The Way of the Nomad

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a book that I’ve wanted for a LONG time….”Yurts: Living in the Round” by Becky Kemery. I have been pouring over it…learning about the history of this amazing structure and also falling in love again with the wisdom of ancient cultures. You don’t have to be a nomad to recognize the beauty of the nomadic life…there is much to be learned from people who are truly living.

There is a section in the book that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. I wanted to share it with you because it describes my thoughts about simplicity so perfectly:

The Central Asian nomads live with deep-rooted simplicity. Nomads carry with them what they need. Each person, for example, brings his or her own cup, bowl, and utensils when traveling. Waste is unthinkable; once something has served its usefulness in one area, it is put to use as something else. Every possession is chosen with care an ideally serves multiple function. With few possessions, there is the opportunity to bring artistry to every element of daily life. And because everything has its place in the circle of nomadic life (a placement prescribed by the very fabric of the culture), the setting of daily life is greatly simplified. One can walk in to any ger (yurt) and know where most items are stored and what part of the ger and know what part of the ger is used for which functions. This level of simplicity liberates energy for art, laughter, family, and tribe.

A final gift of the nomads is their intimate sense of connectedness. The circle is the symbol of interconnectedness, and the yurt makes this very real by creating a space for the family to live together in one large room, all the generations, interacting and creating a sense of tribe and family. Likewise, the veil between inside and outside is much thinner in a yurt; one knows when the wind blows or the temperature drops. the earth is truly underfoot, the night sky is visible through the smoke hole, and a sheep bleating in the middle of the night wakes up the herder. It is from this intimate sense of connection with all things around them that nomads living in balance in such a way that Mother Nature is never harmed.

I have bolded my favorite part…I think that every one of us wants to “bring artistry to every element of daily life”. Imagine yourself waking up tomorrow morning. You walk into the kitchen…and as you pour the crystal clear water into the kettle, you listen carefully to the sound of the water splashing on the bottom. After preparing your coffee or tea, you reach for your mug which hangs on a colorfulfully painted peg on the wall. Each person in your family has their own mug that they use for drinking. You chose your particular mug for the beauty of the design and for how perfectly it fits into your hand as you enjoy a steamy hot drink. You pour your creamer in and stand amazed at the lovely patterns it makes as it blends into the liquid. With each sip, you are reminded of how beautiful life is. Are you laughing at me yet? Ok, ok…it does seem a bit crazy. BUT…how would your life change if this was your reality? If you were able to see beauty in the mundane?

Think about how different your kitchen would be if each person in your family lived with a nomadic mindset and only had what they needed? One plate, one bowl, one mug/cup, a set of silverware. *GASP! What about company?!* I didn’t say you had to get rid of your excess place settings…just put them away. In a cupboard above the fridge…or in the basement. If you have older children, they can be responsible for their setting (cleaning, putting away, etc.). If their bowl is dirty, they don’t take out another, they just quickly wash the bowl and use it again.

If you want to really have fun…go to the thrift store and let the children pick out their very favorite plate/bowl/cup. It would probably cost about $2 per person…but it would give each person a sense of ownership. Some of my very favorite dishes came from thrift stores! If you are someone that has to have matching everything, this obviously wouldn’t work for you I know from personal experience, that once I downsized my kitchen “stuff” by about 75%, life became very happy. Look at the things you use every day, and keep them. Everything else goes away (at least out of sight). I could have a fully functional kitchen with one large chef’s knife and a few bowls. And remember… “this level of simplicity liberates energy for art, laughter, family, and tribe”. Because who wants to do dishes all day? Be liberated!

The second part of this quote speaks about living in close quarters…specifically one large “great room”, and how it magically brings people together. Now that we have come “off the road” and out of the RV for a few months, we are noticing how hard it is to connect as a family. We really have to work at having time together…uninterrupted by TV, activities, and spacious homes. We REALLY like living in a small space because it’s so easy to bond together and to truly live. It’s been a great learning experience … I don’t think we will ever go back to a big house. Too much space to get away from your family! After awhile, you start to think you actually NEED that space.

Another book that I am planning on getting from the library…A Handmade Life by Bill Coperthwaite (maker/mastermind behind the tapered wall wooden yurt). A little about Bill…

William Coperthwaite is a teacher, builder, designer, and writer who for many years has explored the possibilities of true simplicity on a homestead on the north coast of Maine. In the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Helen and Scott Nearing, Coperthwaite has fashioned a livelihood of integrity and completeness-buying almost nothing, providing for his own needs, and serving as a guide and companion to hundreds of apprentices drawn to his unique way of being. (amazon.com)

For those of you in Maine, you should venture to “Dickinson’s Reach” on the northeast coast sometime to visit his homestead. I wish I would have known about it while we were up there this fall! Here is a nice little article about him…he’s a man after my own heart: ”If living is to be right, it ought to be beautiful,” declares Coperthwaite. Preach it, Bill!

Can life be beautiful even with just a few possessions? Yes! This is just one of the reasons why I am in awe of the Mongolian culture (their gers/yurts in particular) and how they have taken such care in making their life beautiful. Every time I see one of their beautiful doors, my breath is taken away. I have also fallen in love with their furnishings. Pure beauty…in color and form.

It’s so interesting to me that we can draw insight and inspiration from a culture and lifestyle that most of mainstream America would deem as “primitive”. Our country would be a different place if more families lived in such close community and focused on making life beautiful with less.

Creative Commons Photo Credit: dwarawlinson

27 Responses to “The Way of the Nomad”

1. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 1:17 pm Stephanie says:

   Sara, I think this is my favorite post I have ever read of yours. I enjoy them all and have learned soo much from you… but Wow! This one is so beautiful! I will be taking a trip to the library soon:)Thanks so much for sharing, it made me want to enjoy everything the way they do in simplicity.
2. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 2:18 pm Rachel H says:

   I enjoyed this post very much Sara. We’ve done the one cup/bowl/plate thing and it seems to make dish washing time not such a huge event! If we have all of our glasses in the cupboard, we tend to use all 8 before we wash dishes!
   It’s about more than just how many plates are in your cabinet though. It’s about taking care of what you have, seeing the beauty without the clutter. You are so good at bringing these points out in your life and writing. Love you!
3. Jan
   8
   2008

   At 2:31 pm Sara says:

   Stephanie…I’m so glad you liked it! You’ll love the books too. Let me know what you think!

   Rachel…you bring up an excellent point that was in my head as I wrote, but never got it typed out. Yes, when there aren’t as many possessions (i.e. bowls/plates), you tend to take much better care of them because there is ONLY ONE. This is especially true with children and their toys. If they have 2-3 beloved toys, they will take much better care of them than they would an entire ROOM full of toys (in which case they tend to just be overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin anyway). And I agree on the 8 glasses…many people INCREASE the number of dishes in an attempt to make life easier, but in the end you just have a sink full of dishes! Love you too friend!
4. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 3:55 pm Lindsay says:

   Sara, God has truly blessed you as a writer. Each time I read your post I feel uplifted and inspired. Thank you…
5. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 4:00 pm Dawn says:

   I’m so inspired by what you say in this post. I think you’re definitely on to something I remember visiting a friend who lived in a yurt once, in the middle of a cold, snowy winter- yet inside it was so cozy and inviting.
6. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 4:42 pm Laurel Sauls says:

   Oh, Sara!!! I check your blog an embarrassing number of times a day/week, because of posts like this one!! I can’t even verbalize the number of ways this post struck a chord with me. While I don’t aspire to live in a yurt, I do crave the simplicity that you spoke of. The one dish per person, the living in a small space…opening up room in our lives for beauty. I am sure this is a life-long process and I am enjoying the process…sometimes I wish it were faster, that I could be at the end result, but I know that this is where the growth is. My biggest struggle is how to simplify, when other family members aren’t on board. Do you have any thoughts on this? Have you and Matt always been on the same page with downsizing and simple living? I would love if you would consider doing a post on this. I see my husband making changes and adopting a different mindset. I want to encourage him, without being pushy or domineering. Anyway, I would love to hear what your experience has been in this area. Thanks so much for the wonderful post!
7. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 4:48 pm Tracy says:

   I like how you pointed out that mainstream America would deem this as “primitive”. My family thinks I am nuts for using cloth napkins and not having any ‘throw away’ paper plates. They have actually chosen not to eat something at my house because they might dirty a ‘real’ plate.

   I appreciate this post.
8. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 5:18 pm Dan H says:

   You need a set of man tongs in the kitchen too.
9. Jan
   8
   2008
   At 6:31 pm L.L. Barkat says:

   I was thinking about this kind of thing the other day, as I opened a catalog (I get only about two a year) after having spent the weekend making a sewing box with my kids as a birthday present for their auntie. The things in the catalog held so little appeal in contrast. And I suddenly pictured a life, joyful and creative, wherein most of the things we needed we’d make ourselves. It was a precious little vision.

   Love how you wrote about this here. And that photo is marvelous!
10. Jan
    8
    2008
    At 7:04 pm Samara says:

    Hi Sara! I have to repeat the sentiments of most of the commenters and state that this is one of my favorite WSLW posts ever. My husband and I have been on a mission to “live smaller” since day one! We just made a cross-country move and downsized even more, giving away probably 1/3 of our home furnishings, baby things, food etc. We rented a little place right by the beach in our new town and of course upon unpacking are happily shrinking the possession pool even more.

    I love the “one cup, one bowl” idea, too- it’s basically what we’ve done with our little son’s things, except they’re in two places- one set in his diaper/travel bag, one set in the kitchen.
11. Jan
    8
    2008
    At 9:16 pm Julie says:

    Oh, man. I think you’re post is the third one that I’ve read in the past month talking about downsizing your kitchen. Having ‘one of each’ for each member of the family and storing the rest.

    I think I just might have to try that.
12. Jan
    8
    2008
    At 9:20 pm Julie says:

    Also, I love the idea of having each of us pick out our own set. My kids would totally love that!

