Day 153/266 days Towards Self-Mastery
It's increasingly difficult to stay focussed on writing my daily posts. With the chaos and hurt in the world right now, the streets of America burning, people of colour in extreme pain, staying focussed on peace is necessary and difficult.
Keeping our house in order is the inspiration from Sarah today. Realising the meditative practice the the simple tasks of attending to the mundane chores of housekeeping can provide.
For me it's about attending to what needs to be done. Being clear about the priorities however ordinary they are. Living in a home that is clean, tidy and ordered is important to me and my family. There are certain unspoken rules about hygiene and order that supports my health and well being and provides the canvas on which my life is lived.
It's the same principle when it comes to living in our society. There are certain written and unwritten agreements about how we live together. We look to those in positions of power to lead by example. When they fail us, then that leaves us all wondering what's next. Uncertainty leads to desperate behaviours as people try to make sense of their predicament.
Keeping our agreements is key to building trust and maintaining relationships. Without trust in our agreements with others, life becomes unpredictable and eventually intolerable.
I'm driven to look at how well I am "keeping house" with the matters of the world. The society in which I live, the rules we agree to, the understandings we have between us about what is right and what is decent.
I don't have all the answers but I am able to have conversations and talk things over with my neighbours and family.
As a parent I feel it is my duty to discuss racism and its impact on people of colour as best I can, as best I understand it. These are important conversations.
With social media being so in the moment, we all get to see the travesties of injustice in real time. What I don't want is to become immune to their impact on human lives.
Enough for today.
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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