In our fast-paced, materially-driven society, the idea of living more simply and slowly runs counter to prevailing norms. That may be why it’s catching on.

People have many different reasons for embracing the concept of voluntary simplicity, and author Duane Elgin (right) sees them all as valid and interlocking, part of a “garden” of motivations that all serve a greater common cause.

The virtues of living simply and eschewing material goods are sometimes associated more with the Oriental teachings of Confucius and Buddha, although they were also embodied by such western figures as John the Baptist and St. Francis of Assisi. Today, says Elgin, the precepts of voluntary simplicity have taken hold in a big way in Northern Europe.

Duane Elgin, MBA and MA is an internationally recognized, visionary speaker and author. His books include: Voluntary Simplicity, The Living Universe, Promise Ahead, and Awakening Earth. He will appear at Copperfields Books in Sebastopol at 7 pm on Monday, March 8, with a presentation titled, "Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life That is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich."