Simplicity Circles Curriculum
Welcome to the Simplicity Circle Resource page. The curriculum for this program was built by Barb Munn (from the Green Sanctuary Team) and she partnered with the Adult RE committee to bring the circles to SFUU in 2019. If you are interested in starting a simplicity circle, please contact Barb (bjmunn57@gmail.com) to learn more. Participants in 2019 came out of the simplicity circles with lots of ideas, a stronger personal connection with the people in their circle, and a more powerful commitment to living more sustainably. Scroll down to get more information. The headings that you will find as you scroll down this page include:
More about the Circles, Coordinating, Hosting, and Facilitating
THE CURRICULUM (for each circle session; this includes what you should do before each session)
Some links to ideas for reducing your Carbon Footprint
Selected readings on balancing work and your values
More About the Circles
What are Simplicity Circles?
Cecile Andrews, who wrote The Circle of Simplicity describes simplicity circles as groups of 6 to 8 people who “gather … to help each other simplify their lives – to support each other, to think together, to exchange ideas on ways to live differently.” Each circle session explores a theme through personal stories, reflection, and readings, ending with a commitment to take one small step to simplify their life before the circle met again. As Cecile Andrews says, “there is no one way to simplify; rather, each person‘s unique way grows out of an analysis of his or her own life.” Thus, in a simplicity circle, you are called to truly know yourself – to determine what you value, so that you can live the life that reflects your core being while caring for the Earth. In the circles we focused on encouraging each other in our commitments and actions as we follow our own paths toward simplicity. In the end, no matter why we choose a simpler life, by doing so, we ultimately reduce damage to the Earth!
Tricia Caspers’ reflection on Simplicity Circles
December 2019’s worship theme was ‘awe’ and was kicked off by three reflections from SFUU members addressing how engagement with congregational life helps them to say Help, Thanks, and Wow. Please click below to hear what Trish had to say about engaging in Simplicity Circles at SFUU.
Circle Coordinator
Each circle has a coordinator, however, hosting and facilitating the circles rotated among the willing members. The coordinator works with their circle members to determine the time and location of their first circle session, and facilitates the first session (including scheduling the remaining sessions) and helps to establish the circle’s ground rules for discussion (tools for doing this are provided).
Hosting a Circle
During the first circle session each group decides what would work best for them. Some opt to rotate circle locations with each session, others divided the hosting among a few members, or had a single (willing) member host them all. Some circles organize food for each session, others do not, it is totally up to the group.
Facilitating a Circle Session
The first session is facilitated by the Coordinator, all other sessions rotate among the circle members. Rotating the facilitation follows the model of “everyone teaches, everyone learns.” As facilitator, the main role is to begin and end on time and to enable healthy discussion. You receive a detailed curriculum for each session (see below) and all that needs doing is to make enough copies of the materials for you group.
Book for Circle Work
Most of the readings for the simplicity circle sessions come out of a book of essays about Simplicity entitled Less is More complied by Cecile Andrews and Wanda Urbanska (published by New Society Publishers in 2009). Members should purchase or borrow this book so that they can read the suggested essays prior to each session. Here is a link to where you can find this book on-line used: https://www.directtextbook.com/isbn/9780865716506
The Curriculum
There were 6 circle sessions, each with a theme as follows (scroll down for details about each session):
Barb developed the curriculum for each session, contact her if you have questions (bjmunn57@gmail.com)!
Session 1: What is Simplicity?
Session 1 Facilitator information
This session will likely be a little longer than the other ones because there is some general circle business to take care of before we jump into the content of this session. Here are pdfs of the materials, in case you want to a sneak peek at what will be happening in this session:
Other Materials for the Facilitator:
Possible Circle Discussion Ground Rules
Action Commitments: 3 per page or 4 per page
Handouts to make for the Circle Members:
READ the following BEFORE this session:
p.3-7 (Less is More): Simplicity Defined: Introduction by Cecile Andrews
Please underlined or highlight 2 or 3 sentences in this essay that made you think, made an impression on you, or that you wonder about. Be prepared to share one of these sentences. PLEASE DO THIS BEFORE THE SESSION!!
p.18-26 (Less is More): Voluntary Simplicity: Cool Lifestyle for a Hot Planet by Duane Elgin
Be prepared to discuss one take home idea from this essay
on-line article from Slate: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Still Matters
Be prepared to discuss one take home idea from this article
Read it on-line here: https://slate.com/technology/2018/10/carbon-footprint-climate-change-personal-action-collective-action.html
Session 2: Less is More!
Session 2 Facilitator information
Here are pdfs of the materials for Session 2, in case you want to a sneak peek at what will be happening in this session:
Handouts to make for the Circle Members:
DO ‘Ideal Day Exercise’ BEFORE Session 2:
This exercise is meant to give you a sense of where you want to be, to help you understand what you are looking for in simple living. It was taken from Live Simply: A Simplicity Circle Study Guide for the Waterloo Region available at: https://www.theworkingcentre.org/sites/default/files/live-simply.pdf
Close your eyes and take some time to imagine a day in your life that you could live exactly as you like. This is an ordinary every day kind of day, not a vacation or special event, just you living your regular life. Imagine it in as much detail and color as you can, from the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed. Be as extravagant as you like, throwing in all the luxuries that you want.
Once you have written as much as you can, look it over. What is the most noticeable aspect of your ideal day? What surprises you?
Now it is time to pare it down a little. Separate the necessary aspects from the luxuries. What, who, and where are absolutely essentials in your day? What would be great, but you could really live without? What does a revised ideal day look like?
Compare your present daily routine to your revised ideal day. What do you already have in your life? What’s missing? What do you need more of? What do you need less of?
WATCH the following BEFORE Session 2:
READ the following before Session 2:
p.41-46 (Less is More): Finding Real Wealth: Twice the Value for Half the Resources by David Wann
OPTIONAL: p.92-100 (Less is More): Simplicity Isn’t “Voluntary” Anymore by Ernest Callenbac
Session 3: Where Did the Time Go?
COMPLETE first row of chart:
As you read the essays for this session and watch the short video clip, fill out the first row of the Give One Get One chart and bring it to session 3 (chart should have been distributed at the end of session 2, or you can get it by clicking here). Leave the second row blank, you will use that row during simplicity circle session 3. READ the following BEFORE Session 3
p.64-73 (Less is More): Like Corn in the Night: Reclaiming a Sense of Time by Rebecca Kneale Gould
p.180-190 (Less is More): Speed Trap by Jay Walljasper
OPTIONAL: p.142-147 (Less is More): Culture as a Guidepost to a Balanced Life by Cathy O’Keefe
WATCH the following BEFORE Session 3:
Session 3 Facilitator information
Here are pdfs of the materials for Session 3, in case you want to a sneak peek at what will be happening in this session:
Handouts to make for the Circle Members:
Give One Get One (they should already have this)
TRACK Your Time for One Week:
Choose a week to track your time. Just before bed at the end of each day of that week, make brief notes about what you spent the day doing. Don't worry about being precise, just give a general figure to each of your activities. If doing a whole week seems too onerous, then at a minimum choose one typical weekday and one typical weekend day to track. [This idea was taken from Live Simply: A Simplicity Circle Study Guide for the Waterloo Region available at: https://www.theworkingcentre.org/sites/default/files/live-simply.pdf]
Session 4: How Much is Enough?
READ the following BEFORE Session 4:
Personal Economics in a Time of Climate Change by Allen Edwards (this is a pdf of the introduction to Allen’s new book) - a close reading of this will be especially helpful for this session!
p.101-106 (Less is More): The Lagom Solution by Alan Atkisson (Barb’s personal favorite from this book of esssays)
p.133-141 (Less is More): Nearing Enough by Linnea Johnson
WATCH the following BEFORE Session 4:
Session 4 Facilitator information
Here are pdfs of the materials for session 4, in case you want to a sneak peek at what will be happening in this session:
Handouts to make for the Circle Members:
You may also want to read the August 2019 thoughts from Allen Edwards about why he has stopped work on his book (click here for a pdf of this addendum).
