During this financial crisis, I’ve heard a great deal of conversation about “making do with
\nless.” I suppose that many of us, at some point or another, have gotten caught up in the
\ngame of consumerism: more clothes, a bigger house, the latest cell
\nphone…the list goes on forever. I’m not saying that consumption
\nis a bad thing, because it’s not. We live in a world of interdependence
\nand that includes buying and selling goods from one another. But,
\nperhaps there is a point, like when eating a fine meal, that you
\ndiscover you are already full and need to push back from the table and take a
\nbreak.<\/p>\n
“Making do with less”, however, doesn’t seem like much fun. Instead, I
\nwould like to offer you a simple spiritual principle that has proven
\nitself worthy throughout every civilization in recorded history: The Virtues of Simplicity. <\/p>\n
Simplicity is effortless. It exists in the pure wonder of watching snow
\nfall softly through a window in the calm of winter. It can be a quiet
\nafternoon chatting with a friend while sipping tea. Simplicity can be
\njoyful and enrich your life in profound ways. It’s beauty and humble
\ngrace has been praised in the sacred texts of virtually
\nevery major religion in the world.<\/p>\n
Perhaps our tendencies towards over doing it have cost us in other ways
\n— to lose touch with miracle of life itself, our friends, our
\nfamilies, our true needs. When we as human beings go too far out of
\nbalance with ourselves, and with nature, there are natural laws that
\nseek to draw us back into harmony. <\/p>\n
Wherever you are right now, I encourage you to take just a moment to
\nallow yourself to feel the simplicity of your being. To know that you are enough. <\/p>\n
Once you feel this, allow yourself to scan your life and tune into
\nyour needs. Do you really need everything you have been asking for? Do you
\nreally even want<\/i> to have it all? There is no right or wrong answer; you’re
\nentitled to feel whatever you feel. It is the question that is
\nimportant.<\/p>\n
Here’s a Prayer for Simplicity:<\/p>\n
Dear God,
\nHelp me to notice the falling of the snowflake
\nThe flight of the birds
\nThe light in a child’s eye
\nHelp me to understand that my life is not made more meaningful by what I have,
\nNor less by what I do not have.
\nHelp me to see the abundance in my life and to know that I am enough.
\nLead me to the quiet reverence that comes from the abiding spirit of simplicity
\nAs one human being who walks this earth
\nAmong countless others who have walked before me
\nAnd who will follow me when I am gone.
\nLead me to the simple joy of acceptance,
\nof myself, of my life and your Divine Plan.
\nAmen<\/p>\n
~Robert H. Coleman
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
During this financial crisis, I’ve heard a great deal of conversation about “making do with less.” I suppose that many of us, at some point or another, have gotten caught up in the game of consumerism: more clothes, a bigger house, the latest cell phone…the list goes on forever. I’m not saying that consumption is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":351,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,8,9,10,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beliefnet-prayer-circles","category-financial-healing-prayers","category-financial-recovery","category-financial-renewal","category-job-loss-prayers"],"yoast_head":"\n