Bakewell Quakers
Thoughts
Thoughts about Quaker relevant questions, items, themes
Living Simply
Simplicity has always been a central issue for Quakers – one of the five Testimonies which reflect Friends’ deepest concerns. As our book “Quaker Faith and Practice” puts it “The heart of Quaker ethics is summed up in the word ‘simplicity’”.
In today’s world, a concern for, and commitment to, simplicity is more important than it has ever been. It becomes ever clearer that the restless pursuit of economic growth and ever expanding consumption has created a pattern of life which is unsustainable. As economist Diane Coyle puts it “Our failure to say enough is enough means our children and grandchildren will pay a high price to repair the damage inflicted by the current generation”.
So what is a socially responsible life style today? What is it OK to have and to do – and what should we be rejecting and not doing? For all concerned people this is a troubling problem but most of us are far from sure what we should and could be doing.
In this situation there is one obvious way forward – to talk to other people, to share ideas on possibilities and practicalities, to find inspiration and reassurance from talking to those with similar concerns. On our own it is very easy to despair. If we share our concerns and hopes with others we can get new ideas and have the comfort of knowing that we are not on our own on the journey.
This situation has led Bakewell Friends to organise this event to begin to explore some of the key questions. What can and should we do as individuals to live more simply? What should we be saying about this to friends and neighbours and the local community? What should we be doing as faith communities to encourage others to live more simply and more sustainably? What should we be saying as faith communities to our political leaders?
Tibetan Singing Bowls
The Dalai Llama is now 88. Throughout his lifetime he has been recognised for his work around the world.
I was fortunate enough to have an audience with the Dalai Llama in 2012 together with hundreds of other people. He spoke in Tibetan but we had access to a translation of his speech welcoming everyone to his home and telling us about his mission to spread peace across the world.
Tibetan Singing Bowls are estimated to have been used for approximately 3000 years. The effects of the sound of the bowl are universally recognised and research has shown the beneficial effects of sound singing bowl meditation on mood, anxiety, pain, and spiritual well-being.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871151/
The Dalai Lama wrote:
“From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion…
The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.”
While the Dalai Lama recognizes that “genuine happiness comes from within” and is a product of a calm and compassionate mind, he also recognizes the infectious power of a smile, a hug or even a joke to spark that happiness in others.
“Life’s purpose of happiness can be gained only if people cultivate the basic human values of compassion, caring and forgiveness.”
https://travishellstrom.com/dalailama
This contribution by Joan King came from our fifth Sunday Experimental Meeting for Worship
Video of Tibetan Singing Bowls: