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Dear Friends of The Simple Living Network,

Welcome to the Holiday Issue of our free on-line Newsletter. We hope the season finds you well and warm and enjoying the simple pleasures in life with friends and family.

Discussion Forums: Our Discussion Forums from will be closed Monday November 13 through Friday November 17 for routine maintenance. Thank you for your patience during this closure and continued CyberAngel support that makes this free Community Service possible.

OnLine Study Groups: The year end is fast approaching. A new tax season will soon be upon us. As such, this is a great time to begin thinking about transforming your relationship with money — starting out fresh as it were — and getting a handle on your finances so that they are in alignment with your values. We still have a number of spaces available in our popular OnLine Study Group for Your Money or Your Life. Click here for all the details about how you can participate.

Important Initiative: Our good friends at the Center for a New American Dream have launched an email campaign asking individuals to send emails to Channel One and Bus Radio advertisers urging them to stop advertising in schools. We encourage you to participate in this important initiative. Parents should have a right to determine when and where their children are exposed to advertising. Unfortunately, Channel One and BusRadio undermine that control by using compulsory school attendance laws to force a captive audience of children to listen to advertising. New American Dream has joined with more than 100 organizations and advocates (including The Simple Living Network) from all across the political spectrum — from the National Parent Teacher Association to Susan Sarandon to Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum — to call on companies not to advertise their products on Channel One and BusRadio. Find out more at: www.newdream.org/noschoolads.

It is almost that time of year again. Every January and February we remind you that The Simple Living Network does not charge membership or subscription fees, nor seek out government, foundation or industry funding. We are a private, home-based business with only one full-time employee, a couple of part-time helpers, and many volunteers. Our financial support comes from modest Resource Directory sales and, more important, from small, individual CyberAngel Contributions.

We are getting an early start on our Annual Funding Appeal for 2007 as we have come up a bit short for the 2006 fiscal year. I, Dave Wampler, can only fund so much out of my own pocket! (I live simply on a modest income of $12-$18,000 per year and The Simple Living Network is my full-time job.)

Our goal, between November 1, 2006 and the end of February 2007 is to raise $14,000 to cover the upcoming expenses of providing Internet bandwidth and equipment upgrades for our free services — the Discussion Forums, this Newsletter and its Archives, our Study Group Database and SimpleRadio.

So, if you like what you see on our web site, use our free services, and have the ability, we ask you to consider making a financial gift contribution to The Simple Living Network. We know it is sometimes difficult to contribute, especially when you are trying to live simply and keep expenses down. But, we trust you can put a fair dollar value on your use of this web site. We trust that you know, every contribution, large or small, counts! Without such volunteer support, this web site would not exist!

The last thing we want to do is support the purchase of more stuff and junk — we are decidedly anti-consumerism. In fact, this issue of our Newsletter is loaded with simple, often low or no cost, holiday gift ideas, plus a whole lot more. (Table Of Contents.)

Nonetheless, we know that some of you will purchase holiday gifts this year and will probably think long and hard about the social, political and environmental impact those purchases will have. If that is the case for you, you can further support The Simple Living Network by shopping through this web site. We stock almost 1000 simple living and do-it-yourself resources in the spare bedroom — Books, DVDs, CDs, T-Shirts, Posters, Bumper Stickers and more.

By purchasing your gifts through The Simple Living Network you are not only supporting the free services you use here, you are also making a statement that says you believe in small, home-grown businesses that do everything in-house on a local level.

Thank You!

Finally, this edition of Simple Living News is dedicated to Dave Wampler's Great Grandmother, Bessie Cornie, who passed on Thursday November 2nd at the age of 105. She made the choice herself and was present until the end. She was a kind and loving soul who knew the value of a dollar and how important it was to help those less fortunate. She lived a long, fruitful and joyous life. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Here's hoping you have a joyous and simple Holiday Season,

Dave Wampler, Founder
Fred Ecks, Editor

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Click titles to jump to the specific section.

• New Resources: Books, CDs, DVDs, Posters, T-Shirts, Stickers...
• Simple, Sustainable, Clutter-Free Gift Ideas
• 10 Ways To Eat Organic On The Cheap: Living Green
• In Celebration Of Idleness: Time For Contemplation & Renewal
• The High Cost Of Working: The Bohemian Diary
• What Matters To You This Holiday Season? Center For A New American Dream
• The Care & Feeding Of Your Credit Report: Keeping It Simple
• Mutual Funds For The Little Guy: The Dollar Stretcher

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New Resources: The Latest Additions To Our Resource Directory
Click the headline above to see all new titles. Click the individual links below for specific information.

New Books

From SLN Partner Alternatives For Simple Living

• Songs & Stories Of Simple Living, edited by Jym Kruse (also available as a CD, see below)
• Unplug The Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide To Putting Love & Warmth Back Into The Holiday Season, by Jo Robinson & Jean Coppock
• Unplug The Christmas Machine Kit: A Complete Kit For Putting Love & Warmth Back Into The Holiday Season, by Jo Robinson & Jean Coppock. Includes Book, CD, Workshop Leader's Guide & Participant's Manual
• Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?, Ideas For A Christ-Centered Holiday
  Additional Resources From Alternatives For Simple Living...

Simple Living & Do It Yourself Titles...

• Slow Is Beautiful: New Visions Of Community, Leisure, & Joie De Verve, by Cecile Andrews
• Organic Housekeeping: The Nontoxic Avenger shows you how to improve your health and that of your family, while you save time, money, and, perhaps, your sanity, by Ellen Sandbeck
• The Homeowner's Guide To Energy Independence: Alternative Power Sources For The Average American, by Christine Woodside
• Little House On A Small Planet: Simple Homes, Cozy Retreats & Energy Efficient Possibilities, by Shay Salomon
• Peak Oil Survival: Preparation For Life After Gridcrash, by Aric McBay

New CDs & DVDs For Body, Mind & Spirit

• Stories & Songs Of Simple Living (CD), edited by Jym Kruse

• Living Wisdom: Immerse Yourself In The Radiant Wisdom Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, with Don Farber (DVD, CD, Cards, Study Guide)
• Getting Unstuck (3 CDs), by Pema Chodron

• A Brief History Of Everything (6 CDs), by Ken Wilber
• The Integral Operating System: Upgrade The Way You Think & Live (2 CDs, DVD, Workbook, Poster, by Ken Wilbur
• The Ultimate Brain (9 CDs), by Tom Kenyon

• The Yoga Matrix (6 CDs), by Richard Freeman
• Yoga Shakti (DVD), by Shiva Rea

New 2007 Calendars, Bumper Stickers, Posters, T-Shirts, etc.
Great Holiday Gift Ideas!

• New 2007 Calendars
• New Bumper Stickers
• New Posters
• New T-Shirts, etc.

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By Jennifer Swanson
Copyright © 2006

Every November, without fail, I'm asked for my holiday gift list. Unsatisfied with my protest, "I really don't need anything," well-meaning family and friends continue to prod me for ideas. It's not that I don't enjoy or appreciate the tradition of giving and receiving at this time of year. It's just that the resulting accumulation of stuff goes against so much of what I stand for.

Similarly, it can be challenging to find a special gift that honors the person you love without compromising your own priorities. Many gift choices only add more disorder to our already cluttered homes, but what can you do? My answer is to request and give disappearing gifts, relieving the burden on the receiver to find space for the gift — while sparing the environment at the same time.

The following lists provide environmentally-friendly, clutter-free gift ideas to suit any budget. Many of these can be homemade to save money while adding a personal touch.

Practical gifts

• Prepaid phone card
• 100% recycled stationery (with postage stamps)
• Calendar (do-it-yourself photo calendars, available through most photo developers, are a perennial favorite for grandparents)
• Beeswax candles
• Gifts in a jar (soup mix, pancake mix, cocoa, etc.), frozen meals or other edibles
• Organic and/or locally crafted (or homemade) bath-and-body products (soap, lotion, etc.)
• Fair trade coffee (add some biscotti for a nice combination)
• Seeds, flower bulbs or birdseed

Gifts of service

• Babysitting
• Yard care
• Cleaning
• Automobile maintenance (oil change, etc.)

Gift certificates (try to avoid gift certificates for merchandise that will ultimately generate more clutter)

• Health club, exercise classes or massage
• Healthy restaurant
• Natural foods and home store
• Local greenhouse or nursery
• Bulb or seed catalog

Annual memberships

• Arboretum or botanical gardens
• State parks, county parks, etc.
• Museum, zoo, conservatory, or historical society

For kids

• Special outing (see "Annual Memberships" above)
• Art materials (paper, paint, scissors, glue, tape, crayons, fabric scraps, ribbon, yarn, chalk, etc.)
• School supplies
• Homemade play dough (see recipe at www.JenniferSwanson.com/recipes.htm)
• Bubbles
• Stocks, bonds, CDs, or contributions to their college education funds

Other ideas

• Coupon book for environmentally friendly products and services (e.g., Blue Sky Guide or Chinook Book)
• Simply In Season cookbook by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert (this gift won't "disappear," but it does present delicious, vanishing recipes that make the most of the season's freshest produce)
• Charitable donation in their honor (e.g., many organizations promote "adopt-a-something" programs; think about causes that would be meaningful to the recipient — then you take the tax deduction!)

My favorite exceptions are heirloom gifts. One all-time favorite gift to our parents was a "day-in-the-life" scrapbook of our daughter, who was two years old at the time. Every year since then, we've created highly anticipated, personalized photo calendars.

Once you choose a gift, the next step is to decide how to wrap it — or not. In her book Simple Living, Jose Hobday describes the Native American tradition of giving gifts unwrapped. Rather than allowing paper or a tied-up box to come between the giver and the receiver, a gift is handed over without secrecy. This "flesh-to-flesh connection" provides an enhanced sense of unity.

But if you must wrap, remember the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reduce waste by wrapping gifts within gifts. Reuse paper, bags, or other containers. Recycle by choosing wrapping materials that won't end up in a landfill. (Most traditional gift wrap is not recyclable, due to its high metallic and dye content.)

Use your creativity to reconsider this holiday season's gift-giving as well as those other special occasions in the New Year.

Recommended resources:

• Holiday Resources from The Simple Living Network
• Gift & Craft E-Books from The Simple Living Network
• Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays... by Nancy Twigg
• Environmentally-Friendly Gift Wrap Ideas by Jennifer Swanson
• Gift ideas from the Center For A New American Dream

About The Author

Jennifer Swanson is a professional organizing consultant, speaker, writer and mother of three. She publishes a free monthly e-zine, offering practical ideas and encouragement to help you organize and simplify your life. For more tips visit www.JenniferSwanson.com.

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By Michelle Kennedy
Copyright © 2006

I hate shopping. No, really. I hate it. I am not one of those women who looks forward to payday so that she can go out and get new clothes or shoes. The love of shopping should be in my blood. My grandmother loved shopping – food shopping. And when I lived in a dorm she used to bring me all of the cool new products off the food shelves because although she loved to buy them, she never ate them.

But I hate shopping. And out of that extreme distaste came a rather strange love – for the supermarket or even, dare I say, the Super Wal-Mart. Yes, I admit it. Because I so hate to shop, being able to go to a store where I could get everything my family of then six people could possibly need in a week – or sometimes even a month. At a Super Wal-Mart we could get all of our "food," plus our paper products and even soccer cleats – and a new cup for one of the boys if we needed to. Husband needs a new battery for the car? No worries, just send the oldest to the back of the store while I continue to shop in produce.

I wish I could say that I came to an epiphany of some sort and stopped shopping that way because I am so strong. But the truth is, I stopped shopping that way because I moved back to my hometown in Vermont and there isn't a Super Wal-Mart in the entire state. The nearest supermarket is 30 miles away. My epiphany came when the local farmer's market came to town each week during the summer. So happy was I that I didn't have to drive 30 minutes away for fresh produce (at $3 a gallon in my 1992 Suburban), that I happily purchased a week's worth of food right there on the common.

My kids were a little skeptical and my husband was certain I blew the weekly budget on "fruit and nuts" but after several quite excellent dinners and the constant distraction of the Boston Red Sox I was left to my own devices without complaint.

The first problem I had was with my preconceived notions of organic food. I am no hippie. Yes, I like my trees, but I also like a medium rare steak on occasion and have always preferred my Corn Pops to granola. I do drive a Volvo now, but only because it has seven seats and costs way less than the Suburban to drive. We are also not rich – and for some reason, eating organic, all-natural foods has become associated with the "rich." In fact, I know a couple who throws parties and when trying to impress the rest of us, brings out the "expensive" locally-cultivated salsa or cultured butter.

Let me just state right up front that as a writer and the mother of five I am the queen of frugal. We often have to make due on less than $30,000 a year – and sometimes less than $20,000. I have had months where my food budget was as much as $1,000 – and I am appalled that I let things go that far. We are way under that now, between $300 and $500 a month depending on the month and what our needs are.

Without having major stores right around the corner, I have had to rediscover shopping. My husband often regales me with tales of his time living in Ireland when he had to visit several small stores to complete his food shopping. Riding his bike, he visited the butcher, the produce market and a general store that provided various sundries. Sometimes these stores delivered. We are not quite so lucky here in the states to have such stores, but I have found a variety of ways to eat organically on the cheap.

First, you have to dispel yourself of the notion that eating healthy food is more expensive or requires a lot of cooking. And second, you have to stop letting the children dictate what goes in the pantry. Yes, my children would think I was a goddess if I let them have gummy, sugary, cartoon-character "fruit snacks," but I don't care. They alternately think I'm goddess and hate me on any given day anyway, so I've decided that I'm in charge of what goes into their bodies and they'll just have to live with it. And you know what? They do. They might roll their eyes (my 13-year-old daughter is especially good at this) that there are no pre-fab "granola" bars in the pantry, but she gives me just as big a hug when I put mangoes in the fruit basket. Relying on the approval of children is a silly way to shop.

Children will never, ever choose an apple or a yogurt after school if there are chocolate chip cookies or Ring Dings or "Easy Mac" in the house. But they will choose an apple, orange or organic granola bar if that's all there is.

I also stopped, in an effort to save both money and the health of my family, buying "snack cakes" and other desserts. Now, if we are going to have a sugary treat after dinner – I either make it from scratch, or buy just enough for that evening. It has reduced the amount of money spent on such items greatly in our house, and keeps kids from snagging the two left in the box after school or stashing them in their backpacks for during the school day.

Part of the reason I hated shopping so much, I realized, was because I would go the big store once every couple of weeks and spend something obscene like $500, have ten or fifteen bags to lug into the house and unpack and then have children complain three days later that there was nothing to eat in the house. No more!

My new policy is to visit the food co-op or a local farmer's market once – sometimes twice a week and buy two or three bags worth of stuff at a time. This keeps my out of pocket expenditures to somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 at a time. And then, for paper products and other sundry items – like those organic granola bars - I started doing something really crazy: I started buying them online. Now, the UPS guy delivers a couple of boxes to my door twice a month. This does three things: it keeps me from spending money on gas to get to the store, it keeps me to a list (instead of tempting me into things I really don't need), and it allows me to shop slowly, examining labels so I know exactly what I'm getting – and my feet don't hurt when I do it!

I also buy foods in bulk with a local cooperative, so I can get big sacks of whole grain flours and oats. I like to bake, so this is a great deal for me.

1. Shop Farmer's Markets: They only last from spring to fall in most places, but you will find great growers who may be able to provide you privately with some foods throughout the year – particularly eggs, cheeses, preserved foods and root vegetables.

2. Join a Co-op. Many food co-ops will give you a discount just for being a member, and some will even allow you to exchange volunteer work for credit at the store or for your membership fees. Years ago, I worked at a small co-op so that I could afford one of the first organic baby foods.

3. Go CSA. Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to go if you have the money, but not the time to garden. Farmers in your area will, for a fee usually around $300 at the start of the growing season, provide you with one or two bags of in-season produce each week for 24 or 26 weeks depending on your area. Just remember, though, that this is homegrown produce – your tomatoes might be split occasionally and your peppers might have a funky curl on the end, but they will taste much better than anything you could get at your local supermarket and you'll be helping support family farms. If you don't have the money for this option, some will also let you exchange time in the garden for produce in a bag. Don't be afraid to ask. Many small farmers are happy for the extra help in the middle of a weedy season!

4. Buy in Bulk. I know, I know, everyone says this, but it's so true. Head straight for the containers of dried herbs, spices, oats, beans – you name it. I started keeping my dry goods in rectangular Rubbermaid containers so that I could stack them in the pantry. I used to think the buy in bulk idea was a bit of a scam until I bought several jars worth of spices at a fraction of the cost of the tiny jars they sell at the supermarket. We also have "Iron Chef" nights at my house where we try and figure out what to make from what we have in the pantry – we get lots of interesting dinners that way!

5. Buy in season in large amounts. But this doesn't have to mean you'll spend lots of hours over a hot canner. I am the queen of the Cuisinart and the freezer. I slice, dice, puree – you name it - in the food processor and then store the proceeds in gallon-size Zip-lock bags and freeze them. Consequently, I have julienned green beans fresh off the farm in January!

6. Plant a garden. But the weeding, you say. I know – I hate that part too. So I don't weed often. I mulch a lot. I'm a lazy gardener. And even in those years – and there are many – when I've spent no time in the garden except to plant, I'm still surprised by the abundance. My younger children don't mind helping to pick – it's like a scavenger hunt between the weeds!

7. Be flexible. Again, don't let the kids dictate what's in the fridge. Buy what's on sale and do something with it. Buy what's in season. Buy what's cheap. If avocados are on sale, buy more than two and make enough guacamole to serve at your holiday party. All you have to do is mush it up and freeze it, and when you're watching the Super Bowl with your friends, oh, you have fresh guacamole to go with those (organic) chips!

8. Go slow. If you're afraid your family will think you're crazy, buy a few things that are organic at a time. I started purchasing organic cereals (on sale) and all of a sudden Cocoa Puffs have no meaning in my house.

9. Cook more. It's so easy to just stop at a restaurant on the way home from soccer, I know, but I've learned to become friendly with my crock pot and it's just as easy for me to make two lasagnas at one time – one for tonight and one for the freezer. Changing how you look at food goes a long way to changing your habits. Have fun with food. Subscribe to a couple of food-related magazines that have great recipes and you'll start experimenting more.

10. Shop online. The kids think this is really cool because they love to get stuff in the mail. Throw a couple of boxes of Kashi granola bars in with your son's next order of CD's and I guarantee he'll eat them!

About The Author

Michelle Kennedy is the mother of five children. She is also a shepherd, a chicken whisperer and the owner of one ornery llama. She has authored a series of parenting books called the Last Straw Strategies published by Barron's.

Her memoir, Without a Net: Middle-Class and Homeless (With Kids) in America, was published by Viking in February of 2005 (the paperback came out in February 2006), and is the story of a year in the life of her and three of her children. They spent part of that year living in their car and trying to find a permanent home. An excerpt of the book was nominated for a 2004 Pushcart Prize.

In her brief years on Earth, Michelle has also been a waitress, bartender, nursing assistant, tour guide for Ben and Jerry's, restaurant owner, farmer, musher, bread-baker, and page in the U.S. Senate...a few other things too. Michelle was born in Baltimore, Maryland and now resides in Vermont where she goes to Little League games and tries desperately to turn her black gardening thumb into a green one.

Michelle Kennedy can be found online at www.mishakennedy.com.

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By Michael Lewin
Copyright © 2006

I wonder what feelings inspire a man to complain of having nothing to do? I am happiest when I have nothing to do.

— Kenko Yoshida (1283 - 1350)

At the age of 41, Kenko Yoshida gave up his life as an officer in the Imperial Palace Guards and became ordained as a Zen Buddhist monk. The reason for this dramatic decision remains unclear. Some speculate that it was grief over the death of Emperor Go-Uda. Others claim it was an unhappy love affair with the daughter of a government official. Whatever the reasons surrounding Yoshida's departure from a worldly life, one thing I feel is certain: Yoshida felt a deep need to thread a spiritual path - a path of realization that might give him insight and understanding into the very nature of reality.

As a Buddhist monk, Yoshida led a solitary contemplative existence in rural Japan, spending his days in thoughtful reflection, meditation, and writing. Eventually the culmination of his inspiring thoughts found expression in the work entitled Tsurezuregusa ("Essays in Idleness"). Originally written on scraps of paper that were pasted onto the walls of his hermitage, they were published in book form posthumously. Over the centuries, his writing has emerged as work of noted literary merit - a high water mark in Japanese medieval literature.

Even if a man has not yet discovered the path of enlightenment, as long as he removes himself from his worldly ties, leads a quiet life, and maintains his peace of mind by avoiding entanglements, he may be said to be happy.

— Kenko Yoshida

Despite its age, the Tsurezuregusa is still considered of value and relevance to modern day Japan. That is why it is on the high school curriculum. But there is an irony here, because Yoshida's challenging words could be seen to undermine the entire structure and operation of industrial, capitalistic societies in which modern Japan is situated.

If Yoshida returned to Japan now, he would be very disappointed. Similar to other modern day economies, Japan has pushed ahead with industrialization and urbanization - involving vast scales of production, enormous consumption levels, a magnitude of waste and pollution on an unprecedented level and poor land management. I cannot help but think that once Yoshida was exposed to all this he would quickly return to his hermitage in the remote backwaters of the countryside, thinking that everyone had gone mad. But it's worse: common trends running throughout prosperous, capitalist economies, including Japan, are those of increasing levels of stress, increasing levels of mental ill health, a consistently rising rate of suicide and specific to Japan, the emergence of the 'hikikomori' phenomenon – young people who are seriously alienated from their families and communities so much so that they confine themselves to their bedrooms, often for years.

Individuals in contemporary societies – where busy-ness is almost pushed into neurosis - could undoubtedly learn something of real value and merit from Yoshida. I knew I could, because my life had been filled with activity, much of which focused around the issues of competition, recognition and reward that now seems so pointless. I almost lost the ability to relax my body and mind, to put aside my self-generated busy schedules in order to gain a softer, spiritual presence that could open me up to greater insight and inspiration. But eventually I learned; eventually I started to recognize the benefits of threading the Buddhist path.

Time for Contemplation - Time for Renewal

It is an exceedingly stupid person who will torment himself for the sake of worldly gain.

— Kenko Yoshida

Often we are so preoccupied in our pursuit of worldly gain that we allow our minds to take us off, fully engaged with 'striving', 'achieving', and 'performing', leaving our bodies behind - ignored. Until illness sets in that is, then we become painfully aware that we are suffering. Idleness (using the term in the Taoist sense, as reflected in the work of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu) leads to a relaxed state of being, both mentally and physically, that seems to be more in tune with the natural rhythms of life. It's a gentle presence that doesn't feel the need to be constantly running off some place doing this and fixing that in a state of anxiety and driven concern. It's a slowing down process that allows us to notice the world around us, especially the natural world which knows something about harmonious presence, patience and rest.

Rushing headlong through life - trying to meet constant deadlines and targets, trying to achieve set quotas, measured output – only helps to imprison our attention in the wrong areas and contributes to the development of a desensitized state of being.

We are not here solely to work and produce, manufacture and market. We are here to listen, contemplate and understand.

Idleness and the Gift of Insight

Sometimes the quest for material prosperity is just a distraction that keeps us from asking and listening to the deeper questions in life. The preciousness of our time, the special rewards of connecting with it mindfully, are greater than the value of any stock market's business, a greater indication of well-being than the Financial Times Index. Yet our modern market place culture that dominates so many lives, relentlessly goes on, ignoring our deeper needs. Time is not given to us for the pursuit of financial gain, as if it was the only reward in life. It is given so that we may develop as full beings to make our lives spiritually fulfilled.

Developing a clarity of vision, a matured insight that expresses and reinforces our spiritual growth, can only come from our engagement with prolonged periods of stilled, quiet time. There is no other way. All the world religions recognize this. Sacred scriptures contain profound wisdom and should be studied for their richness and depth of thought but ultimately the truth we seek, in all its spiritual complexity, lies within us. It may be hidden, denied, ignored or even forgotten but this is where it resides – deep within our Buddha heart/mind. So our journey of exploration, our quest to understand the deeper questions of life is one of seeking out committed periods of stillness, solitude and silence where we may be opened up to receive sampajanna: full awareness, full understanding.

Creativity as a By-Product of Idleness

Another vital epiphenomenon (by-product) of our restful states is that of creativity. In the stillness and quiet of our relaxed poise we can start to enter into streams of rich imagination, inspired creativity that will inform our artistic expression. Throughout the ages, many artists, composers, writers and poets have written extensively about this process. The writer Octavio Paz once amusingly cited a French poet who, whilst asleep, had a sign pinned on his bedroom door stating, "Do not disturb – poet at work." This isn't as frivolous as it may first appear, for even in a state of sleep, inspiration can surface within us leading to new understanding, fresh insight upon awakening.

Scientists as well have made innovative and imaginative leaps in their research whilst connected to the creative mode of stillness and quiet. Many leading researchers, from Marie Curie to Einstein, have spoken about this process. Curie once said that when she and her husband were working it was: "...as if in a dream, " in the full presence of "...peace and meditation, which is the true atmosphere of the laboratory."

Drawing to a Conclusion

The Chinese Zen Master Josho, was passing the main hall of the monastery of which he was the abbot, and saw a monk worshipping. So Josho hit him with a stick. The monk protested saying, "After all worshipping is a good thing." To which Josho replied, "A good thing isn't as good as nothing."

— A Buddhist Story

Many Buddhist practitioners, in trying to gain insight into the nature of reality, seek engagement with the simple, contemplative life. Kenko Yoshida was no exception. His time was spent in rural solitude undertaking basic chores that befitted a Buddhist monk. This left ample time for him to write down his spiritual insights and offer up his astute observations on the human condition - in all its rich complexity. His imperative, which lies at the heart of Buddhism, was to peel back ever-deepening layers of understanding and as a consequence, reveal a fuller appreciation of life.

We still have Kenko Yoshida's words published today, 600 years after he first wrote them down on scraps of paper. I'm unaware of any other publication that has survived this length of time, which studied the state of the medieval equivalent of the Japanese Stock Market or the value and stability of the medieval equivalent of the yen.

Slowing down to greet a relaxed, quiet simplicity, allowing its presence to fill our lives, is a gift that we can all receive – gratefully. It presents us with the possibility of securing tranquility of mind, spiritual insight and creative inspiration. These offerings can transform our lives for the better - who among us can afford to say no to these wondrous gifts?

Joy to you on your journey towards simplicity...

About The Author

Michael Lewin, who has a degree in Psychology, has spent 25 years teaching and supporting a variety of different groups, from children with special needs to adults with learning difficulties. He is active in a number of UK-based Buddhist groups and has regularly published articles in a number of UK psycho/spiritual magazines. As he says, "I am at that stage in my life that I want to pursue the spiritual path even further to find out the depth I can penetrate. I am a seeker, if not for perfection, then at least for some kind of personal progress that can bring me joy, contentment and happiness." Contact Michael at: lewinmick@hotmail.com.

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By Mary Zan Sweet
Copyright © 2006

Recently, due to new health issues, I had to return to working outside the home in order to pay for expensive long-term medications. We didn't see any other way around it. After returning to the work force, I suddenly remembered why I had not been working. It costs too much!

My husband and I sat down together one evening and were calculating the high cost of my working. After adding up the cost of gasoline to commute 30 miles round trip to my job, we gasped. Not only was it the gasoline but the tires, the oil, the wear and tear on our car. We would have to get oil changes much more frequently. How does one go about calculating all that? Then there was the cell phone I had to get because of the job. Then we added in the meals out I would have to eat because it was too far to drive back home for lunch. Packed sandwiches were out of the question because of my new-found illness, special diet, and the work environment.

My job required a new wardrobe. As I shopped for those clothes, believe me, I remember what Henry David Thoreau said in Walden, "Beware of jobs that require new clothes!"

After the clothes, came having to buy a piece of exercise equipment because it's late and dark after I get home and because my 'new job' was sedentary and with my new health issues, I couldn't sit 8 hours a day and not get any exercise. Because of the high stress job I am now in, I wound up having to have additional medications because stress aggravated the other illness.

Then there were the twice monthly health insurance premiums that I was grateful to have. I was even very grateful my doctor was on the list of accepted doctors. But to my dismay, I found out at the first doctor's visit, I had a co-pay that was 1/3 of what my doctor charged for the whole bill. The copay at the pharmacy had a whopping $60 for my part on every prescription that was not "on the list". Most of my medicines were not on "the list".

While all this was going on, I was told by my boss I had to purchase a small hand-held portable tape recorder and needed a scanner eventually (I am a reporter for a newspaper).

Next items on the agenda included having to buy many more convenience foods and eating out more nights than before, because now I often only had 15-20 minutes for supper on about 8 nights per month because of meetings I had to cover.

I began to get more tired, more stressed, more confused, and more broke than ever. Now we were told by our tax man that we need to save a bundle before next year because my job has put us into a brand new tax category and we're going to have to pay out the wazoo.

Since I began working, I have seen my grandchildren less than I saw them when they lived in another city, 500 miles away! I'm too tired to attend church now because it's the only morning I can sleep past 6 A.M.

My boss told me last Friday, I needed to get ready to be "on-call" for those horrible car wrecks that happen in the middle of the night. More lost sleep, more stress, more pressure, more commuting, more lack of time for everything worth living.

When, I wondered, am I going to bathe, sleep, relax, read a book, have time to pray or read my Bible, shampoo my hair, see my family, clean my house, much less enjoy my life again?

After figuring all this up, and actually putting a pen to what it is costing us for me to work in order to have medical insurance, and medicine, we are only going to realize $1,132.00 per year after taxes and the expenses of my working! Divided by the 40 plus hours a week I work, that means, after all the new expenses of my having to work, I am working for a lousy .72 cents per hour. I sat down and cried.

Because of a new illness I never expected to have, I have sold my soul to the company for a mere .72 per hour for an indefinite period of time.

Now to me, that just doesn't make a bit of sense. But on the other hand, if I were to quit now, I would not have the money to pay the $600 per month for my medications and needed medical supplies. So, I, like a lot of other Americans, am caught in a deadly trap. And what would one short hospital visit cost us?

I do not have the answer, but I wish now I would have figured out the whole cost of working before I decided to do it. Perhaps if I had, there would have been alternative ways to have footed the bill for my medicines, perhaps not.

My doctor really frightened me about my disease. He said, "You could live another 50 or more years with this disease, if you take care of yourself and do what you're supposed to do. The scary thing is, it is one of the most expensive diseases anyone could every have. Everything costs an arm and a leg for this sickness, and since you are 56, you have 9 years to go before medicare or social security will kick in. I advise you to get a job immediately, just so you won't have to go without insurance and medicines."

Sadly to say, I bought into it.

After the mouse gets in the trap, how does she get out? I hope my story will caution more of you married women to really consider the high cost of working, before you go sign up. Our society has taught us to be dependent upon our government and our insurance companies for our health care. There have to be other solutions, other answers. Insurance is not always the answer. Neither is taking an outside job. I'm just grateful I didn't have to pay a sitter. If I had, I would be going in the hole by working.

Now I have to figure out how to get out of working a high cost job. The stress is unreal and there's no time to live a sane, somewhat happy life. I'm sure you people out there who have been where I am would have a few suggestions. I only hope and pray my suggestions here will save someone else from "the high cost of working" BEFORE they take the leap for a job that pays only .72 cents per hour, after expenses.

