Simplicitiy in our lives and in our faith traditions

So many of the earth's great religious traditions have an emphasis within them of voluntary simplicity - not the forced simplicity of war, famine, homelessness, unemployment, illness but the simplicity whicih we decide will be a hallmark of our lives.  Increasingly, consumerism has become widespread across the planet.  It is not only the province of the far-too-rich. It is also the ambition of ordinary people who haunt the shopping malls that make people like the Lowy family wealthy beyond dreams.

Below are some items of interest that might give some stimulus to thinking about simplicity and how we might bring it into our daily lives.

Firstly, there is the Simplicity Institute.  Below you will find its latest report The Deep Green Alternative: debating strategies of transition.  And there's this new book - The Hidden Door.  We don't have to change our religion to adopt a simple life style, to take simplicity into our hearts.  We can just be mindful and make simplicity a spiritual practice in our lives whatever our faith tradition.  Oh!  And minimise those shopping mall visits.