Day 132/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
There's a distinction to be made between living transactionally and living authentically. It's a distinction that has taken me a lifetime to make, what seems like forever to actually see, practice and experience the difference.
It's the distinction between doing the right thing, and doing it because it comes from a deep well of caring.
We can give gifts, make phone calls, send well wishes and acknowledge anniversaries out of duty, or we can feel deeply into those connections and act from a creative place of love.
Household chores can be considered in this light and are a great training ground for a shift in perspective.
Is it housework or home caring? Is it doing the chores or caring for the place that supports and nourishes your soul?
My furniture used to be dusted but now it is lovingly caressed as I clean it over with a polishing cloth while I consider the choices I've made when I purchased it, the service that it has provided for me, the ambience it brings to my home.
My crystal and silverware are bathed with loving care after enjoying the exquisite pleasure of their contribution to a special meal.
Windows are given the royal treatment as they frame the scenes that bring the outside world of nature, punctuated by evidence of my life, into my living room.
Lifting cat dander from my precious rug tells the story of the life we share together, that little animal, that rug and me.
It's the difference that caring makes, that's the lesson I've learned. And it begins with caring for me, myself and I. Finding that place where I saw my loveable self, the one who not only deserves love and caring, but is love and caring.
My heart has ached for caring forever. When we live transactionally, we sell ourselves short, and others too. Start with you, your home, those closest. And find that place inside of you that reflects the loveable, loving and caring person that you are.
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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