So, I thought it might be helpful to share how I made some of the alterations I have in my style of living, which is tailored to support a practice of relaxing more, being here now and breathing.
1.
Be Real: First
and foremost I really had to come to terms with the fact that a too busy life,
revolving around the acquisition of power and things (whatever the rationale
for it) was not going to render much peace in my life. To the contrary, it was
draining me and making me miserable. I wanted a life that breathed, and for
that you need breathing room—I needed to simplify.
2.
Simplify: Finding
the value in simplicity, prioritizing it, meant a radical editing of my
possessions and downsizing in general. This was done in stages, a little here
and a little there based on the following rule of thumb: get rid of all that is
unnecessary, keep only what is essential. Getting clearer about what my values
and priorities were (through that process) led to a natural re-vamping of my
habits. With fewer possessions to attend to and a lighter schedule, there was
less getting in the way. I had more time—the breathing room I craved.
3.
Practice: With
more time came the liberty to spend it focusing on my priorities, the
contemplative arts—those activities which help to center and ground me in the
present like writing, reading, journaling, meditating, stretching, walking,
etc. A calmer mind then led to an increased ability to manage the inevitable
chaos of life, without losing perspective as much.
4.
Be More Discerning: The fruit of my contemplative practice rendered a
shift in my activities. It became important to me to be more aware of what
effect my environment and activities were having on me—were they aiding in the
cultivation of a peaceful mind and a warm heart, or were they eroding it? I
paid closer attention to my habits and worked on aligning them more closely
with my values.
5.
Commit: Finally,
I made a commitment to keeping things radically simple. Complicated life philosophies
were out, ‘do no harm’ and ‘reverence for life’, were in. I have discovered
there is no need to make it more complicated than that. It’s challenging, but definitely
doable, and very rewarding!
The primary value I have
found in this simple way of life, is its nourishing depth, richness and freedom,
but we have to show up for it and we show up by slowing down, being here now
and breathing.
