Day 271/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
This morning I am reminded that there is a season for everything, and everything has it's seasons. My conditioning surfaces and I want to forge ahead with a new learning, a new direction, and new idea. I forget to take time to consider if it is the season for that thing that is new and novel.
There is evidence everywhere in our lives of the cyclical nature of life itself. We can begin with the obvious seasons of Spring when there is a lot of energy pushing forth with the promise of something new, Summer when the fruits are beginning to ripen and our efforts are paying off, Autumn when things begin to recede, the heyday is over, the low hanging fruit picked, and Winter when the earth freezes beneath our feet, we step back as we realise that deep thought needs to go into revitalising our projects, innovating and starting anew.
Life has its cycles. Our life has a cycle. We begin anew, learning and growing, reach our maturity with strength and excitement as we flourish. Then with our experience we mellow into lower energy, concentrate our ideas and our work is aligned with our inner most harmony, and our winter brings deep contemplation, reflection and preparation for our transition.
Sarah reminds us that there is a season for everything and we cannot have it all at once. Yes we can have it all, but in its season.
As I reflect on my life I can clearly see the seasonal changes, the decisions that supported them and I wish I had been more aware that it was a seasonal thing. Then maybe I wouldn't have tried so hard to be and have things when it wasn't their season.
I am so grateful for this reminder today. To remember to be okay with the season of my life, to lean into it, welcome it with open arms, to embrace the changes and allow the mellowing energies of my Autumn to hold me. To not feel the need to strive and drive for achievement that I get so hooked up in.
Thank you Sarah. I am grateful for your wisdom 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.