When I complained to my boss about working one particular day from early that morning until 12 midnight and having to go in again at the regular time the next day (and I had only 12 minutes for supper), she said, "Why, you've just got to learn to manage your time better. I eat in the car when I'm on the highway, driving to a meeting."

Isn't that scary? I now wonder, besides the drunks, and dopers, how many people out there are driving with their knee or elbow while they eat going down the road in a hurry? I didn't mention the cell phone users, did I? Or the sleep-deprived drivers like myself.

What does your job cost you in terms of how much you actually realize out of it, after taxes and the expenses connected with it? Once you've got the job, how easy is it to let go of insurance and money to spend, even though it costs you in the end?

None of my grandparents had medical insurance or hospitalization. None of them had to work for someone else 16 hours a day, just to get by. They raised most of their own food, lived within walking distance to work, and made money on the side, doing things they loved to do. Not a single one of them died before they were 85. None were rich, money-wise. Neither were they poor. Several of them had the same disease I've been recently diagnosed with, and none of them went to the poor house.

They did live a saner life than we have now. And I do know, they loved how they lived. I also know it didn't cost them what my job is costing me in money, time, and stress.

We all have to ask ourselves, "Is the high cost of working really worth it?" and if not, "What are the alternatives?"

About The Author

Mary Zan Sweet is an artist and newspaper reporter living in Fritch, Texas. She is the author of "The Bohemian Pen"; she can be found online at www.bohemianplayshere.com.

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Reprinted With Permission From The Center For A New American Dream
Copyright © 2006

If you were asked to describe the ideal holiday season, what would you say? Perhaps you would include the company of loved ones, good food, fun and relaxation… maybe an inch or two of snow. Aiming higher in our holiday daydreams, we might even envision a feeling of tranquility and peace blanketing our homes, our community, the wide world.

Whatever you imagined, contrast it now with the typical mid-December scene at the mall, where countless holiday shoppers weave between traffic, oscillating between oppressed weariness and panic, as they search for non-existent parking spaces and that perfect gift that says "I had no earthly idea what to get you, but chose this particular item because, um, it is shiny and appears to cost what I could reasonably be expected to spend."

Not so lofty, is it? It seems simple, but the holidays, meant to be a time of peace, reflection, and celebration, too often exhaust rather than uplift us. If you sometimes feel trapped by the shopping, spending, crass displays, and frenzied preparations, you aren't alone. Our national surveys consistently show that Americans feel put upon by the commercialization of the season and want more of what matters... not just more stuff.

Our 2005 poll shows that more than three out of five Americans (62%) say they are planning to or considering giving family members gifts such as a savings bond or a piggy bank this year. Over three quarters surveyed in our 2002 holiday poll expressed a desire for a more simplified holiday. Of course, it's not just during the holidays that we have feel the crunch on time and priorities - our 2003 summer survey found 83 percent of Americans longing for more time with family. And our 2004 poll on the state of the American Dream found Americans worried that excessive materialism is having serious consequences for our children, for society, and for the environment.

But take heart. You aren't alone and you don't have to rack up credit card debt while getting sucked into the vortex of the season's commercialism. Like Charlie Brown, you can shun the ostentatious displays and pink aluminum trees in favor of a little more meaning. This holiday season, treat yourself to some tranquility, togetherness, and renewal... or whatever matters most to you.

What's your vision of a perfect holiday? What about your most humorously harried holiday experience? Share it with the New Dream Community!

Holiday Tips

Of course, we can't tell you what matters most to you, but we can give you some tips on how to simplify your holiday season. Download a free PDF copy of our Simplify the Holidays brochure to reduce stress and increase your personal fulfillment during this holiday season (you can also order a print copy to pass around to your friends and family).

You can also find a little sage advice on how to be green and save green in the following online articles:

• Not Sold in Stores: Ways to Save Money, Protect the Planet, and Spread Cheer
• Inexpensive, Creative and Eco-friendly Gift Ideas
• The Green Guide's Green Guide to Gift Giving

Helping others

There are few better ways to de-commercialize the season than to participate in an alternative gift fair. Alternative gift fairs allow you to give gifts in the name of loved ones that support worthy causes, helping those in need both locally and around the world. Visit our alternative gift fair pages to learn more, see if there is a fair in your area or to find out about organizing one yourself.

Even if you can't attend a fair, consider diverting some of your holiday dollars this year to help victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes and the devastating earthquake in Pakistan. Many organizations are bolstering these relief efforts. Two of the most prominent are The Red Cross and Oxfam International

Want more holiday tips and resources? Come this way.

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By Fred Ecks
Copyright © 2006

I get no respect. Earlier this year, I opened a health savings account with a local credit union. While I was there anyway, I asked to also open a checking account. I was denied, based on my credit report! You see, I haven't owed anything to anyone for nearly a decade. Without a credit card, car loan, mortgage, or other debt beyond owing a buddy a few beers for lending me some tools, the credit union didn't know whether I was trustworthy. That's fine with me; I don't need them to trust me.

However, most of us do often need to look good on a credit report. Credit reports affect our lives in many ways, from buying a home to getting a cell phone, to getting a good rate on car insurance. Given this, it's a wise idea to take care of your credit report.

Another reason to pay attention is the risk of identity theft. This is one of the fastest growing types of consumer fraud. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has estimated that, during 2003, almost ten million Americans discovered they were the victims of identity theft. Yikes! What I notice is that everyone knows someone whose identity was stolen. Repairing the damage afterward goes on for years.

