Day 148/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
Self-Mastery. If it's about anything it's about "passion, perseverance, patience and perspective". Sarah's words to describe her journey to authenticity.
Passion to know life and that means to know yourself deeply and honestly. Perseverance because understanding and knowing takes time and experiences. Patience because we're human and our performance doesn't always measure up to our expectations. Perspective, to encourage us to look at life with new eyes and a fresh attitude.
Twenty years ago I purchased a lovely rug with splashes of vibrant reds. Now I don't know what to do with it. My mind is wanting more serenity in my home. More peace, calm, plain colours, less patterns. Right now I'm looking for ways to keep that rug and accommodate my needs as well.
Recently I purchased a load of cushions in whites and blues to meet the Feng Shui instructions that I played with recently. They fill my couches and look lovely. My heart wants splashes of pink to sink into. It longs for the subtlety and warmth of pale pinks and vanilla cream.
Here I have the opportunity to learn something about myself.
My challenge is to allow myself to be fully expressed in my home. That sets up a struggle between what I think I know about what should be there and what my heart truly wants.
How easy is it for me to be persuaded to another's point of view and disallow my own? How deeply does the ancient tradition of Feng Shui, even though it has never been my cultural tradition, affect my decisions for comfort in my own spaces. Am I willing to trust my own inner longings to inform what is right for me, right now?
There's already a plan to replace those cushions.
Feeling into our inner knowing is the key to discovering our authenticity. In my experience, following its guidance is the path to self-mastery.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.
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