Voluntary simplicity, also known as simple living, is not so much a religion as a way of life. The lifestyle includes a deep spirituality, focus on health, spending time with friends, family, and mentors, and learning to diminish the footprint a person leaves on the earth. Simple living is based on having less of an impact on nature in every way, while finding a deeper impact for yourself in terms of health, well-being, and spiritual beliefs.
The history of voluntary simplicity began with the Sharamana traditions of Buddhism. Buddha and John the Baptist were early followers of simple living. Famous followers of voluntary simplicity include Francis of Assisi, Ghandi, and perhaps most famously, Albert Schweitzer. Several religions hold simple living at their core of values, such as the Amish, Mennonites, and Quakers. Henry David Thoreau wrote about what many consider to be voluntary simplicity in his famous work, Walden.
Many people who follow simple living do so in order to reduce their consumption of goods and services, thus reducing their impact on the environment. Others choose to spend their time in ways other than working, by helping others through volunteer work, or simply working enough to get by on small financial stores. Practices such as alternative gifting, in which gifts are recycled or created by hand, or the vegan diet, are ways to incorporate voluntary simplicity into a lifestyle without making radical changes.
In many cases, the spiritual side of voluntary simplicity lies in the joy of giving to others and taking nothing in return for yourself. The power of giving, coupled with leaving nature as it was intended and focus on diminishing any negative impact your time on earth might contribute to the environment, naturally leads to a more positive outlook. That positive way of thinking can lead to a deeper spiritual searching.
Those who follow the principles of voluntary simplicity tend to live by example, but they can also become political. The Green Party and other like-minded political groups are a good case in point. Proponents of simple living push for locally grown and organic foods, natural products in stores, and other moves toward a more sustainable and reasonable lifestyle.