Day 31/366 days Towards Self-Mastery. Mood: contented
Simple pleasures. Everyday delights. What are the simple, insignificant things that bring you joy?
When I read today's inspiration I immediately thought of Jeong Kwan. Her story stopped me in my tracks. So deeply did I fall into a longing for a simple life. So exquisitely has she cultivated the art of Korean Temple food and cooking, simply by being present to the planting, growing, tending, harvesting, preparing, cooking and serving.
Our busy lives, our expectations, our conditioning, and the many distractions of our modern lives rob us of our access to our innate creativity and the joy that the full expression of it brings. Jeong Kwan's story is a beacon for that creativity. If you haven't met her as yet, there is an episode on Chef's Table on Netflix about her. Don't miss it.
Sarah asks us today to embrace joyful simplicities
Find peace and comfort in simple delights.
Take some time today to notice the simple things in your day, and allow them to bring you joy. Make a practice of this every chance you can.
At my age of 63 years, I've realised again that I want to live simply. For the last 2 or 3 years I'd lost sight of that and jumped back on the bandwagon of trying to create a new career, and make a new impression. I don't need that anymore. I'm done with striving. I'm ready to settle into immersing myself in the simple things. Made easier by working from home in my own time and at my own pace.
Some of the delightful things I stayed present to today...
the morning chorus that wakes me each day
a walk around my garden to notice the insects and birds
the friendly banter exchanged with neighbours on their morning walk
preparing my lunch with presence to every step as I prepared the ingredient and brought them together in a delicious midday meal
the shoes at the front door, yesterday's clothes hanging behind the bathroom door, a partly read book lying on the couch that all indicate that I really do live here
the cacophony of crickets and cicadas in the early evening
the smell of freshly mown grass after the mowing guy had been
That's the tone of the life I want to enjoy as I build my country practice and serve my community. The online world still captures my interest, but my focus will be my community, at the same time providing stability for my son by offering a home base, a refuge to come home to as he explores the world.
To some this may seem inconsequential. For anyone who has spent their life striving, who has reached for advancement in their careers, more income, more experiences, more stuff, striving, striving, striving, living simply is a blessed relief. And it is sublimely luxurious and positively effortless.
What simple pleasures, life's endless parade of delights, will you savour?
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.