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

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):

  1. What is Simplicity?

  2. Less is More

  3. Where Did the Time Go?

  4. How Much Is Enough?

  5. Simplicity and Planet Earth

  6. Practicing Simplicity

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:

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

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:

The Joy of Less, a 2014 TEDx talk by Kim Coupounas.

Think about the questions Kim asks at the end of this talk - is there an action commitment that you might do related to her questions?

Why Less is More, a 2017 TEDx talk by Rita Wilkins

Think about the question Rita asks at the end of this talk - is there an action commitment that you might do related to her question?

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:

Overcoming Overload, a 4-minute video clip from Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska, episode #301 (first aired january 2007):

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:

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:

WATCH the following BEFORE Session 4:

How Many Towels Do You Need, a 10-minute Tedx talk by Rose Lounsbury

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:

The Disarming Case to Act Right Now On Climate Change, an 11-minute TED talk by Greta Thunberg

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):

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:

Climate Change: Simple, Serious, Solvable by James Rae TEDx – 2018

Reviews Science, Impacts, & general discussion of energy technology and individual Action

What One Person Can Do About Climate Change by Ella Lage TEDx – 2016

Suggests divesting from fossil fuels

What You Can Do About Global Warming from Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska, episode #402 (26 minutes; released August 2008)

All around discussion of the usual reductions around transportation, eating, and energy

Three Steps to Cut Your Carbon Footprint by 60% Today by Jackson Carpenter TEDx – 2017

Discusses the Carbon Cycle and green carbon versus fossil carbon

A Simple and Smart Way to Fix Climate Change by Dan Miller TEDx – 2014

Suggests carbon fees

The Reluctant Radical, a 2018 documentary directed and produced by Lindsey Grayzel

Follow activist Ken Ward as he confronts his fears and puts himself in the direct path of the fossil fuel industry to combat climate change.

Session 6: Practicing Simplicity

READ the following BEFORE Session 6:

WATCH the following BEFORE Session 6:

How Much is Enough? A Tedx talk by Kevin Cavenaugh

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.

Ideas for reducing your carbon footprint

If you find other useful links, send them to Barb and she will include them here!

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)