Happily, we have free access to our credit reports. We can get copies of them online here: www.annualcreditreport.com Beware of scams — this is the only authorized online source for free access to our credit reports.

One thing that always worried me were the credit card offers that came in the mail. It would have been so easy for someone to grab my mail, fill them out, and grab the credit cards from my mail when they came. The trick was to stop these offers at the source, to keep them from being mailed in the first place. The way to do this is to "opt out" here: www.optoutprescreen.com An even easier way is to phone (888) 5-OPT-OUT. It really works!

On the subject of privacy, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is an excellent resource online at: www.privacyrights.org They have a page of "opt out" information here: www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs1a-basics.htm Between the "do not call" registry, reducing junk mail, and opting out of credit card offers, a lot of the daily annoyances calm down, and life becomes simpler.

Okay, so that's all wonderful for keeping a clean and accurate credit report, but why bother? Sure, it's good to avoid bad marks such as late payments and charge-offs. It's good to keep it clean enough that we can get telephone service. But why bother keeping our credit well-established so we can borrow money? It's good to keep good terms for money we already owe, but will we need to borrow more? With even housing becoming a depreciating asset, it might make sense to save up some money for whatever we want to buy. Then we can cancel the credit cards, and worry less about identity theft.

My identity isn't worth stealing. I can't even open a checking account. I get no respect! And I check my credit report each year to make sure it stays this way. Life is simple... I do owe my buddy a couple beers for those tools, though.

About The Author

Fred Ecks is the volunteer Newsletter Editor for The Simple Living Network. He's a dedicated follower of the 9-step program detailed in Your Money Or Your Life. He uses the time freed up in his life for writing, volunteering, sailing, and trail running. He maintains a Web Log at fredx.livejournal.com

Related Resources

• Your Money Or Your Life

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By Gary Foreman
Copyright © 2006

Dear Gary, I read your article on financial advisors, and was wondering what your thoughts were for someone who wanted to invest in a few mutual funds and didn't have enough business to excite most financial advisors but still felt uncomfortable doing it solo. — Anita

Anita asks a good question. Most of us don't have large amounts of money to invest which limits our attractiveness to financial planners. With investments becoming more complicated it's harder for the average guy to know what to do.

Let's break this into three parts. First, we'll look at the eight basic rules of investing. Second, we'll look at the three things that a do-it-yourselfer must learn. And, finally we'll see if we can't show Anita how to select funds that are right for her.

These basic rules are the foundation of any successful investing program. Fortunately, they're easy to understand.

There is no risk-free investment. Even if you put your money in the bank. They'll guarantee that you'll get it all back. But, no one will guarantee how much you'll be able to buy with it.

Time reduces risk. History has shown that in any given 10 year period you would have made money if you owned all of the stocks on the NY Stock Exchange, even including the years of the crash of '29 and the depression.

You must consider inflation. Your investment must grow faster than inflation or you're really losing money. Being too cautious in your investment selection can actually increase your risk.

You must consider taxes. Even at a 15% tax rate your growth will be significantly affected. Suppose you invest $1,000 and it grew 8% per year for 50 years. If your growth were taxed each year at 15%, you'd end up with $28,650 at the end. But, if you didn't have to pay taxes along the way that same $1,000 would have grown to $50,653.

Invest early. Money invested in your twenties has more time to grow than dollars invested in your forties.

Invest often. Don't wait until you have a big bunch of money to invest. Get in the habit of adding to your account on a monthly or quarterly basis. You'll be amazed at how those smaller amounts add up over the years.

Compounding is a wonderful thing. Having your money make more money sure beats working for it. All you have to do is to let your earnings stay in the account and wait for time to pass. Any newbie investor can do that.

Doing average is ok. You don't need to be a stock picking genius. Very few people are. All you need to do is to get average returns over a number of years and you'll do quite well.

OK, now let's see if we can help Anita grow more comfortable with a do-it-yourself investment project. Like any DIY project she's going to have to be willing to learn and to try new things.

The internet has made it easier to research mutual funds. You can get independent advice from Morningstar.com and The Motley Fool .

The mutual fund companies are also willing teachers. Both Fidelity.com and Vanguard.com offer advice for the new investor. They have many pages dedicated to educating people like Anita.

She'll want to learn about three main topics: how commissions and fees will be charged, how to determine what a fund invests in, and how to evaluate past fund performance statistics. These are simple concepts that anyone can understand.

By now Anita should know the basic truths of investing and some idea of how mutual funds work. Next, let's learn something about a concept that greatly simplifies investing. That's the 'index fund'.

Earlier we mentioned owning all of the stocks on the NY Stock Exchange. An index fund does just that. An index fund is not really managed. There's no one trying to outguess the market. The fund is managed to be a reflection of the index that it represents.

Studies have shown that index funds will generally outperform all but a few managed mutual funds. That makes Anita's job easier. Instead of picking a fund, all she has to do is to pick an index that represents her level of aggressiveness. If she's cautious, she'll want a fund that indexes the NYSE, American Stock Exchange or S&P 500. If she's braver she might want to index the NASDAQ. Or if she's aggressive she might want to check out one of the technology index funds. Then she'll choose a quality mutual fund company that offers a fund for the index she's selected.

Should Anita be careful as she begins investing? Sure! But, if she starts small, adds money regularly and continues to learn, she'll be able to build a valuable asset for her future.

About The Author

Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher www.stretcher.com website and newsletters. If you'd like to save time or money, visit today!