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Showing posts with label dressing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dressing. Show all posts

Simple Faith Groups

 Becoming part of a Religious Group 


Religious and spiritual groups may offer you a real chance to feel part of a community with others of similar views to yourself, and eventually allow you to make some good friends. If you already consider yourself to have found your spiritual home in your own branch of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Paganism or whatever, then you will want to fit your simple lifestyle into the tradition of that religion. None of these religions is without a long tradition of simplicity and your life will be made richer by exploring, alone or with others, the roots and practice within your faith. Others among you will be ‘seekers’; you may feel that you have a spiritual home somewhere, but you might not know where to start looking. If this is the case, a search for some kind of religious ‘home’ may be worthwhile. Don’t assume however, that this is necessarily as easy as it sounds; as with finding a partner, you should know when you have made the right choice! 

Wherever and whatever you seek, do not accept compromise; go to a spiritual home where your your own personal beliefs fit comfortably and choose a group to join only if it is made up of individuals with whom you feel at ease, and with whom you are happy to make a spiritual journey.  Below I will highlight some religious groupings that you may not be too familiar with, but all of which have some special relevance to simplicity. I have avoided discussion of ‘mainstream’ churches only because they are very well known and easy to find out about; this does not mean that they might not be perfect for you! I will not be discussing any group that charges a fee for you to join or attend meetings; if you find yourself being asked for contributions other that the customary voluntary ‘collection’, think very carefully about whether you are becoming part of a spiritual group, or just buying another product. Most groups should allow you time to ‘taste’ what's on offer before you decide to become a full member, so don’t hesitate to decline membership if you feel that you really don’t fit in or simply say that you are not ready yet and wish to give it longer before you make up your mind. 

Mennonites 

The Mennonites come from the same theological roots as the Amish, namely Anabaptism; they too found a home in Pennsylvania at the invitation of the Quakers, following persecution in Europe.  While it may be hard for the outsider to see the difference between an Amish community and an Old Order Mennonite community, differences do exist. Most Mennonites today do not wear Plain clothing and seem thoroughly ‘modern’, but they do have very strong beliefs including a strong commitment to simplicity and pacifism. Mennonite groups exist widely in the USA, Eastern Europe, Russia and many African countries; in the UK they are thin on the ground, but groups do exist and a national umbrella organization helps groups and individuals to make contact (see links below). 

If you want to combine your simple lifestyle with conventional Biblical Christian beliefs, then it is well worth exploring the Mennonites in more detail.  

“Preoccupation with money and possessions, self-indulgent living and eagerness to accumulate wealth for personal advantage are not in keeping with the teaching of Scripture.” 

~US Mennonite Brethren Confessions of Faith 

 Quakers 

Simplicity is an important concept to Quakers, both as individuals and as a group.  Practitioners of simplicity at any level will find like-minded people at their local meeting. Quakers (The Religious Society of Friends) have their roots in the religious and political turmoil of the seventeenth century. Quakers do not have churches but meet together, usually once or twice a week, in a Meeting House for what is not called a service, but a Meeting for Worship. 

Today Quakers offer a spiritual home for many including those from a very wide range of religious beliefs. Worldwide Quakers are predominantly Christian, but Universalist, Buddhist, Pagan and even Nontheistic Quakers are not uncommon, especially in Britain. In the UK the vast majority of Quakers are part of one umbrella group, the Britain Yearly Meeting, but in North America, where the numbers of Quakers are much larger, several groupings are present that represent differing traditions. The most common form of Quaker worship (and as far as I know the only form in the UK) is unstructured worship where Quakers (called Friends by each other) gather in a Meeting and wait in silence until one of them is moved to speak. This speech emanating from the silent Meeting is called Ministry and represents the only spoken part of the meeting, until the announcements at the end. Going to the meeting makes you an ‘attender’ but, given time you may apply to become a full member. 

Quakers are very tolerant of differences among individuals, and you will find yourself able to participate fully without having your individual beliefs challenged. While Quakers have no creed or dogma you are expected to be in broad agreement with a series of statements called Testimonies which are associated with peace, justice, truth, environment, equality and of course simplicity. Many Quakers, particularly those associated with Ohio Yearly Meeting, do dress Plain and a growing number of Quakers from other yearly meetings are adopting this form of simplicity, even a few in Britain.   

If you hold strong to the Christian heritage of Quakerism, you may find it difficult in the UK to find a meeting in your locality at which you feel you fit in. In this case you may, instead of seeking membership, consider yourself one of the growing numbers of unaffiliated Quakers who, while fully feeling part of the world Quaker movement, are not comfortable with the direction that many British Quaker Meetings seem to be taking. In North America, with several strands of the Quaker tradition very active, you should find it much easier to find a Meeting which you feel at home with. 

"Try to live simply. A simple lifestyle freely chosen is a source of great strength. Do not be persuaded into buying what you do not need or cannot afford. Do you keep yourself informed about the effect your style of living is having on the global economy and environment?" 

~Advices and Queries; Britain Yearly Meeting 

Bruderhof Communities 

Again part of the Anabaptist family and active in North and South America, the UK and Australia, the Bruderhof started life in Germany, but were persecuted out of the county by the Nazi regime. The Bruderhof practise a simple and peaceful lifestyle in a way that allows for community living and common ownership. Bruderhof communities accept families and single people to join them and are very accommodating to those who are happier with just being visitors. If you want your simple living to be within a like-minded, very Christian community, then you might like to find out more.  

Unitarians 

Unitarians (called Unitarian Universalists in most countries) developed from a number of free churches and Eastern European movements in the sixteenth century. Today Unitarians are noted for their lack of creed and dogma, and their accommodating attitude. Christians (of the non-Trinitarian kind), Pagans, Buddhists and others can all make a home within a Unitarian group. While not having a specific statement on simplicity, Unitarians would be very open to those following a simple living lifestyle. 

Over a century ago many Unitarians, who were members of the transcendental movement, mainly American, experimented with simple living; among them were Henry David Thoreau and Amos Bronson Alcott (father of Louis M. Alcott of 'Little Women' fame).  They met with mixed success but great literary influence. It is impossible to look at any kind of experimental way of living in the Eastern USA at the end of the nineteenth century without constantly hitting upon Unitarian ideas. If your religious views are difficult to match up with congregations you have tried, and geographically you have Unitarians near you, then this could be the answer. With some lack of understanding as to what both groups encompass, Unitarians are sometimes described as ‘Quakers who sing Hymns’; this ignores the independent development of traditions in both of these strands of liberal religion, but from abolition of slavery to women’s rights and same sex marriage, Quakers and Unitarians have stood shoulder to shoulder.

“We need to praise simplicity in religion and simplicity in our life style, to make of simplicity, sparing and stewardship an integrated way of being.” 

~ John Toye, Economist and Unitarian

Oblates 

Oblates are generally part of the Catholic, Orthodox or sometimes Anglican Christian tradition, but many people from other Christian denominations are able to take part, as long as they have a belief in the Trinity. Being an Oblate associates you with a monastery, and although you are not formally a monk or a nun you may take part in life of the monastery either regularly, if geography allows, or through visits. Oblates can be individuals, families or even small groups. Perhaps the most well-known are the Oblates of St Benedict which ranks simplicity high among their aims. Becoming an Oblate is considered a vocation and does involve the taking of vows, so make sure that you are happy with this from the onset. 

Plain Catholics 

Another very different grouping of Catholics devoted to simplicity are the Plain Catholics. Full individual members of the Catholic Church, Plain Catholics have adopted many of the lifestyle choices more often associated with Amish, Plain Quakers or Old Order Mennonites. The grouping has no geographical base but has members in congregations around the world. Catholics devoted to self-sufficient living might also want to investigate the Catholic Land Movement which again has worldwide membership. (Links at the bottom of this page.) 

Celtic Christian Communities 

Celtic Christianity is a term applied, fairly loosely, to the form of Christianity that grew up before the Christian areas of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and parts of  England were under the direct control of the Roman Catholic Church. Definitions are vague, but this was the Dark Ages, and while historians may disagree, the writings of early Celtic Christians are quite wonderful in their attempts to marry together Christianity with a more ‘pagan’ view of the world. The early Celtic Christians were convinced that simplicity drew them closer to God and allowed them to live close to the natural cycles of the Earth. Simplicity was at the heart of the Celtic monastic tradition and, at times, this developed into a very austere way of life. 

In all honesty, the Celtic Church no longer exists, but strands of it survive in modern Anglicanism, Methodism and Catholicism whilst similarities in theology and practice show comparisons with Orthodox Christianity. Several communities have grown up which draw from all denominations, and which try to keep those ideals of Celtic Christianity alive.  The Northumbria and Ionna Communities have well supported groups on the web and help to organize pilgrimages and retreats. True, many experience these groups only via the internet, but their activities are helpful and worth investigating if you find yourself in sympathy with Celtic Christian ideals. 

Sexual Orientation and Religious Groups 

If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual or any kind of gender nonconformist, then you may want to check the attitudes of any group you plan to join. Quakers, Unitarians and Reform Jews are very openly against discrimination on sexual orientation grounds, but you may need to approach other groups on a local level. Above all do not be intimidated into thinking that you need to change basic parts of your own sexual makeup just to be part of a religious group ~ you don’t! Modern attitudes to sexual orientation are in no way compromised by simple living, and by accepting your own sexuality and that of others you are embracing the simple notion that all of us are different and yet all of us are equal! 

“One should no more deplore homosexuality than left-handedness.” 

~Towards a Quaker View of Sex 1963 

Doing your own Thing 

Geography is much more important than it used to be in finding a group that you feel you want to be part of. At one time a whole range of alternative religious groups might have been available for your use within easy reach, but in many European and North American communities, decreasing attendance and a more dispersed population means less choice. One solution is to start your own group consisting of family, friends and neighbours. The Amish meet fortnightly in each other's homes and, when a worship group gets too large for the accommodation, a new group is formed. You could run your group along lines of the unstructured meetings of Quakers, the more directed worship of the Mennonites, or any other alternative you chose. You may wish your group to be self-contained or seek to affiliate it to a larger organization. If it all ends up with just your family taking some time together in silent worship once a week then what’s wrong with that? 


Alternatives 

You may find that you don’t fit into any of the groups above and that your religious beliefs, or lack of religious beliefs, would be compromised by joining any group. In that case the internet should provide you with a wealth of non-religious, or alternative religious groups to join. It may be difficult to gain local connections, but you could be pivotal in starting a group of your own. Many, throughout history have found themselves literally on their own and this too may have rich rewards.  


 If you are interested in any of the groups mentioned in this chapter, then a visit to the respective website should give you access to update information about the groups and any local activity. 

The Mennonite Trust (UK) http://menno.org.uk/ 

Unitarians (USA) http://www.uua.org/ 

Quakers in Britain http://www.quaker.org.uk/ 

Quaker Finder (North Americahttp://www.fgcquaker.org/connect/quaker-finder 

Conservative Quakers (USA) http://www.quaker.us/welcome.html 

Bruderhof Communities   http://www.bruderhof.com/en-gb 

The Catholic Land Movement http://www.thecatholiclandmovement.org/ 

The Northumbrian Community (Celtic Christian) http://www.northumbriacommunity.org/ 

The Iona Community (Celtic Christian) http://iona.org.uk/ 

Benedictine Oblates (UK)  http://www.benedictine-oblates.net/ 

The North American Association of Benedictine Oblate Directors http://www.naabod.org/ 

QuakerQuaker (worldwide community) http://www.quakerquaker.org/ 

The Pagan Federation (UK) http://www.paganfed.org/cms/ 

National Secular Society (UK) http://www.secularism.org.uk/  

Wikipedia page on LGBT affirming Christian Denominations  LGBT-affirming Christian denominations 

 (C) Ray Lovegrove 2015 2022

Radically Change the way you Dress




 Basic Changes you can Start Today

  • Take stock of your wardrobe contents and decide what you want and what you can give away 
  • Consider restricting yourself to a limited range of colours 
  • Research the ethical code of the shops that you generally buy your clothes from. Are you happy with it? Do you need to shop somewhere new?
  • Consider dyeing as one way to improve your clothing 
  • Review your laundry procedure ~ use less detergent and lower temperature settings (save money)
  • Get a washing line or rotary dryer if you have any space outside (save money)
  • Get a hat 
  • Start using charity shops (thrift stores) to buy and donate clothing (save money)
  • Stop caring about 'fashion' and start to develop your own 'style'
  • Grow a beard (if you can!) (save money)
  • Change your hairstyle to something 'low maintenance' and simple (save money)

Some Changes you might like to consider for the Future

  • Avoid buying new clothes with zippers 
  • Consider some variation on ‘new Plain’ as your mode of dressing 
  • Consider if modesty is something you wish to dress for 
  • Learn to knit (save money)
  • Learn to use a sewing machine (save money)
  • Make/alter/repair as many of your own clothes as you can (save money)
  • Learn to get the most out of your washing machine, look at the cost of differing ‘cycles’ and make economy one of your deciding factors in using it. (save money)
  • Learn simple washing machine maintenance – clearing the pump, changing the seal etc. (save money
  • As a consumer, apply pressure on retailers to develop and maintain a range of ethical policies in sourcing materials and labour. 

