Day 335/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
Passion, the word, can immediately invoke memories of strong feelings of intense emotions, usually related to another person. Kissing passionately with a view to even more passion behind closed doors might not be your first thought but it almost certainly will be there in your top 2!
Intense emotions, great enthusiasm. A willingness to suffer for what one loves. These are the various definitions found online. I'm not so sure about the suffering bit, but there you have it.
Yet if you listen to an artist or musician who are in the zone in their art, you'll realise and understand how passion can be directed elsewhere.
There are many times we'll find ourselves alone and wonder if we'll ever experience that passion for life that comes with new and exciting endeavours or partners or experiences that we've longed for. It's at these times that channeling our passion into areas that interest us is a way of advancing our interests and improving our skills, and using up that creative passionate energy. Not to mention adding spice to life, a string to our bow that makes for memorable experiences and great conversations.
When I found myself alone again... having licked my wounds for about 2 years, I decided to get out there and learn something new. As a lover of the water element I decided to learn to scuba dive.
Found a club, bought the gear and spent most weekends in the water exploring the underwater world. Travelled to interesting destinations, met amazing people, photographed incredible underwater environments, swam with dolphins, alongside sharks, collected scallops and oysters and lived well. My memories provide a rich source of stories for anyone interested to explore into my years of experiences.
That was when I was younger.
Nowadays in late mid-life I choose to live alone, free to direct my passion into the things I love. My garden, my art, my work, learning, exploring, expanding.
As I have failed dismally with romantic relationships throughout my life, I'm now exploring friendships with newly acquired relational skills, thanks to a Masters degree in Psychotherapy. That's proving very satisfying. What I didn't know about being relational could and does fill books.
Passion for life. Be prepared to direct your creative, passionate energy into life itself when that love of your life is elusive. And even when he's not.
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.