Reflections on
"Simple Abundance"
May ~ Days 8-14
MAY 8 - Rediscovering the Sacred Soulcraft of Homecaring
"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."
It was with great pride that women in past generations taught their daughters the skills and art of homecaring. With so many people working these days, and women earning good salaries and showing their intelligence in the job market (nothing wrong with that), there has been an unanticipated backlash. The skills necessary for homecaring has become a laughing matter to the population at large. Why? Because it does not bring in a paycheck. Many believe that no skill is needed to run a home or family and no instructions ever need be taught. My husband has often tried to do a job around here for me, and after it was messed up I would remind him that he should have asked me. To assume my work took no knowledge or experience, is to not show respect for my job. I have knowledge about the best way to do things from the years of experience I have in doing it. Failing to pass on instructions to the next generation by parents who are burned out will result in hectic, anxiety ridden lives, because they can't understand why they can't get it right. Why can't they get it right? Because they were not taught at their mother's/father's knee.
When did society decide that only those things that resulted in cold hard cash were worthy of pursuing? As women, this is a slap in our collective faces. It is a jab at the most central part of our being. I have been belittled and seen eyebrows shoot up when I said that I didn't work outside my home. It was written all over their faces "what a lazy, and probably stupid woman (she could being doing something valuable like making money to help-out at home").
All I can say, is that since the value of a woman's nature (to nurture and care for) has went down in society, children have developed anxiety and hatred that we often see manifested in the news. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying women shouldn't work. I have seen women who stayed home that failed to nurture their children. It is a matter of realizing that the attitude of society as a whole is something that we need to be on guard against, and take pride in those very skills that people seem to be belittling. It is hard for us all, especially working moms with children, to accomplish everything we need to do, without burning out.
Our jobs may be necessary because we need the money, or because we need the mental stimulation. But let us never forget the sacred calling that has belonged to us alone since time began, and remember that value has nothing to do with money. The nurturing and training we give our children will give them confidence and abilities to succeed, resulting in positive lives, rather than the desperation often seen in news tragedies. It will cause the word HOME to be a sacred word, written in the hearts of all who dwelled there.
"The time has come to look within....it's not too late to for us to rediscover the sacred soulcraft of homecaring.
MAY 9, 2001 ~ GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
"My life will always have dirty dishes, if this sink can become a place of contemplation, let me learn constancy here." (Gunilla Norris)
At first glance, I thought the author of the above line was saying that she accepted that her kitchen would always be dirty! Then, on reading it closer, I understood....What better way to learn patience and contancy, then dealing with the things that will continue to reappear? Without a doubt, if she keeps living, there will continue to be dirty dishes.....and she's chosen to learn about the order of other things in life, from contemplating their reoccurence as she cleans them up everyday, using them somewhat like a parable.
Many of us who are clutterers, have the same trait in common, we think to jump in and clean like crazy, and then forget about it. Literally, not seeing that it is slipping until the doorbell rings and our eyes are jerked back into focus. My thoughts on this reading are that if we learn to be constant, instead of sporadic in our homecaring and life in general, we will live a much more orderly life and feel calmer inside. We would never dream of skipping a bath all week because we will just need one again tomorrow....so why not wait and take a really good scrubbing to ourselves once a week? Ha, ha! How ridiculous!....so why do we allow our brains to slip into that mode about our homes?
Many things in our lives, from eating correctly to cleaning correctly need to be done on a daily basis, -not in a 'helter skelter, pull out all the stops because this ships going down' way. I know wherewith I speak, ladies! I have a home that is in desperate need, and a life that I could use a lot more peace of mind in. I have been working on it for awhile now, and I do so love these readings, because they encourage me and clarify my goals for my home, family and spirit.
MAY 10
"If a home doesn't make sense, nothing does." (Henrietta Ripperger)
Sarah brings out the thought that how can we do, and pass on to our children, the lessons WE never learned, and still can't apply. (if not, they will be trapped in inability to keep up, just like many of us) She says, "Getting our houses in order and endowing our children with a respect for, and appreciation of, order is one of the most precious gifts we can give them and ourselves."