Some big radical changes you may want to move towards

  • Consider Plain dressing 
  • Try to become skillful enough to make all your own clothing (save money)
  • Get weaving! 
  • Stop using an electric washing machine and look seriously at the alternatives (save money)

How do I learn new skills?


Ask neighbours, friends, family. In particular elderly people may have lots of skills they are willing to pass on to anyone interested. In your area you may find evening or weekend courses you can attend. YouTube can provide easy free access to experts! 

(C) Ray Lovegrove 2022


See Also,


 


Plain Dressing



Dressing for a purpose

 



For many people dressing in a particular way is very important to them. those who want to dress modestly as well as those who want to dress in order to identify with a particular group. Before that we need to discuss some terminology. For some reason the words used for various items of clothing in English differ greatly from one side of the Atlantic Ocean to the other. Quite why this area shows more differences of terminology than most others is not clear, but this table should help avoid problems. (PS several American readers have told me that some of this terminology is regional. So please accept my apologies for any errors I have made.)

          

 

UK English terminology 

 

US English terminology 

Braces 

Suspenders 

Jumper or pullover 

Sweater 

Knickers 

Panties 

Nappy 

Diaper 

Pants 

Underpants  

Suspenders 

Gaiters 

Tights 

Pantyhose 

Trainers 

Sneakers 

Trousers 

Pants 

Vest 

Undershirt 

Waistcoat 

Vest (Amish use ‘coat’) 

 

Most of us understand these terms on both sides of the Atlantic through cross cultural fertilization from films (or is that movies), and television. Please note that a man standing on a sidewalk in pants and suspenders would not cause much attention in the States, whereas a man standing on a street corner in pants and suspenders in the UK is a very different thing?

Plain Dressing


 

Certain groups have adopted a degree of plain dressing with the aim of becoming more simple. Plainness differs from simple dressing in that rules are applied, either by the individual, or by the group to which they belong. Thanks to a vast amount of television and movie interest, the dress of the Amish is almost universally recognized. Women wear long dresses of a plain-coloured fabric, and a small cap to keep their long, tied-back hair tidy and discrete. When working (which is most of the time), Amish women always wear aprons to protect the dress beneath. Amish men wear black ‘broad fall’ trousers and a shirt of plain coloured material and braces (suspenders). They may wear coats over the shirts and a straw hat with a black band in summer, or a dark broad rimmed hat in winter. Of course, both sexes use straight pins instead of zippers or even buttons; infact Amish men do wear other clothing for working, they will wear buttons if necessary and some less strict Amish groups allow buttons for everyday wear. You will not see patterned material worn by the Amish, but plain dressing Mennonite women do wear patterned material ~ often a very small repeat
ing floral design ~ for their dresses, and Hutterites often wear spotted or ‘polka dotted’ pattered headscarves and dresses. For some reason, stripes are rarely seen on any of the Plain people, probably due to the fact that they have military connections.



 ©2006 Larry N. Bolch http://www.larry-bolch.cm/prairie/hutterites.htm

Conservative Quakers, and some liberal Quakers too, also dress Plain. They generally choose to use less colour than the Amish and many stick to grey, black, white and blue. The shirt of a Plain Quaker man is usually worn without a collar or ‘banded’ (for some strange reason these collarless shirts are often sold as ‘grandad shirts’ in the UK). Plain dressing Quaker women generally wear long dresses and bonnets when out, but like Amish and Mennonite women, will wear soft cotton ‘caps, and aprons indoors. The children of Plain people dress in very much the same way as the adults, but fairly ordinary looking trainers are not uncommon.

 


While to the outsider these Plain dressing customs may look like a uniform, in fact they are representing the opposite of a uniform; the wearers regard their Plain clothes as a mark of nonconformity, as an act that places them apart from the world around them.. The usual reason for adopting the male norm was to emphasize pacifism. Belts were not originally used to hold up trousers, rather they were used to hold swords, daggers and eventually firearms; by avoiding belts, Plain dressing men pronounce to the world that they carry no arms. The collarless ‘banded’ shirt of Plain Quaker men is a protest against class distinction. At one time professional men wore collars and ‘working’ men no collar; the Quakers recognized no class barriers so simply rejected the collar altogether.

To those who wear Plain dress it is easy to tell the difference between one group of Amish and another, between Mennonite and Quaker by small differences in clothing.



“New Plain”
 
For many people, Plain dressing seems just an anachronism; women's Plain dress would seem to come from the end on the late nineteenth century while men’s clothing seems closer to rural work of the 1920s. Obviously Amish, Quakers and Mennonites have worn Plain dress that has changed with passing time, so why should it now seem frozen in time now?


