Simplifying Life

Rowan9

Hello folks
I have been re-reading a great little book called Timeless Simplicity by John Lane. I read it a couple of years ago and found a reference I'd made about it the other day so ordered it from the library.
It is small (as I've already said!) and so doesn't swamp you with too much reading.

He often quotes little snippets from other people and here is one which spoke to me. You don't have to live in the countryside for this to apply - I don't, although I'm lucky to have lovely walks to go on with my dogs. But the whole simplicity thing and avoiding buying and cluttering up your lovely home seems to be in here for me:
'It is one of the joys of country life that you are immersed in a culture of mending and tending. There is something ungrateful in the habit of throwing things away. You also feel more at home when you support the world that supports you and tend to the needs of things that you need.'
Roger Scruton

I've also looked out the following quote for you - it's from the 'summing up' bit and follows on from the dangers of being swamped with consumerism:

'I am proposing a concentrated effort to simplify our lives; to pare down, to search for sufficiency; to take delight in what we have - in the small, the accessible, the beautiful and the holy.'

People can use 'holy' to refer to whatever or whoever this implies to them.

Thinking of you all on this simplicity journey
w

boredofbeingathome

I agree about the countryside quote, i often experience a moment when i am in the countryside- we have some wonderful places nearby and i get pleasure out of the simplest things like throwing bread to the ducks - or just drinking in the scenery. Funnily enough i do liken the same moments as to when i am sat in a cathedrel, if that makes sense. I do get a sense of peace and wholeness.

Ellidee

Yes Bob (!) I know what you mean. I remember once visting Gloucester Cathedral, years ago, the choir was singing, and everything, the place, the music, just moved me to tears it was so beautiful.

boredofbeingathome

Ive recently been to Gloucester and i enjoy Durham and York Minster. I often go to Cathedrals and one of my fav places is Exeter. Talking of spiritual moments if anyone has the chance to go to Castlerigg stone circle near keswick they should do- very awe inspiring- Bob X

mary43

I live in a small market town and what I'd call actual 'countryside' is really a bus ride away but the walk to our doctors surgery through a disused graveyard and old church, wild flowers growing (this time of year carpets of snowdrops) and then on to the surgery with a small stream, woodland and flowers in abundance........it's absolute bliss.
There's a river in the town centre where loads of ducks live and there are always people feeding them, they cross the roads and traffic stops for them........lol
A short bus ride to my friends house 7 miles away gives me a superb view of the countryside around out town and on the National Express coach when I come back from Mums the sight of the fields and the lights of the town beyond and I know I'm home.
Just goes to show its often the smallest of things that can give that little bit of 'peace of mind' we all need.

JoJoB

Frustrated in my decluttering attempts as i can't get to the books and videos on highest shelves. I'd stand on a chair and just get on with it, but OH would go mad as i am pregnant. So have to wait until he feels like doing it and he is dead busy with work this week. So find myself staring at half-empty, untidy, falling-down shelves. And the hole in the ceiling I want to polyfilla but can't reach either. Grrrr.

As to spiritual places - had one of the most mystical/religious/numinous experiences of my life down the Aberglaslyn pass in Snowdonia. A truly unique and holy place in so many ways - the energy of the river was quite overwhelming. I was tripping as well, which helps these things. But truly a powerful experience i will never forget.

vivw_2

Sounds absolutely wonderful, Mary.
The other week in Manchester when we visited OH's mother's grave I noticed all the snowdrops beginning to appear.....its a lovely sight.

I am very fortunate that at the bottom of my garden, there is the woods that lead down to the shore of the Orwell. Soon the woods will be full of bluebells

mary43

Oh Lucky you Viv..............what I'd give to have woods at the bottom of the garden. I did once when I lived on a housing estate and the gardens backed on to a lovely little woodland. First hubby made a gate so we could take the kids and walk through it. It was the same woodland I used to walk through with my mum and dad when I was little but sadly all the wildflowers that used to grow there had gone.

Well.................I'm back in my rocking chair going nowhere having a bit of a fret about a huge chunk of plaster that's just fallen off the wall in the 'junk room'...................granted it was loose at the top anyway and has now exposed a nice brick wall but I really didn't expect that to happen. Is that an aftermath of the earthquake we both slept through ? Seems we were the only people in our street who did.............lol The rest were all outside having a natter about what was going on and we were oblivous to it all.
Now..............do I sit in rocking chair and worry or do I say 'oh what the heck' and leave it ? On the plus side it means there's less plaster for OH to get off the wall (he was going to do it anyway) and might mean the job actually gets done now theres such a mess in there................lol
Can't see any cracks anywhere else on that wall -its and outside wall. Checked upstairs but its would panelling in two of the rooms so it wouldn't show. Oh eck....................think I'll just rock away for a bit...............

ceridwen

Bobbykins wrote: »

Hellooooooooooooo!! :wave: :wave:
where is everyone today? Busy de-cluttering?

Although I don't post much, this is one of the sites I check everyday when I get home from work. Keeps me happy whilst I scoff my lunch sandwich and slurp my cuppa before I tackle the housework (or not- depends on my mood ) . I miss you when you ain't here!

Keep up the inspiration folks!

Yep....still around over here chez ceridwen. Like you said - busy decluttering!:D Brain cells temporarily focusing on "what else can I chuck?".

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible;)

ceridwen

Mary....Personally I would be taking that chunk of plaster coming off the wall as meaning I'd just been given a bit of a "helping hand" with getting the work done and think "Thanks....thats a bit less for us to do". Now - dont you get back in that "rocking chair" Mary!:D

Little pick for the day.....just made mental note to self re way to access laid-on relaxing music of the classical type:

www.myclassicfm.com

Mini simplification thought for day on the organisational front - keeping fold-up shopping bag at work in case one decides on shopping (food-wise of course! lol) during the course of the day. Avoids the "I havent got a shopping bag on me - and I dont take the store plastic bags any more" panic.