Trying to accomplish all we have to do, without planning, is to show that we really don't understand that what we are doing is a bonafide job. We would never act this way in a job we were receiving $$$ for, why give less to our homes that holds all those things our money can buy _AND_ so much more that money could never buy?
"Sanity is preserved with planning". If you do not know what your goal is, how will you be able to aim for it? I think it is a mistake to simply say "I would like my whole house to be clean and perfect". That really doesn't give us a starting place to make it happen, does it? For those who are having clutter/messy problems, if you will think about each room, and for now, pick a goal for each room. When that one thing becomes a habit, add something to it. But, you must learn to maintain, or you will always be starting over, from scratch.
Need more help? Here's a for instance:
Bedroom - keep clothes hung up or in hamper
Bath - keep sink clean and towels hung straight
Kitchen - keep table cleared off/dishes done
LV Room - keep junk off the couch -or- read paper and put in recycle bag daily
DECLUTTER - spend 15 minutes a day decluttering some chosen area
After keeping these things done for 2 weeks, you can add something else. Follow the time-worn basic rules to help keep up things in general:
1. If you take it out, put it back
2. If you open it, close it
3. If you throw it down, pick it up
4. If you take it off, hang it up (if dirty, in hamper, but ONLY if dirty!)
MAY 11 ~ The Tao of Homecaring
"Time to dust again. Time to caress my house, to stroke all its surfaces. I want to think of it as a kind of lovemaking ...the chance to appreciate by touch what I live with and cherish.." (Gunilla Norris)
Lao-Tsu wrote the sacred text of the Chinese religion Taoism, the 'Tao Te Ching'. "How can the advice of an ancient Chinese philosoper help us get our houses in order? If our souls are so preoccupied with undoing, how does anything ever get done?" We must learn to pause and reflect on what we are doing....and realize the words we use will re-inforce either the positive or the negative - either trapping us or setting us free.
We should stop referring to the work we do as 'chores' and thinking of it as drudgery, instead replacing those negative reinforcements with words of positivity and caring. "HOMECARING" is an example of showing respect and esteem for the labor of love that we do. Redefiing what we are doing casts a powerful spell over our subconscious.
Theophany = the appearance of a god in a visible form to a human being
"Domestic theophanies are visible maifestations of Spirit in the home. We find them by looking for Mystery in the mundane, seeing the Sacred in the ordinary." You do not need to travel the world to discover the world....the world is at your feet now, you walk thru it everyday, leaving your spirit's vibration in the walls of time, echoing thru the lives of all you touch.
MAY 12 "I am told that when the Chinese, who know everything, build a house, they consult the prescepts of an ancient science, Feng Shui, which tells them exactly how, when, and where the work must be done, and so brings good forturne to the home forever."
The chinese believe that 'chi' is the cosmic breath, or essential energy which infuses all life, and that it should be allowed to flow freely in harmony with nature. What this means to them is that the placement of everything brings a feeling with it. The energy you feel when you enter a room, is directly related to the placement of things in that room....uh....hello? What is the energy you are feeling when you enter the rooms in your house? Do you feel a sense of positivity on entering or a "ugh....my brain is starting to itch" feeling when you enter your rooms?
Let's get busy creating positive energy in our homes and watch it transform our mental outlook, and those of our families!
MAY 13 ~ ON MOTHERING
The term 'mothering' brings to mind the acts of comforting, nurturing and inspiring to grow. We know how important this is to children, but might we have overlooked the truth that no one ever outgrows these needs? Sarah writes, "Perhaps we need to reacquaint ourselves consciously with the maternal and deeply comforting dimension of Divintiy in order to learn how to mother ourselves." How could we have missed the calling of our own spirits that longed to be comforted, nurtured, inspired (mothered) -and failed to provide those things to ourselves?
"The best way to start is to create - as an act of worshiop - a comfortable home that protects, nurtures, and sustains all who seek refuge within its walls." She encourages us to walk thru our rooms and look for ways that we can start to mother ourselves daily. You should be providing places to sit, sleep, relax, reflect, places that inspire and invite you. "There is no more beautiful way of honoring the love of the feminine divinity waiting to mother us than by celebrating the temple where her Spirit dwells on earth (the home).
