Minimalism: The Joy of Less

“Try to live simply. A simple life freely chosen is a source of strength.” Advices and Queries 41.

The minimalist lifestyle is all about removing excess to reveal what truly matters. We’ll explore how to let go of the unnecessary to create space for the things that bring us joy and how minimalist practices can enrich our spiritual lives. We’ll examine the rise of capitalism and the impact of hustle culture and consumerism in our lives. We’ll think about how minimalism can help us achieve environmental sustainability and liberation for all. Each session will focus on a different area of our lives, including our homes, wardrobe and digital lives. We will allow greater space for embracing kindness, gratitude and a connection to the divine in all that we do.

Although this course is not specific to Quakers, it is deeply relevant to Friends’ aspirations to live simpler lives, with less negative impact on our world through our habits of consumption and a greater capacity to attend to ‘the promptings of love and truth’.

This course will involve 5 weekly sessions over Zoom. Each session will include 1 hour 15 minutes of teaching and discussion followed by a short break and then open Q&A. Over the five weeks of this course you will be encouraged to take a couple of hours a week to reflect on your work, share your experiences, ideas and insights, and find refreshment.

There will be some material to look at before the first session. We will email you around one week prior to the course with information about accessing the course, including this material, on our online learning platform (Moodle).