Intentional living is any
lifestyle based on an individual's or group's conscious attempts to live according to their
values
In ethics and social sciences, value denotes the degree of importance of some thing or action, with the aim of determining which actions are best to do or what way is best to live ( normative ethics), or to describe the significance of different a ...
and beliefs. These can include lifestyles based on religious, political or
ethical
Ethics is the philosophical study of moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches include normative ethics, applied e ...
values, as well as for
self-improvement.
Characteristics
History
In the first chapter of
Christopher Isherwood's ''My Guru and his Disciple'', written in 1940, the writer
tells of conversations with
Gerald Heard concerning Heard's spiritual values. In their conversations, Heard explains that he follows a lifestyle called "intentional living" (Isherwood put the phrase in quotes).
Heard said that one of the hardest parts of the discipline was to be aware of one's own pretensions.
"You may rid yourself of all worldly
addiction
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
s and aversions… the most deadly pretension may raise its head. You may begin to believe you are a spiritually superior person…"
Steps
Intentional living requires one to be aware of one's fundamental beliefs and to be willing to make an effort to have one's behavior reflect these beliefs, in a form of
integrity
Integrity is the quality of being honest and having a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values.
In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and Honesty, truthfulness or of one's actions. Integr ...
in relation to one's
conscience
A conscience is a Cognition, cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's ethics, moral philosophy or value system. Conscience is not an elicited emotion or thought produced by associations based on i ...
and environment. In some cases, are drastic enough that like-minded individuals group together in
intentional communities
An intentional community is a voluntary residential community designed to foster a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork. Such communities typically promote shared values or beliefs, or pursue a common vision, which may be politica ...
.
According to the writer
Joshua Becker, the steps involved in adopting intentional living can be summarised as:
* Realise that life is made of
choice
A choice is the range of different things from which a being can choose. The arrival at a choice may incorporate Motivation, motivators and Choice modelling, models.
Freedom of choice is generally cherished, whereas a severely limited or arti ...
s. Attitudes and decisions do not have to be determined by our past but can be chosen.
* We are surrounded by a culture. We can its direction and see if we want the same or not.
* Know who we are and what we want (to do, communicate, and contribute). Give time to our passions.
Aims
Some examples of intentional living include
cohousing
Cohousing is an intentional, self-governing, cooperative community where residents live in private homes often clustered around shared space. The term originated in Denmark in the late 1960s. Families live in attached or single-family homes wi ...
,
ethical living,
frugal living,
moral community
Ethics is the philosophy, philosophical study of Morality, moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates Normativity, normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches inclu ...
,
simple living
Simple living refers to practices that promote simplicity in one's lifestyle. Common practices of simple living include reducing the number of possessions one owns, depending less on technology and services, and spending less money. In addition t ...
,
sustainable living
Sustainable living describes a lifestyle (sociology), lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of Earth's natural resources by an individual or society. Its practitioners often attempt to reduce their ecological footprint (including their carbo ...
, as well as many religious lifestyles. Intentional communities, such as the
Simple Way, the
Bruderhof communities, and the Community of
St Anselm are intentional communities based on Christian values and beliefs.
While not necessarily representing distinct or actual lifestyles, many themes and areas of human interest, activity, and study exist that contribute to intentional living. Examples include
appropriate technology
Appropriate technology is a movement (and its manifestations) encompassing technology, technological choice and application that is small-scale, affordable by its users, labor-intensive, efficient energy use, energy-efficient, environmentally sust ...
,
conservation,
ecology
Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...
,
environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement about supporting life, habitats, and surroundings. While environmentalism focuses more on the environmental and nature-related aspects of green ideology and politics, ecolog ...
,
humanism
Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The me ...
,
humanitarianism
Humanitarianism is an ideology centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotion ...
, and
socially responsible investing
Socially responsible investing (SRI) is any investment strategy which seeks to consider financial return alongside ethical, social or environmental goals. The areas of concern recognized by SRI practitioners are often linked to environmental, ...
.
See also
References
{{Simple living
Lifestyles