MAY 14 ~ A Sense of Charm
"Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings. (T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings)
If I had more money and space, I would surely have many sets of dishes and wonderful things to decorate my house, much more than I do now. But what if you don't have extra money and extra space? Does that mean, you are doomed and will never have a charming home?
All those things are nice and I do as much as I can with them, but the charm in your home will come from your own attitude. If you only have one picture and it is the same picture on the wall all year around, and you have no storage, don't be blue, don't begrudge others who can, but be thankful for the one picture you have and enjoy it. Fill your home with a joyful spirit and care. If you are able to spend more and have the space, let your creative spirit thrive in your own home. People have more as they get older, because they have been here longer and as they get one thing and keep it, then after so much time passes they get another. If you add to your collection, in time, it developes.
Listen to me, I may have seasonal pictures now and lovely decorations, and change my woven blanket on the couch from a red and white winter one to a Mexican soft colored one for summer BUT you are reading the notes of a person who once slept under a newspaper to keep from freezing because she didn't have a blanket. And at the time I was THANKFUL for that newspaper. I've been hungry and I've been cold, but I've never not been grateful for the things I had. Gratitude and a spirit of desire to create your home are the magic that conjure up charm, no matter your state of finances or space.
Read May days 15-23
*In order to understand the full context of these reflections, you will enjoy your own copy of the Sarah Ban Breathnach book:
"Simple Abundance ~ A Daybook of Comfort and joy"
Sarah's Website ~ ENJOY!: www.simpleabundance.com
Uploaded June 8, 2001
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-COPYRIGHT 2001
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page
MAY 8 - Rediscovering the Sacred Soulcraft of Homecaring
"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."
It was with great pride that women in past generations taught their daughters the skills and art of homecaring. With so many people working these days, and women earning good salaries and showing their intelligence in the job market (nothing wrong with that), there has been an unanticipated backlash. The skills necessary for homecaring has become a laughing matter to the population at large. Why? Because it does not bring in a paycheck. Many believe that no skill is needed to run a home or family and no instructions ever need be taught. My husband has often tried to do a job around here for me, and after it was messed up I would remind him that he should have asked me. To assume my work took no knowledge or experience, is to not show respect for my job. I have knowledge about the best way to do things from the years of experience I have in doing it. Failing to pass on instructions to the next generation by parents who are burned out will result in hectic, anxiety ridden lives, because they can't understand why they can't get it right. Why can't they get it right? Because they were not taught at their mother's/father's knee.
When did society decide that only those things that resulted in cold hard cash were worthy of pursuing? As women, this is a slap in our collective faces. It is a jab at the most central part of our being. I have been belittled and seen eyebrows shoot up when I said that I didn't work outside my home. It was written all over their faces "what a lazy, and probably stupid woman (she could being doing something valuable like making money to help-out at home").
All I can say, is that since the value of a woman's nature (to nurture and care for) has went down in society, children have developed anxiety and hatred that we often see manifested in the news. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying women shouldn't work. I have seen women who stayed home that failed to nurture their children. It is a matter of realizing that the attitude of society as a whole is something that we need to be on guard against, and take pride in those very skills that people seem to be belittling. It is hard for us all, especially working moms with children, to accomplish everything we need to do, without burning out.
Our jobs may be necessary because we need the money, or because we need the mental stimulation. But let us never forget the sacred calling that has belonged to us alone since time began, and remember that value has nothing to do with money. The nurturing and training we give our children will give them confidence and abilities to succeed, resulting in positive lives, rather than the desperation often seen in news tragedies. It will cause the word HOME to be a sacred word, written in the hearts of all who dwelled there.
"The time has come to look within....it's not too late to for us to rediscover the sacred soulcraft of homecaring.
MAY 9, 2001 ~ GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
"My life will always have dirty dishes, if this sink can become a place of contemplation, let me learn constancy here." (Gunilla Norris)
At first glance, I thought the author of the above line was saying that she accepted that her kitchen would always be dirty! Then, on reading it closer, I understood....What better way to learn patience and contancy, then dealing with the things that will continue to reappear? Without a doubt, if she keeps living, there will continue to be dirty dishes.....and she's chosen to learn about the order of other things in life, from contemplating their reoccurence as she cleans them up everyday, using them somewhat like a parable.
