Living a peaceful life is a process of elimination. It is getting down to the basics and understanding which things are important in life and which things are not.
In my quest for peace I have greatly decreased the amount of stuff in my life, on every level. Simplicity can be a beautiful thing. I, for one, intend to live my life as simply as possible from here on out.
Note that by simplicity I do not mean poverty. I think it is totally possible to live simply and be wealthy. It’s a balance of time and energy in proportion to external things. There is nothing wrong with having a lot of money and the things money can buy, especially if you have enough to pay people to manage and maintain all the stuff. I think simplicity is more about being willing to let go of that which is no longer useful or needed. It’s about keeping the energy flowing.
One of the reasons I think metaphor is such a blessing is there are laws in the spiritual world just as in the physical world. Because the laws in each of these realms correspond with each other, we can take examples from our physical world and apply them to the spiritual. The ability to do this has changed my entire outlook on life.
Once I understood that the spiritual and physical correspond, I knew that there are things we can do in our physical world that affect us spiritually and vice versa.
For example, I learned that if I feel stuck or bogged down in life, I can get rid of clothes and things I don’t need in my physical environment and the action of doing so has an effect on the mental and the spiritual. Letting go of physical stuff seems to facilitate letting go of mental stuff. Try it, see how you feel afterward. Other than hoarders, I don’t think anyone would find this an unpleasant thing to do. It is very liberating. Things feel open and receptive when clearing is done. If you focus on the mental and spiritual cleansing while clearing out your physical space, you will create a powerful ritual the effects of which can be felt immediately.
I don’t know about anyone else, but when my stress levels drop suddenly because of an activity or a moment of insight, I like it. Any break from worry and stress any of us can get is a blessing.
We all seem to have so much on our minds lately. Whenever I do get out in the world I can feel it. People are stressed and worried. There are employment issues, foreclosures everywhere and tons of stuff happening all over the planet. It’s a lot to think about. And when people are not certain how they will be affected by these external forces, it can be scary.
That’s why it’s helpful to control what can be controlled and let go of the rest. Using up spiritual and physical energy worrying about things that haven’t happened and are unlikely to happen is a waste. I’m pretty sure most of us can think of better uses for that energy.
When I am stressed and worried, I take it easy on myself. I seek distraction if I need to or I spend time in meditation and thinking positive thoughts. I also eat healthy food, drink lots of water and take vitamins. The way I keep things from even getting to that point is by keeping my surroundings simple and serene. My house is clean, comfy, peaceful and good smelling.
If you’re feeling stressed out and chaotic, take a look around. Do you have clutter and chaos in your physical surroundings? Relief could be as simple as cleaning out your car.
Humans are not that complicated, but we live in a world of technology that invites us to take on more than we can handle. When things become overwhelming, slow down and take a breather. I can nearly guarantee it will help.
Keeping it simple.
