Day 231/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
Bringing your gifts together and weaving a life well-lived. The gift of alchemy.
In the fabulous pages of Sarah's book today, she tells the story of Rumpelstiltskin, and reminds us that each element and character in the story is an aspect of ourselves.
To spend time today to contemplate the meanings that you discover there, those that have meaning for you. With story we can take an inner journey.
For me, my imagination is not so vivid. I lean into the scientific enquiry and I might add that this is not coincidental. And here's why. When an infant is deprived of consistent and predictable relational contact in the early months and years, they have an inclination for left-brain dominance, the right brain connections specifically the cingulate gyrus becoming underdeveloped at this time.
Of course we know that neuroplasticity enables the brain to repair AND after a life time of left-brain dominance, habits have also formed.
So for me, the story of the gift of alchemy is the gift of knowing that we, our personality and character, are comprised of parts. Parts that often aren't talking to each other.
For me it's the 12 year old part that loves gardens and bees and butterflies and growing things. She wasn't communicating well with the 17 year old part that is energetic, ambitious and hungry for knowledge.
The 17 year old was frustrated with the 21 year old who held up progress with shame and the inability to forgive herself for some perceived missteps.
And no doubt more.
When all these parts of ourselves are operating independently, not connecting, not communicating, not drawing from each other's gift, it is difficult to make progress.
The gift of alchemy then, is to being these parts into connection and communication. To introduce them to each other and support them to nurture, share, inspire and grow together.
To weave them together in a magic formula that is uniquely yours. Alchemy of the soul.
We call it therapy.
It's the most important work I can do because it enables people to master their life and live life more fully.
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.