Many of us who are clutterers, have the same trait in common, we think to jump in and clean like crazy, and then forget about it. Literally, not seeing that it is slipping until the doorbell rings and our eyes are jerked back into focus. My thoughts on this reading are that if we learn to be constant, instead of sporadic in our homecaring and life in general, we will live a much more orderly life and feel calmer inside. We would never dream of skipping a bath all week because we will just need one again tomorrow....so why not wait and take a really good scrubbing to ourselves once a week? Ha, ha! How ridiculous!....so why do we allow our brains to slip into that mode about our homes?
Many things in our lives, from eating correctly to cleaning correctly need to be done on a daily basis, -not in a 'helter skelter, pull out all the stops because this ships going down' way. I know wherewith I speak, ladies! I have a home that is in desperate need, and a life that I could use a lot more peace of mind in. I have been working on it for awhile now, and I do so love these readings, because they encourage me and clarify my goals for my home, family and spirit.
MAY 10
"If a home doesn't make sense, nothing does." (Henrietta Ripperger)
Sarah brings out the thought that how can we do, and pass on to our children, the lessons WE never learned, and still can't apply. (if not, they will be trapped in inability to keep up, just like many of us) She says, "Getting our houses in order and endowing our children with a respect for, and appreciation of, order is one of the most precious gifts we can give them and ourselves."
Trying to accomplish all we have to do, without planning, is to show that we really don't understand that what we are doing is a bonafide job. We would never act this way in a job we were receiving $$$ for, why give less to our homes that holds all those things our money can buy _AND_ so much more that money could never buy?
"Sanity is preserved with planning". If you do not know what your goal is, how will you be able to aim for it? I think it is a mistake to simply say "I would like my whole house to be clean and perfect". That really doesn't give us a starting place to make it happen, does it? For those who are having clutter/messy problems, if you will think about each room, and for now, pick a goal for each room. When that one thing becomes a habit, add something to it. But, you must learn to maintain, or you will always be starting over, from scratch.
Need more help? Here's a for instance:
Bedroom - keep clothes hung up or in hamper
Bath - keep sink clean and towels hung straight
Kitchen - keep table cleared off/dishes done
LV Room - keep junk off the couch -or- read paper and put in recycle bag daily
DECLUTTER - spend 15 minutes a day decluttering some chosen area
After keeping these things done for 2 weeks, you can add something else. Follow the time-worn basic rules to help keep up things in general:
1. If you take it out, put it back
2. If you open it, close it
3. If you throw it down, pick it up
4. If you take it off, hang it up (if dirty, in hamper, but ONLY if dirty!)
MAY 11 ~ The Tao of Homecaring
"Time to dust again. Time to caress my house, to stroke all its surfaces. I want to think of it as a kind of lovemaking ...the chance to appreciate by touch what I live with and cherish.." (Gunilla Norris)
Lao-Tsu wrote the sacred text of the Chinese religion Taoism, the 'Tao Te Ching'. "How can the advice of an ancient Chinese philosoper help us get our houses in order? If our souls are so preoccupied with undoing, how does anything ever get done?" We must learn to pause and reflect on what we are doing....and realize the words we use will re-inforce either the positive or the negative - either trapping us or setting us free.
We should stop referring to the work we do as 'chores' and thinking of it as drudgery, instead replacing those negative reinforcements with words of positivity and caring. "HOMECARING" is an example of showing respect and esteem for the labor of love that we do. Redefiing what we are doing casts a powerful spell over our subconscious.
Theophany = the appearance of a god in a visible form to a human being
"Domestic theophanies are visible maifestations of Spirit in the home. We find them by looking for Mystery in the mundane, seeing the Sacred in the ordinary." You do not need to travel the world to discover the world....the world is at your feet now, you walk thru it everyday, leaving your spirit's vibration in the walls of time, echoing thru the lives of all you touch.
MAY 12 "I am told that when the Chinese, who know everything, build a house, they consult the prescepts of an ancient science, Feng Shui, which tells them exactly how, when, and where the work must be done, and so brings good forturne to the home forever."
