The Simple Path: Shameless Article reprint from Western Friend

This article came to RantWoman via a sequence of lunch conversations at Annual Session. It speaks to RantWoman's condition. RantWoman thanks the author for permission to reprint and invites comments from readers

Western Friends

The Simple Path

April 15th, 2009 · No Comments

by Miriam Bryant Lange

Silence leads to prayer
Prayer leads to faith
Faith leads to hope
Hope leads to love
Love leads to service
Service leads to peace

This is a modification of Mother Theresa’s guiding spiritual principles

I read “The Simple Path” in some book or article about Mother Theresa, years ago. It had a profound effect on me at the time I read it, and ever since. I took it in at a deep level as an essential truth. Over time, it became my core spiritual meditation and process guide, a powerful and gentle reminder of the essential nature of what I hoped my spiritual and worldly life could be–now and in the future.
The theme for my Quarterly Meeting this past fall was, “The Future of Friends.” The accompanying query was, “If Quakers had a billboard, what would it look like? How do we make being Quaker relevant?” As I prepared to go to the retreat I was struggling with my personal discomfort over the seeming contradictory images of using a traditional marketing tool to brand and sell Quakerism. Are we as unprogrammed Friends really needing or wanting to do this? Are we some sort of new or improved product that could make you instantly happier, healthier and more attractive?
Then I thought of the Simple Path–clearly laid out, and beautifully exemplified by Mother Theresa’s life and work. What if this became a spiritual process guide or message for unprogrammed Friends? Is this a path we could agree went to the very heart of the spiritual experience and service work that we are called to individually and collectively? What if this or something as clearly stated and true could be created that would essentially identify us at a core level?  Could a simplified message be of value to us as unprogrammed Friends? Could a simple message be of value to the lapsed Quakers, the young people in our meetings and others curious about or unfamiliar with Friends?
I think The Simple Path could serve as an important organizing principle —a profound spiritual guide and message for Friends. It would not be a creed, or a test to see if we are acceptable enough to participate in the life of the meeting or become members. It would not replace or dictate our spiritual beliefs or service work, nor would it replace the Quaker testimonies.
Our individual spiritual lives and work together as a spiritual community are rarely straightforward. Come Be My Light, the posthumous book about Mother Theresa, speaks volumes about her spiritual trials. Nevertheless, the Simple Path could provide a sense of the key landmarks along the way on our individual or collective journey and provide a sense of assurance that we are moving in the right direction.
Alternatively, we may wish to create our own essential simplified, spiritual process guide. This could be based on our “Faith and Practice” or Quaker testimonies. This would require intensive discussion and consideration individually, in our meetings for business at the monthly or quarterly or yearly meeting level(s).

The Spiritual Essence of the Simple Path


Silence an essential distinguishing characteristic of unprogrammed Friends — waiting patiently for Spirit/God to move in and through us. Perhaps the single most important insight of George Fox and the earlier Quakers was the possibility of a creating a significant personal, mystical relationship with God/Spirit through silent worship. Unprogrammed Friends’ meetings for worship or individual worship are grounded in a sustained, silent practice. As we consciously seek God/Spirit through a quieting of our minds and bodies and let go of expectations for particular types of experiences, a powerful and real mystical connection may occur.

Prayer An unprogrammed Friend’s prayer and meditation is based on one’s own faith and spiritual practices. This prayer and meditation is based on one’s own interpretation of the Christian scriptures, or any of the world religions and spiritual paths. Out of the silence, prayer and meditation, leadings may emerge. Quakers have learned over time that these leadings should be tested through a discernment process, to see if they are in fact divinely ordered or not.


Faith, Hope, Love and Service Through the continual practice of waiting in silence, prayer, and meditation, we can experience individually and in our meetings a strengthening of our Faith, Hope and Love. We may be moved as individuals or as a group, or as a meeting to discern the right course of action(s) and turn those leadings into some sort of personal or collective Service. Service work is directly connected to the Quaker testimonies, as we may be moved by an injustice to create greater equality and work toward a more just situation. Concern for the environment may lead to conservation work and/or practices and the simplifying of one’s life.

Peace The passage through cyclical patterns of silence, prayer and meditation can reinforce and strengthen our Faith, Hope and Love. Out of this process and the accompanying leadings, discernment may follow, along with giving ourselves in some sort of service. Over time this cyclical, holistic, mystical practice can transform us and give us a deeper sense of purpose, acceptance and inner grounding: peace.
The Simple Path or other types of clearly stated spiritual, work and life—guiding principles are a map, not the actual territory. For the Christians among us, it is directly in line with Christ’s commandments and teachings. For those of us of a Universalist persuasion, there are innumerable ways of defining and practicing these steps to meet each person’s spiritual needs.

If our meetings were willing to adapt The Simple Path as a guiding spiritual and community principles, or if we created a similar type of briefly stated guiding spiritual principles, they could:
Create a powerful internal identifying message confirming who we are at our best and at the core level. It could lead to a greater sense of community and connection within our meetings. This could happen through intentional practice and (re)dedication to these guiding principles, personally and collectively.
As our personal and spiritual communities are strengthened, we may be more capable of reaching out and taking our spiritual guiding principles to others and inviting them into our communities, creating valuable connections with lapsed Quakers, young people in our meetings and other seekers.
In the final analysis, love of Spirit and God, life, and others is the essential message of Christianity. Quakerism grew directly out of this tradition. It is the practicing of that love that is the challenge.


Miriam Bryant Lange is an attender at Bridge City Friends Meeting in Portland, OR, and an alumna of Earlham College. She welcomes your comments here.