. I take time to examine whether or not I’m feeling led by Spirit to take on an action. If not, I’m good at saying no.

3. Simplify my studio:
Since the fall we have been improving the space in our garage to make it into my painting and teaching studio: Putting up ceiling tiles and insulation, painting the walls, and building shelves. We do it all ourselves, which takes more time, but we learn a lot as we go (and especially we learn about teamwork and patience!)

We had to pull everything down from the upper shelves to put up ceiling tiles, so it's all a mess and I can't find anything. Now I feel a big urge to purge and simplify that space and make it shipshape and tidy. 

My hands-down favorite clutter book is Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing". It's hard to say why, but something about her views spark me creatively.

I think the most helpful idea she has given me is to organize storage so it's easy to put things away: So I can just dump things back into place at the end of a class. My goal this week is to:

• Categorize my supplies better, and put them in logical places in the studio.
• Choose the best shape and size of storage container so things fit easily.
• Thin out anything I won't use in the next two years of teaching.

4. Simplify my diet:
I'm not a vegetarian, but I eat vegetarian more often now, partly for the health benefits, and partly for the environment. Animal agriculture has a big impact on our climate through methane emissions and deforestation. And cows (beef and dairy combined) produce over 65% of the animal agriculture emissions.

Experts say that if we all cut back just a little bit on our meat eating we can make a big dent in emissions. That's why I try to eat one vegetarian meal a day. And I'm even going to try almond milk on my cereal!

Note to car drivers: Don't go thinking cows are the problem!!! Cars account for nearly 20% of US-generated greenhouse gases, and cows only 2%. 

Since I don't own a car, I have to find other ways to reduce my emissions. YOU might need to start with cutting down on driving.

5. Maintain hope:
I can sometimes cling to cynicism and righteous indignation as survival techniques: If I have low expectations then I'm not disappointed, and I can feel superior. 

Since being involved more directly with climate change groups I've realized that my cynicism is going to drive me to despair. I am in awe of these activists who remain optimistic in the face of such a wretched situation. Also, I am uplifted. I realized that I could not work with a group that had that cynical, self-righteous attitude I often exhibit because it would send me into a tailspin.

Besides, who's to say what the reality is? I cannot know what the future will bring. I choose to have hope that we will turn the tide of climate change in time to maintain a livable planet for future generations.

I choose to extend hope to those around me, because that is what will heal the planet and give us the courage to continue.