Living energy

Day 133/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.

There so much we can draw on from ancient wisdom yet I do wonder about the value of dipping into established ancient traditions that don't belong to us.

These traditions have many rituals and meanings that are foreign to most of us, difficult to pin down and understand, and most importantly, they have established energy networks that bring with them the centuries of evolving information and practices. In other words, when you link into these traditions you might get more than you bargained for.

Today Sarah's suggestion is to look at our homes through the eyes of the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui,

a Chinese practice of thousands of years old. It has become popular in the west and practiced widely.

It's well worth standing back from your living and taking a conscious look at how you live there.

Recently I decided to take a look at my home through a Feng Shui lens. After many days of research I decided to be really clear about the changes I wanted to make, and clear that it wasn't my intention to subscribe fully to the Feng Shui custom, but to take some ideas and stay true to my own preferences.

After reading about the traditions and meanings, and really only just skimming the surface I felt I couldn't do a Feng Shui approach justice enough to honour this tradition fully. That is my sign to be deliberate about my choices. Unless I feel that I can give it my full commitment I prefer not to join an energy matrix that is well established and that I will never fully be able to master.

There's certainly something about having an orderly home, making conscious choices about each area and the ambience that you want to create there.

Taking the time to look into each room carefully, and shifting things around to suit your style it a good idea. Simply by moving somethings, clearing up dust behind pieces that haven't seen the light of day for a while will free up the flow of energy in your home.

The one key principle that I learned from Feng Shui is to imagine how the energy will flow in my home. Flow means to move freely around pieces of furniture, ornaments, walls and doors. Curves instead of sharp corners and lines ensure the energy flows calmly, and not too quickly.

Balance the colours that you like, that feel right for you, and use the sorts of ornaments that speak to your heart.

My colours are consistent throughout my home, with warm stone colours complemented with stoneware including stones that I've collected from all over, ceramics and pottery. I love a flash of coloured glass as well.

All these precious personal items are supported by aged timber furniture rescued from tip shops, abandoned in rentals, or swooped up at antique shops, woollen rugs and leather couches that I've cared for, for a long time.

With a few new and thriving pot plants to bring living energy into my home, I'm happy that my small space reflects my current frame of mind and the sort of ambience that I want to welcome in guests and family.

Living in the flow of gentle energy in your home is supportive and soothing and regenerative for all those who live with you in your home.

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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.