You are Not Too Old ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

"You are not too old and it is not too late to dive into your increasing depths where life calmly gives out it's own secret"

Rainer Maria Rilke

More at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainer_Maria_Rilke

Circumstances of Life ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

"A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity." 


— Eleanor Roosevelt

More at  http://afsc.org/category/topic/eleanor-roosevelt

A Point of Equilibrium ~ Nilton Bonder

"Many people believe that humility is the opposite of pride, when, in fact, it is a point of equilibrium. The opposite of pride is actually a lack of self esteem. A humble person is totally different from a person who cannot recognize and appreciate himself as part of this worlds marvels."

Nilton Bonder

More at  https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilton_Bonder

Artwork may be by Florence Starr Taylor, but I'm unable to verify this.

https://rogallery.com/Starr_Florence/starr-taylor-biography.html

Make Room for that Which Gives you Joy ~ Leo Babauta

“What is a minimalist life? It’s one that is stripped of the unnecessary, to make room for that which gives you joy. It’s a removal of clutter in all its forms, leaving you with peace and freedom and lightness....A minimalist values quality, not quantity, in all forms”

 Leo Babauta


More at http://zenhabits.net/about/ 

We Know Ourselves ~ Janet Scott

"We know ourselves as individuals but only because we live in community. Love, trust, fellowship, selflessness are all mediated to us through our interdependence. Just as we could not live physically without each other, we cannot live spiritually in isolation. We are individually free but also communally bound. We cannot act without affecting others and others cannot act without affecting us. We know ourselves as we are reflected in the faces, action and attitudes of each other."

Janet Scott, 1980

More at   http://www.edengrace.org/sacraments.htm

Artwork from Jim Read (no link can I find).

Return Inwardly ~ Robert Barclay

"Each made it their work to return inwardly to the measure of grace in themselves, and not being only silent as to words but even abstaining from all their own thoughts, imaginations and desires."


Robert Barclay

More at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Barclay

Purpose in Living ~ Duane Elgin

"Because simplicity has as much to do with each person's purpose in living as it does with his or her standard of living, it follows that there is no single, 'right and true' way to live more ecologically and compassionately.

Although there is no dogmatic formula for simpler living, there is a general pattern of behaviour and attitudes that is often associated with this approach to living. Those choosing a simper life:

• Tend to invest time and energy freed up by simpler living in activities with their partner, children and friends (walking, making music together, sharing a meal, camping, etc.), or volunteering to help others, or getting involved in civic affairs to improve the life of the community.
• Tend to work on developing the full spectrum of their potentials: physical (running, biking, hiking, etc.), emotional (learning the skills of intimacy and sharing feelings in important relationships), mental (engaging in lifelong learning by reading, taking classes, etc.), and spiritual (learning to move through life with a quiet mind and compassionate heart).
• Tend to feel an intimate connection with the earth and a reverential concern for nature. In knowing that the ecology of the earth is a part of our extended "body," people tend to act in ways that express great care for its well-being.
• Tend to feel a compassionate concern for the world's poor: a simpler life fosters a sense of kinship with people around the world and thus concern for social justice and equity in the use of the world's resources.
• Tend to lower their overall level of personal consumption - buy less clothing (with more attention to what is functional, durable, aesthetic, and less concern with passing fads, fashions, and seasonal styles), buy less jewellery and other forms of personal ornamentation, by fewer cosmetic products and observe holidays in a less commercialized manner.
• Tend to alter their patterns of consumption in favor of products that are durable, easy to repair, non-polluting in their manufacture and use, energy-efficient, functional and aesthetic.
• Tend to shift their diets away from highly processed foods, meat, and sugar toward foods that are more natural, healthy, simple, and appropriate for sustaining the inhabitants of a small planet.
• Tend to reduce undue clutter and complexity in their personal lives by giving away or selling those possessions that are seldom used and could be used productively by others (clothing, books, furniture, appliances, tools, etc.) Tend to use their consumption politically by boycotting goods and services of companies whose actions or policies they consider unethical.
• Tend to recycle metal, glass, and paper and to cut back on consumption of items that are wasteful of non-renewable resources. Tend to pursue a livelihood that directly contributes to the well-being of the world and enables a person to use more fully his or her creative capacities in ways that are fulfilling.
• Tend to develop personal skills that contribute to greater self-reliance and reduce dependence upon experts to handle life's ordinary demands (for example, basic carpentry, plumbing, appliance, repair, gardening, crafts, etc.)
• Tend to prefer smaller-scale, more human-sized living and working environments that foster a sense of community, face-to-face contact, and mutual caring.
• Tend to alter male-female roles in favor of non-sexist patterns of relationship.
• Tend to appreciate the simplicity of nonverbal forms of communication - the eloquence of silence, hugging and touching, the language of the eyes.
• Tend to participate in holistic health-care practices that emphasize preventative medicine and the healing powers of the body when assisted by the mind.
• Tend to involve themselves with compassionate causes, such as protecting rain forests and saving animals from extinction, and tend to use non-violent means in their efforts.
• Tend to change transportation modes in favour of public transportation, car-pooling, smaller and more fuel-efficient autos, living closer to work, riding a bike and walking.

Because there is a tendency to emphasis the external changes that characterize simpler living, it is important to reiterate that this approach to life is intended to integrate both inner and outer aspects of existence into a satisfying and purposeful whole."

More at  http://www.duaneelgin.com/articles/

Simplify the World ~ Elise Boulding

“We can’t simplify the world. There’s no wand we can wave to remove the complexities around us…So, in a profound sense, we have to take responsibility for living on the planet."

~ Elise Boulding

More at  http://interconnectednews.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/remembering-dr-elise-boulding-great-mother-of-the-peace-movement/

Artwork from Stephanie Lambourne 
http://www.southwoldgallery.co.uk/artists/124/stephanie-lambourne

This Small Planet ~ John F. Kennedy

"Our problems are man-made - therefore, they can be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. Man's reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable, and we believe they can do it again. For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

John F. Kennedy

More at  http://www.jfklibrary.org/

Finding the Meaning ~ Vaclav Havel

"Someone who does not draw strength from himself and who is incapable of finding the meaning of his life within himself will...seek the map to his own orientation somewhere outside himself--in some ideology, organization, or society, and then, however active he may appear to be, he is merely waiting, depending.  He waits to see what others will do, or what roles they will assign to him, and he depends on them--and if they don't do anything or if they botch things, he succumbs to disillusion, despair, and ultimately, resignation."

 Vaclav Havel


More at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A1clav_Havel