The chinese believe that 'chi' is the cosmic breath, or essential energy which infuses all life, and that it should be allowed to flow freely in harmony with nature. What this means to them is that the placement of everything brings a feeling with it. The energy you feel when you enter a room, is directly related to the placement of things in that room....uh....hello? What is the energy you are feeling when you enter the rooms in your house? Do you feel a sense of positivity on entering or a "ugh....my brain is starting to itch" feeling when you enter your rooms?
Let's get busy creating positive energy in our homes and watch it transform our mental outlook, and those of our families!
MAY 13 ~ ON MOTHERING
The term 'mothering' brings to mind the acts of comforting, nurturing and inspiring to grow. We know how important this is to children, but might we have overlooked the truth that no one ever outgrows these needs? Sarah writes, "Perhaps we need to reacquaint ourselves consciously with the maternal and deeply comforting dimension of Divintiy in order to learn how to mother ourselves." How could we have missed the calling of our own spirits that longed to be comforted, nurtured, inspired (mothered) -and failed to provide those things to ourselves?
"The best way to start is to create - as an act of worshiop - a comfortable home that protects, nurtures, and sustains all who seek refuge within its walls." She encourages us to walk thru our rooms and look for ways that we can start to mother ourselves daily. You should be providing places to sit, sleep, relax, reflect, places that inspire and invite you. "There is no more beautiful way of honoring the love of the feminine divinity waiting to mother us than by celebrating the temple where her Spirit dwells on earth (the home).
MAY 14 ~ A Sense of Charm
"Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings. (T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings)
If I had more money and space, I would surely have many sets of dishes and wonderful things to decorate my house, much more than I do now. But what if you don't have extra money and extra space? Does that mean, you are doomed and will never have a charming home?
All those things are nice and I do as much as I can with them, but the charm in your home will come from your own attitude. If you only have one picture and it is the same picture on the wall all year around, and you have no storage, don't be blue, don't begrudge others who can, but be thankful for the one picture you have and enjoy it. Fill your home with a joyful spirit and care. If you are able to spend more and have the space, let your creative spirit thrive in your own home. People have more as they get older, because they have been here longer and as they get one thing and keep it, then after so much time passes they get another. If you add to your collection, in time, it developes.
Listen to me, I may have seasonal pictures now and lovely decorations, and change my woven blanket on the couch from a red and white winter one to a Mexican soft colored one for summer BUT you are reading the notes of a person who once slept under a newspaper to keep from freezing because she didn't have a blanket. And at the time I was THANKFUL for that newspaper. I've been hungry and I've been cold, but I've never not been grateful for the things I had. Gratitude and a spirit of desire to create your home are the magic that conjure up charm, no matter your state of finances or space.
Read May days 15-23
*In order to understand the full context of these reflections, you will enjoy your own copy of the Sarah Ban Breathnach book:
"Simple Abundance ~ A Daybook of Comfort and joy"
Sarah's Website ~ ENJOY!: www.simpleabundance.com
Uploaded June 8, 2001
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-COPYRIGHT 2001
This page hosted by
Get your own Free Home Page
"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."
It was with great pride that women in past generations taught their daughters the skills and art of homecaring. With so many people working these days, and women earning good salaries and showing their intelligence in the job market (nothing wrong with that), there has been an unanticipated backlash. The skills necessary for homecaring has become a laughing matter to the population at large. Why? Because it does not bring in a paycheck. Many believe that no skill is needed to run a home or family and no instructions ever need be taught. My husband has often tried to do a job around here for me, and after it was messed up I would remind him that he should have asked me. To assume my work took no knowledge or experience, is to not show respect for my job. I have knowledge about the best way to do things from the years of experience I have in doing it. Failing to pass on instructions to the next generation by parents who are burned out will result in hectic, anxiety ridden lives, because they can't understand why they can't get it right. Why can't they get it right? Because they were not taught at their mother's/father's knee.
When did society decide that only those things that resulted in cold hard cash were worthy of pursuing? As women, this is a slap in our collective faces. It is a jab at the most central part of our being. I have been belittled and seen eyebrows shoot up when I said that I didn't work outside my home. It was written all over their faces "what a lazy, and probably stupid woman (she could being doing something valuable like making money to help-out at home").
All I can say, is that since the value of a woman's nature (to nurture and care for) has went down in society, children have developed anxiety and hatred that we often see manifested in the news. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying women shouldn't work. I have seen women who stayed home that failed to nurture their children. It is a matter of realizing that the attitude of society as a whole is something that we need to be on guard against, and take pride in those very skills that people seem to be belittling. It is hard for us all, especially working moms with children, to accomplish everything we need to do, without burning out.
Our jobs may be necessary because we need the money, or because we need the mental stimulation. But let us never forget the sacred calling that has belonged to us alone since time began, and remember that value has nothing to do with money. The nurturing and training we give our children will give them confidence and abilities to succeed, resulting in positive lives, rather than the desperation often seen in news tragedies. It will cause the word HOME to be a sacred word, written in the hearts of all who dwelled there.
"The time has come to look within....it's not too late to for us to rediscover the sacred soulcraft of homecaring.
MAY 9, 2001 ~ GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
"My life will always have dirty dishes, if this sink can become a place of contemplation, let me learn constancy here." (Gunilla Norris)
At first glance, I thought the author of the above line was saying that she accepted that her kitchen would always be dirty! Then, on reading it closer, I understood....What better way to learn patience and contancy, then dealing with the things that will continue to reappear? Without a doubt, if she keeps living, there will continue to be dirty dishes.....and she's chosen to learn about the order of other things in life, from contemplating their reoccurence as she cleans them up everyday, using them somewhat like a parable.
Many of us who are clutterers, have the same trait in common, we think to jump in and clean like crazy, and then forget about it. Literally, not seeing that it is slipping until the doorbell rings and our eyes are jerked back into focus. My thoughts on this reading are that if we learn to be constant, instead of sporadic in our homecaring and life in general, we will live a much more orderly life and feel calmer inside. We would never dream of skipping a bath all week because we will just need one again tomorrow....so why not wait and take a really good scrubbing to ourselves once a week? Ha, ha! How ridiculous!....so why do we allow our brains to slip into that mode about our homes?
Many things in our lives, from eating correctly to cleaning correctly need to be done on a daily basis, -not in a 'helter skelter, pull out all the stops because this ships going down' way. I know wherewith I speak, ladies! I have a home that is in desperate need, and a life that I could use a lot more peace of mind in. I have been working on it for awhile now, and I do so love these readings, because they encourage me and clarify my goals for my home, family and spirit.
MAY 10
"If a home doesn't make sense, nothing does." (Henrietta Ripperger)
Sarah brings out the thought that how can we do, and pass on to our children, the lessons WE never learned, and still can't apply. (if not, they will be trapped in inability to keep up, just like many of us) She says, "Getting our houses in order and endowing our children with a respect for, and appreciation of, order is one of the most precious gifts we can give them and ourselves."
Trying to accomplish all we have to do, without planning, is to show that we really don't understand that what we are doing is a bonafide job. We would never act this way in a job we were receiving $$$ for, why give less to our homes that holds all those things our money can buy _AND_ so much more that money could never buy?
"Sanity is preserved with planning". If you do not know what your goal is, how will you be able to aim for it? I think it is a mistake to simply say "I would like my whole house to be clean and perfect". That really doesn't give us a starting place to make it happen, does it? For those who are having clutter/messy problems, if you will think about each room, and for now, pick a goal for each room. When that one thing becomes a habit, add something to it. But, you must learn to maintain, or you will always be starting over, from scratch.
Need more help? Here's a for instance:
Bedroom - keep clothes hung up or in hamper
Bath - keep sink clean and towels hung straight
Kitchen - keep table cleared off/dishes done
LV Room - keep junk off the couch -or- read paper and put in recycle bag daily
DECLUTTER - spend 15 minutes a day decluttering some chosen area
After keeping these things done for 2 weeks, you can add something else. Follow the time-worn basic rules to help keep up things in general:
1. If you take it out, put it back
2. If you open it, close it
3. If you throw it down, pick it up
4. If you take it off, hang it up (if dirty, in hamper, but ONLY if dirty!)
MAY 11 ~ The Tao of Homecaring
"Time to dust again. Time to caress my house, to stroke all its surfaces. I want to think of it as a kind of lovemaking ...the chance to appreciate by touch what I live with and cherish.." (Gunilla Norris)
Lao-Tsu wrote the sacred text of the Chinese religion Taoism, the 'Tao Te Ching'. "How can the advice of an ancient Chinese philosoper help us get our houses in order? If our souls are so preoccupied with undoing, how does anything ever get done?" We must learn to pause and reflect on what we are doing....and realize the words we use will re-inforce either the positive or the negative - either trapping us or setting us free.