    Although, I am sort of a dish freak so I may pick the style and have them choose a color. Like Fiesta ware. Or, I’ll pick a color and they can pick any style that would go in that category. Hm, I like that idea for us.

    I love reading your blog! You always get me motivated.
13. Jan
    8
    2008
    At 9:24 pm Julie says:

    Oh my goodness. You’ve inspired me so much that I can’t stop talking to you about it!

    I’ve been waiting to purchase new dishes for about a year. Our set is about 12 years old now. The pattern has been discontinued. I thought about getting a whole new set but that was too wasteful for me. The mugs and platters and such are in great condition.

    So I thought about keeping that stuff and just finding something else that would match it.

    Well, I realized tonight that I never use the mugs or the platters. I’m going to pack it all up tomorrow! This week I’ll scope out the Salvation Army store and see what’s available.

    Again, I’m so excited about this!
14. Jan
    8
    2008

    At 9:52 pm Sara says:

    Julie…I wanna come help pick out stuff I love that part of it! Can’t wait to see/hear what you come up with.
15. Jan
    8
    2008
    At 10:52 pm Andrea says:

    Love it, Sara.
    It’s posts like this that make me excited to move and simplify and downsize. Thanks for the inspiration, friend!
16. Jan
    10
    2008
    At 9:34 am Christine says:

    I love this post! I love the bolded text as well! I’m using this year to pare down my stuff a la compacting in search of my own simpler life. I always find your words and life so inspiring. Thanks for the inspiration!
17. Jan
    10
    2008
    At 12:58 pm Laurie B says:

    Sara, please forgive me for asking a personal question. My husband and I really need that spare room so we can be intimate while our son is sleeping in the family bed. How do you handle this when the whole family lives in one room?
18. Jan
    10
    2008
    At 1:08 pm Jess H says:

    Man!~!!! Dickinson is literally about 15 minutes down my road. I’ll have to drive over and take a look someday. I wish we would’ve known. I definitely am looking at buying houses differently having gone from our small mobile home to what seems like our huge house. I love the brightness of this house and the openess and having plenty or room for people. I love the storage, but I do miss the closeness of our smaller home. This has been a refreshing change. However, I certainly will look at homes differently, especially when it comes to play areas. Before Max was always “right there”, and now he plays upstairs in the play room, and it’s just weird in a way. Anyway, I’ll definitely have to go check out Dickinsons and let you know.
19. Jan
    10
    2008

    At 1:21 pm Sara says:

    Laurie…I’m not sure what the answer would be in the native cultures, but modern yurts and such have the space to build a sleeping loft, which in turn, makes way for an enclosed space for bedrooms/space below. When I say bedroom…I mean space enough for a BED only. But I suppose that’s all that is needed.
20. Jan
    10
    2008

    At 1:52 pm Sara says:

    Jess…well, it’s not exactly a place you just drive by to check out You can either canoe in, or park and walk a few miles inland to it. Definitely check out The Yurt Foundation online and just contact him/them before you venture out. It seems they welcome visitors often. Wish we could have made it out there together!
21. Jan
    10
    2008
    At 4:43 pm My Green City Life Blog » Downsizing says:

    […] I was inspired by a post by Sara at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly about nomads, yurts, and simple living. Sara and her small […]
22. Jan
    10
    2008
    At 8:43 pm Riot 4 Austerity » Blog Archive » Downsizing says:

    […] • Jan 10th, 2008 • Category: Features, Recent Riot Posts Recently I was inspired by a post by Sara at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly about nomads, yurts, and simple living. Sara and her small […]
23. Jan
    13
    2008
    At 6:04 am First time making bread at Today’s Homemaker says:

    […] The way of the nomad (this is one of the major posts that is changing my thinking about the way John and I want our family to live, putting us one small step closer to a voluntarily simplistic way of life) […]
24. Jan
    14
    2008
    At 8:07 am Heather says:

    Sara thank you so much for this post. I have been on a journey to simplicity for quite some time and have realized that in many ways it is such a Biblical way to live. In addition to so many aspects of our life being simpler I believe our Spiritual lives would increase as well. The more we put stake and value in the things of this world the less we become concerned with Heavenly things because let’s face it earthly stuff can be so fun and seem secure. To me living simply puts me in a better place to be happy for what God has given me and realize what I really need in this life can’t be found here anyway.
25. Jan
    16
    2008
    At 10:54 am canadada says:

    Nicely put. And that book looks like a treasure. Keep at it. c
26. Feb
    10
    2008
    At 6:40 am wow. by In Search of Dessert says:

    […] after that I got up and read this post, (sent to me by a really nice lady who writes this impressive blog,) and I had a couple different […]
27. Feb
    10
    2008
    At 6:44 am Jessica says:

    I just was sent this post by TodaysHomeMaker (sarah also). I have no idea why, but i had so much to say about it, given a book i am reading and some other internal questions right now (that sarah read about on my blog). if you are interested, have a look at my blog post today because im talking about your post it was highly thought provoking and props to you for going out in the RV and having that experience!

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