Simplicity means to choose ways of living that touch the Earth more lightly and that reduce our ecological footprint.

In a world where nearly one billion people live near the edge of physical survival the relevance of intentional simplicity by the more affluent people of the world cannot be over estimated.

Voluntary simplicity has more to do with the state of mind than a person's physical surroundings and possessions.

Simplicity means to choose ways of living that touch the Earth more lightly and that reduce our ecological footprint.

To live more voluntarily is to live more deliberately, intentionally and purposefully - in short, it is to live more consciously. We cannot be deliberate when we are distracted from life. We cannot be intentional when we are not paying attention. We cannot be purposeful when we are not being present.

When a person's primary objective is to maximize material pleasures while minimizing discomforts, then life becomes a constant process of "pushing" (trying to push away from discomforts) and "grabbing" (trying to acquire or hold on to that which gives pleasure). With the loss of inner balance that accompanies a habitual "pushing and grabbing" approach to life, a deeper pain ensues-that of becoming aware of the ultimate unsatisfactoriness of the pleasure-seeking/pain-avoiding process itself.

Simplicity means to feel such a sense of kinship with others that we choose to live simply so that others may simply live.