Day 18/366 days Towards Self-Mastery. Status: tired and deeply satisfied
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, a popular sentiment suggesting that what I might find beautiful may not be at all beautiful to you.
This may just be true of my experiences today.
We've been experiencing fire storms for months here in Australia, and today I've been busy preparing for flash flooding.
Well, I kind of expected it. In 5 Element Theory, water moderates fire, and as the fire was so fierce, the balance coming from water will be at least equal to, if not more powerful to assist to dampen it enthusiasm.
And as I consider that, I'm reminded that water is the parent of air so we can expect some serious wind to come as well. Be prepared everyone.
Today's inspiration:
Look for the beauty in life. Explore ways to see the world differently.
Yesterday as we listened to the pause in between, as we make the resolve to fill that pause with passion and excitement, we encourage harmony in our lives.
From this place we can experience beauty.
Observe your surroundings. Find beauty all around you. The light shifting in your neighbourhood, visit a gallery and contemplate a piece of art work that catches your attention. Wander down your street and find beauty in your environment.
Picking up 2 bales of hay from Chris at the market during a downpour, the magnificent Camphor Laurels dripping heavy drops of sweet rain on the market marques, a parade of umbrellas and old ladies sheltering close to the trunk of trees. What a magnificent sight?
A drive through 45 minutes of the most magnificent scenery along the ranges to meet a cheerful and extensively tattooed stranger touting a ragged Akubra, in a crowded park. His partner breastfeeding her babe, grandma doting as I traded for his heavy duty tarpaulin to water proof my decking.
Digging trenches around my front door, delighting in the earthy smell of rich red volcanic soil so beautiful to garden in, as I shaped a furrow to redirect the water.
These are some of the delights I experienced today. There was beauty in each and every experience.
And as I write a big beetle has found its way into the house, buzzing around me and threatening to dig his claws into me as he lands. This, I'm not so sure is beautiful! Two! They've got to go!
When we're in the flow of life, when life is joyfully harmonious, we begin to experience the beauty of life itself. The details, the small things that simply and quietly say, "this is life, life's happening here".
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.