Day 196/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
There was a time when I couldn't get enough of the alchemy of cooking a family meal.
Over the decades that fascination seemed to fade in favour of the chore of everyday mealtimes.
Yet inspiration surfaces again for celebrations.
When I'm able to be really present to my creations in the kitchen I appreciate the bringing together of the natural elements of fire, air, water, and fruits of the earth. How they combine in each dish is a mystery of chemistry that make taste and texture possible.
Along with the usual celebrations of Christmas, Easter and birthdays, I will often make Sunday breakfasts a celebration of pancakes and berries, cream, bacon, banana and maple syrup. A favourite of the young people in my life, and a tradition that everyone seems to enjoy.
Then of course, there are those special times when guests come for Sunday brunch. A favourite meal to share, it's often celebrated with freshly baked breads and good coffee, silverware and crystal and my best china.
Celebrating with a home cooked meal is such a lovely way to bring friends and family together. I dream of long tables in warm summer evenings with good food, great wine, deep conversations and exquisite company.
We lose something of that alchemy when we turn to takeaways and restaurant meals. Their easier to access and at times may even be less expensive than cooking at home. But they'll never taste as good as a meal cooked with presence and attention to the treatment of each well selected, fresh ingredient.
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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