Day 338/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
Breathing is life. The first and the last thing we'll ever do is breathe.
When we breathe in, we take air in for the first time, and every time thereafter.
When we breathe out, we let go of that which is of little use to us, carbon dioxide, and allow it to be released back into the world for the the use of vegetation.
But there's more to it than that.
When we breathe in, we breathe in life. The sights, sounds, feelings, smells and impressions around us. We hold it for a moment, digesting what we need, what is valuable to us, allowing it to integrate into our being, and then we release all that is no longer of value.
This we do more deliberately when we sigh. A sigh, it seems, is necessary when life is overwhelming us at least a little. The daily rounds of children and family demands, work and lifestyle all overcome us from time to time and we find ourselves signing in resignation. Accepting what we cannot change and allowing it anyway.
Then there's the inward breath that doesn't want to be released. The one that comes with fright. We take it in, hold it and don't know what to do with it. We're not able to digest everything that's going on around us and so we hold onto to it all, hoping that it will find it's own way out or through or whatever without our input. This breath is damaging in the long term. I know this breath well.
It started when I was 6 years old, but probably before then. And it continued until recently, like a couple of weeks ago before I finally felt that I could breathe our now. Such is life, exploring the aftermath of living in difficult situations.
So if you can, take Sarah's advise today and sigh, and sigh some more. Let it out, let it go.
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.