Simple Books

By Lisa Jones

I got really excited when I started simplifying, so I acquired every book I could find with the word “simple” on the cover. Then I got stressed out about where I was going to put all these books and how much reading I needed to do. Not a great start to my new, less-complicated lifestyle.

Through that process, however, I did identify some incredible books. Reading about other’s experiences of slowing down is totally inspiring. While it’s great to read about successes, many people also write about their simplification failures, which is very reassuring for those times when I’ve been suckered by a sale or when I chose a processed ordered pizza over an organic, homemade meal.
Nowadays, I have pared down my simple book collection, but there are some books I return to again and again. Another frugal perk; most of these can be found at the library…if you can resist underlining and highlighting all the wonderful passages.

“A Gift From The Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindberg

“If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others.“

This book was just released as a 50th anniversary addition, but you’d never know it. Lindberg’s wise words on balancing family and work are reassuring and relevant. She discusses the struggle of women to find themselves, in both their own lives and the larger world, and it’s all still true half a century after she put pen to paper in a little cottage by the sea.

“Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy” by Sarah Ban Breathnach

“An authentic life is the most personal form of worship. Everyday life has become my prayer.“

This book sits next to my bed. It contains 366 short essays about simplicity, gratitude and awareness of the small joys of life. At times, it can be a little sappy, much like the bright pink cover, but it’s sweet and inspiring and it clears my head of all the junk from the day.

“Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life” by Thich Nhat Hanh

“We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive.“

This slim book changes how you look at everyday events. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk but this book is accessible to all, regardless of faith. This is a lovely introduction to the concept of interconnectedness and acts as a gentle reminder that this moment really is all we have. We might as well enjoy it.

“Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff

“While Eeyore frets…and Piglet hesitates…and Rabbit calculates…and Owl pontificates…Pooh just is.“

Is there anyone who enjoys the simple things more than Winnie the Pooh? This book is so fun and incredibly wise that it lived in my purse for years; I wouldn’t leave the house without it. Pooh’s silly poems and theories have a deep philosophical basis and it’s wonderful to enjoy them in a whole new way.

“Wherever You Go There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf. Meditation is neither shutting things out or off. It is seeing things clearly and deliberately positioning yourself differently in relationship to them.“

I honestly had a hard time picking just one Jon Kabat-Zinn book. I love his straightforward writing style. Kabat-Zinn takes all the “woo-woo” out of meditation and offers up compelling medical support (he’s a molecular biologist) for a mindful life. This is a wonderful introduction to stress reduction through a formal meditation practice.

There are a million more wonderful writers who discuss simplicity, but these five make a great start to a simple, inspiring library.

Lisa Jones is a freelance writer and a yoga fanatic with a serious travel addiction. You can find more from Lisa at her blog Just here. Just now.