by Roxanne -

The Richness of Simplicity

Photo Scienceblogs.com

When people wonder why I’m so interested in voluntary simplicity and minimalism I can explain that the less stuff I have, the more deeply I can enter into my life. Or I can remind people of the smaller environmental impact of living with less. Of course there’s always the realization that wealth is not about having more but about needing less. Needing less brings great freedom.

But perhaps Miss Minimalist says it best:

“Over the past year, I’ve heard many a critique of minimalism – mainly by people who think it’s nothing more than counting items, decluttering closets, or living out of a backpack.

My answer: minimalism is so much more than that. Minimalism is determining when you have enough, so you can do something extraordinary with the excess.

That may mean working fewer hours so you can spend more time with your kids; buying less stuff to preserve more of the Earth’s resources; or, like Toby Ord, spending less money on material goods and donating more to those in need.

In short, living with less means you have more to give.

That’s the beauty of enough – and that’s how minimalism can change the world.”

To quote theologian Sallie McFague, “We all live more simply so that others can simply live.”

Philosopher Peter Singer wrote a very interesting and compelling book about the same idea: The Life You Can Save. He uses memorable stories to captivate the reader. I recommend it.

Meanwhile, my life’s about to become even more simplified. This year I am moving to another level of simplicity. Check in tomorrow to find out what it is.

by Roxanne -

Surprised by the Spirit

Photo A. Meshar

For me, the surprise of the Spirit manifests itself in all areas of human imagination. Frankly, God exists in our imagination or God doesn’t exist for us at all. Areas where we see the fruits of the Spirit in the human imagination are especially in education and the arts including music. It’s no accident that artists described themselves as being “inspired,” literally meaning “in the spirit.” Through this manifestation of Spirit we are endlessly surprised and delighted. We begin to see the world, events and relationships in different and unexpected ways. This is what makes art and education so transformative. We are pulled out of our limited way of seeing things.

But God or the Spirit exists beyond our imagination. The world is God’s pallet. Look around. Beauty, surprise and awe are everywhere. Reality delights and astonishes us. But we have to be willing to gaze on it with truly open and loving eyes.

Even the worst and the ugly can be seen as beautiful through the artist’s eye. For example artist Chris Jordan created this gallery Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption as a way to help people see the tragedy and devastation of our consumeristic and materialist lifestyle.

Look around today. Spend some time looking out the window. Listen carefully. What beauty and art is presented to you? Drink it in.

You may also like Stars and Spirit Sightings.

by Roxanne -

After-Christmas Tree Hangover

Photo Apartment Therapy, Elle Interior

Real Christmas trees were a great idea back in the day when people heated their homes with log fireplaces. But I’m wondering if they make much sense  for the world today. It takes 10-12 years to grow a pine tree to the size needed for a Christmas tree. Trees help conserve the soil and put good things into the atmosphere. Then we cut them down by the millions to use in our homes for a month of decoration. The week after Christmas most of these trees will be wrapped in a large trash bag and set out at the curb. Hopefully some will be composted but in large urban areas most are destined for the landfill or an incinerator (ugh!). Although one study insists real trees are less damaging, why not change the paradigm completely and be kind to the environment instead?  I think we are imaginative enough to find even better options. Find some inspiration at Apartment Therapy here.

On another holiday note, we spend most of the year conserving electricity, turning down the thermostat, turning off lights and appliances when not in use. Then in December we plug in lots of lights? Just wondering . . .

Maybe we can consider new ways of thinking about Christmas trees, ornaments, holiday reminders and how we might enjoy them, beyond just getting an artificial tree.

by Roxanne -

Celebration of Family

Photo CA Air Resources Board

During the holidays we often gather with family. What does it mean to be a family? What makes a family?

Today as we look around we can see that families come in all shapes and sizes. Families often have economic, physical, emotional and psychological challenges. What they have in common, however, is love and respect that holds them together at their core. On the other hand, we often find people connected as a clan or group who claim a common genetic lineage. But there may be abuse, lack of respect or disregard for anyone else. I question whether this is actually a family in a true sense of the word.