Since the 1990s, many North American Quakers from all strands of the movement have developed a way of dressing termed ‘New Plain’. While it does not have the ‘strictness’ of Plain dress worn by the Amish or traditional ‘Plain Quakers’, it is distinctive and practical. Why are people doing this? Well, if you read the blogs of those that do it, there appear to be a number of reasons. Firstly, there is the need for some link with traditional Quaker dress of the past; secondly, because they feel some degree of ‘calling’ to dress this way; and thirdly to identify themselves as Quakers to the wider community.


For males, New Plain consists of cotton trousers with a button fly, held up with braces, not a belt, collarless (banded) long-sleeved shirts and a general wearing of plain colours with no obvious designer labels (a small sewn in label on overalls and jeans is acceptable to most). Plain shoes or boots are favored instead of trainers or other casual footwear. Wearing of hats and beards seems to be a fully individual choice. For women the tendency is again for plain buttoned clothing, long sleeves and long plain skirts and dresses; head covering is a matter of choice. While most women do opt for skirts and dresses, many other do wear trousers and see no problem in adapting the New Plain to what suits them personally.


There are no rules other than the rules individuals set for themselves. Other people are adopting variations on ‘new Plain’ as a form of dress including some Catholics and Mennonites. Some of those starting with this style of clothing proceed to full Plain dress, but most seem content with their choice.


Simple Geography 

If you live in North America it is quite possible to buy clothing from postal catalogues which cater exclusively for Plain dressers. If you live elsewhere in the world it is a matter of shopping around to find what you want or resorting to the sewing machine! There is no reason whatsoever to assume that plain or simple dressing needs to be a copy of happens in North America or Western Europe. A regional approach to dressing must take account of where you live on our planet. Availability of clothing and suitability for your local climate need to be taken into account. Both Leo Tolstoy and Mohandas Gandhi adopted plain dress, but it was the plain dress of their culture, heritage and climate. Be content in adopting a style of dress that reflects not only your outlook on life, but the culture that you feel a part of.





Clothing for Modesty


“Practice modesty in the wearing of clothes, and have nothing to do with pomp and luxury in raiment. It is great vanity to spend as much on one suit as would ordinarily be required to clothe two or three persons. When you become old and think back to the time when you sought to adorn yourself, you will feel only regret that you once loved such vain display.”

~Amish Rules for a Godly Life


Large numbers of individuals dress for modesty; in fact, unless you are a public nudist, so do we all! The difference comes in deciding what needs to be covered and what is good for public display. Muslim dress has become a familiar sight to most of us, so we know that modest dressing need not be dull nor lacking in style. Many people may dress modestly for religious reasons (whatever the faith), but others because they just feel more comfortable without strangers gazing at their bodies. For women, covering of the legs and arms are most usual while others also cover the hair and neck. Likewise for men, arms legs and chest are the most common areas covered for modesty. No one can tell you what is right for you. You may, like most Muslims, adopt a very relaxed style at home with your family, but present a more modest style to the world during the day.. Take a long look at yourself in a mirror and make up your mind, then look around any shopping centre at how others are dressing, it may help you make decide.

Clothing and Sexuality

Many would have it that simple or plain dressing may be used to reinforce sexual stereotypes. I have heard it said that ‘plain dressing makes men look more masculine and women more feminine’, I would like to dismiss that idea and get it out of the way at the very start of the discussion. Men and women may want, and choose, to dress in any number of ways that are masculine, feminine, or even androgynous and simplicity can accommodate them all. A simple lifestyle is about individuals adopting practices that reduce complexity. It is not about categorizing people into groups and dictating to them what they should do, think, or wear. The important thing is to look at what you feel comfortable with and the image that you want to present to the world ~ that is your comfort and your image, nobody else’s!


We are, however, faced with children having decisions forced on them by clothing manufacturers and retailers. From the minute they are born, girls have clothing produced in any shade of pink you can imagine, but this is not ‘freedom of choice’, this is imposed restriction! Likewise, boys are catered for with a limited range of colours and patterns including ‘camouflage’ which is presumably designed not to make them hard to find in the garden, but to reinforce the idea of a possible military career. Reject stereotypes for yourself and your children; go out of your way to dress for comfort, for your own satisfaction, for simplicity, for modesty, for environmental sustainability and for non-conformity! If clothing manufacturers and retailers do not provide what you need to do these things, then invest in a sewing machine and write on it ‘This Machine Kills Stereotypes’ – then learn to use it!




(C) Ray Lovegrove 2016 2020