We should stop referring to the work we do as 'chores' and thinking of it as drudgery, instead replacing those negative reinforcements with words of positivity and caring. "HOMECARING" is an example of showing respect and esteem for the labor of love that we do. Redefiing what we are doing casts a powerful spell over our subconscious.
Theophany = the appearance of a god in a visible form to a human being
"Domestic theophanies are visible maifestations of Spirit in the home. We find them by looking for Mystery in the mundane, seeing the Sacred in the ordinary." You do not need to travel the world to discover the world....the world is at your feet now, you walk thru it everyday, leaving your spirit's vibration in the walls of time, echoing thru the lives of all you touch.
MAY 12 "I am told that when the Chinese, who know everything, build a house, they consult the prescepts of an ancient science, Feng Shui, which tells them exactly how, when, and where the work must be done, and so brings good forturne to the home forever."
The chinese believe that 'chi' is the cosmic breath, or essential energy which infuses all life, and that it should be allowed to flow freely in harmony with nature. What this means to them is that the placement of everything brings a feeling with it. The energy you feel when you enter a room, is directly related to the placement of things in that room....uh....hello? What is the energy you are feeling when you enter the rooms in your house? Do you feel a sense of positivity on entering or a "ugh....my brain is starting to itch" feeling when you enter your rooms?
Let's get busy creating positive energy in our homes and watch it transform our mental outlook, and those of our families!
MAY 13 ~ ON MOTHERING
The term 'mothering' brings to mind the acts of comforting, nurturing and inspiring to grow. We know how important this is to children, but might we have overlooked the truth that no one ever outgrows these needs? Sarah writes, "Perhaps we need to reacquaint ourselves consciously with the maternal and deeply comforting dimension of Divintiy in order to learn how to mother ourselves." How could we have missed the calling of our own spirits that longed to be comforted, nurtured, inspired (mothered) -and failed to provide those things to ourselves?
"The best way to start is to create - as an act of worshiop - a comfortable home that protects, nurtures, and sustains all who seek refuge within its walls." She encourages us to walk thru our rooms and look for ways that we can start to mother ourselves daily. You should be providing places to sit, sleep, relax, reflect, places that inspire and invite you. "There is no more beautiful way of honoring the love of the feminine divinity waiting to mother us than by celebrating the temple where her Spirit dwells on earth (the home).
MAY 14 ~ A Sense of Charm
"Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings. (T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings)
If I had more money and space, I would surely have many sets of dishes and wonderful things to decorate my house, much more than I do now. But what if you don't have extra money and extra space? Does that mean, you are doomed and will never have a charming home?
All those things are nice and I do as much as I can with them, but the charm in your home will come from your own attitude. If you only have one picture and it is the same picture on the wall all year around, and you have no storage, don't be blue, don't begrudge others who can, but be thankful for the one picture you have and enjoy it. Fill your home with a joyful spirit and care. If you are able to spend more and have the space, let your creative spirit thrive in your own home. People have more as they get older, because they have been here longer and as they get one thing and keep it, then after so much time passes they get another. If you add to your collection, in time, it developes.
Listen to me, I may have seasonal pictures now and lovely decorations, and change my woven blanket on the couch from a red and white winter one to a Mexican soft colored one for summer BUT you are reading the notes of a person who once slept under a newspaper to keep from freezing because she didn't have a blanket. And at the time I was THANKFUL for that newspaper. I've been hungry and I've been cold, but I've never not been grateful for the things I had. Gratitude and a spirit of desire to create your home are the magic that conjure up charm, no matter your state of finances or space.
Read May days 15-23
*In order to understand the full context of these reflections, you will enjoy your own copy of the Sarah Ban Breathnach book:
"Simple Abundance ~ A Daybook of Comfort and joy"
Sarah's Website ~ ENJOY!: www.simpleabundance.com
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