Although our culture puts great weight on genetic links, choosing genetic links as a definition of family is really arbitrary. For example, where should we make the cut-off for genetic linking? Those one genetic link away? Two genetic links away? Three? In truth we are all connected and all part of the human family. Believing otherwise breeds tribalism and elitism.

Today is the feast of the Holy Family. What does it mean to be a holy family? It seems to me that those who are families of holiness for us, love and respect who we are as persons, encourage and support us and are open to listening and sharing with us. If we are lucky these individuals may also be part of our genetic family of origin. If we weren’t so lucky then, as adults, we must create a family of choice for ourselves.

In the end, families are our first experience in creating strong, rich and deep relationships. Think of the adults who most impacted you as a child. Did you have a teacher who took an interest in you? Maybe a neighbor opened her home to you? Throughout my childhood  I remember well four women who gave me their time, care and attention. In celebrating families, we can celebrate those who bring out the best in us, stand by us and love us.

The experience of family is the foundation by which we develop the ability to move out into the world as adults. This movement out into the world brings us the maturity to see beyond ourselves, work for change in the world and enrich who we are with diverse connections and transformative relationships. In the end, these relationships will enrich and develop our personhood as we change the world. They help us to see in ourselves a vision of who we are and who we can become.

by Roxanne -

Christmas Craziness or Christmas Spirit?

The crazy consumerism around Christmas is a recent development in our society that you can read more about if you like. A century ago no one could have imagined that frantic shopping, “Hallmark” expectations or decorating frenzy that now surrounds this holiday.

And yet, we need a respite from the dark, cold, dreary days of winter.  The pagan mid-winter celebrations that ultimately became Christmas did just that.  At mid-winter Christmas offers us a chance to gather with friend and family and take time to reflect. But more and more people are finding other ways to do this that do not involve shopping, decorating or frantic activity as Leo Babuata creatively explains in his thoughtful article “The Case Against Buying Christmas Presents.”

But Christmas is not merely another pagan winter solstice holiday. Christmas is the celebration of the Christian belief that God is not like the Greek god Zeus – distant and impersonal. In Christmas, Christianity makes an astounding claim. The ancient Greek worldview insisted that the Infinite (God) could not fit in the finite, meaning in this world which was finite. Christianity’s claim that God entered the world in the person of Jesus blatantly rejects that worldview. The Infinite or God could fit in the finite. God became a human person in the person of Jesus, truly God and truly human.

This belief made a profound claim about who we are as persons. We each have the capacity to contain divinity or God within ourselves because we are truly human too. The world is a fundamentally good place fit to be inhabited by God and we are fundamentally good at our core. Certainly God shone through more clearly in someone like Mother Theresa than in someone like Hitler whose ego ran the show. Nevertheless God lived in both of them. This Christian claim insists that God is within the world and within us even though God is also beyond what we can know or understand. So the world is sacred and God is deeply personal. What a shocking thing to declare! Christmas reminds us of this declaration. Emmanual, meaning God with us and within us.

So how to celebrate this amazing understanding? Last year I gathered with close friends three times. Each time we learned how to make something easy, new and delicious. The first time we learned how to make wonderful, buttery soft caramels. The second time we tried our hand at no-knead, crusty artisan bread and an authentic Italian tiramisu. The third time we took advantage of our many hands to make dozens of tamales with corn husks, masa, jalepanos, various meats and cheese. Soup, wine and music rounded out the afternoon. Each time we gathered we talked, shared, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon. We left with something delicious we could share with others and enjoy easily as leftovers. The Christmas season seemed to gently flow from Thanksgiving through to January. No frantic shopping or frenzied activity. All of those activities I simply let go of. Just fun and enjoyment with friends and family.

Other years I have done holiday baking as a way to serve homeless families or hosted a Christmas Tea to help raise money for ESPERA Funds, transformative community lending funds for women caught in  the cycle of poverty.

These are some different ways to experience the spirit of Christmas. To deeply experience the sacred in our lives sometimes we need to consider what really adds substance to our lives rather than activities our culture, society or families expect. How do you experience the spirit of Christmas revealing itself in your life? How could you help others do the same?

Merry Christmas!