Session 5: Simplicity and Planet Earth
READ the following BEFORE Session 5:
p.74-78 (Less is More): Simplicity, Simply Put by Tom Turnipseed
p.212-219 (Less is More): Why Isn’t the Empire Sustainable? by David Wann
WATCH the following BEFORE Session 5:
Session 5 Facilitator information
Here are pdfs of the materials for Session 5, in case you want to a sneak peek at what will be happening in this session:
Handouts to make for the Circle Members:
Try LOCAL FARM or FARMER’S MARKET (if open when this session takes place):
Placer Grown: http://www.placergrown.org/
Certified Farmer’s Markets of Sacramento: https://marketlocations.com/
El Dorado Certified Farmer’s Markets: https://eldoradofarmersmarket.com/
Some other TED talks related to Simplicity and Planet Earth
Listed below are some other TED talks that were considered while creating session 5 (but ultimately not used). If you are interested, here are the links:
Session 6: Practicing Simplicity
READ the following BEFORE Session 6:
p.157-162 (Less is More): Wabi Sabi Time by Robin Griggs Lawrence
Every Act a Ceremony: https://charleseisenstein.org/essays/ceremony/
WATCH the following BEFORE Session 6:
Session 6 Facilitator information
Here are pdfs of the materials for Session 6, in case you want to a sneak peek at what will be happening in this session:
Handouts to make for the Circle Members:
EXPLORE the following BEFORE Session 6:
Useful links for practicing simplicity and responsible living
Look at at least two of these so that you can share what you learned (if an app: was it useful, easy to navigate, etc., if an informational website: was the information useful, new, or surprising?) - Feel free to look at more than two, or do a search following your own interests - it is hoped that between everyone in your circle, a broad range of the sites below would be explored and shared.
The Better World Shopper (https://betterworldshopper.org) a public research project for ethical consumers (based out of Davis, CA). The categories it rates products on include: Human Rights, The Environments, Animal Protection, Community Involvement, and Social Justice. You can look up companies and product types on this website; or get the app (see below).
Here are some sites that discuss apps for sustainable living:
Sustainable Seafood Guides:
Seafood Watch: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/ from the Monterey Bay Aquarium; you can use the website, or download a free app for you phone.
Good Fish Guide: https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/search from the Marine Conservation Society; you can use this website, or download a free app.
Some ideas for things to use instead of plastic:
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/5-plastic-substitutes.htm
https://www.businessinsider.com/household-plastic-alternatives-eco-friendly-2018-8
https://greenfeels.in/blogs/sustainability-basics/eco-friendly-alternatives-to-plastic
https://slicedesign.co.uk/eco-friendly-packaging-alternatives-to-plastic/
Miscellaneous green living ideas:
How to Make your Life Greener in 2024: https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-your-life-greener-in-2024-219365
12 Ways to Live More Sustainably: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/live_more_sustainably.html
Make Your Life Environmental-Friendly: https://www.greenamerica.org/media-mention/want-make-your-life-more-environmentally-friendly-heres-30-ways-usa-today
Where You Put Your Money Matters: https://www.ppoft.org/money
Green Finance: https://www.greenamerica.org/finance
Ideas for reducing your carbon footprint
If you find other useful links, send them to Barb and she will include them here!
50 Tips to Cut Down Your Carbon Footprint: https://www.globalgiving.org/learn/reduce-carbon-footprint
The 37 Easiest Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint (Animated Graphic): https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/09/19/the-37-easiest-ways-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-animated-graphic/
10 Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/02/22/climate-change-actions-carbon-footprint/
How to reduce your carbon footprint: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/19/how-to-reduce-carbon-footprint
Readings about Balancing Work and Your Values
These essays come from Living Simply, a simplicity guidebook created for the Waterloo region in Canada. A pdf is provided of each article (click on the article title to get the pdf)
Breaking the Job Lock by Andrew Kimbrell
The Price of Conscience and Spirit in Work by Liliete Correia