Monday, January 14, 2008

In beauty

Draw your inner energy from the beauty that surrounds you. When you do so, this energy reception will become a source of strength and sustenance in your life.
As you begin practicing beauty appreciation and seeing it in all things that you encounter, including all people, as you begin to see the fullness of God in everyone instead of something to judge, you'll find a new kind of bliss in your everyday life.


Last night when I heard these words (by Dr. Wayne Dyer, by the way) that I wrote of for Sacred Life Sunday, something happened.
My head and heart shifted to a higher octave.
Sounds strange, I know, but it's true.

While I certainly believe in ordinary life magic, as you know, I had never considered drawing energy consciously from surrounding beauty.

Just the thought of it made me feel lighter - any burdens, my heart, my spirit - all of it.
And it wasn't in a serious and seeking sort of way, either. It was in a light, breezy, frolicky sort of way.

I thought, Huh. To take in the beauty around me - laughter, beauty in my home, my children's silliness, the love my husband shows for all of us - to take that and just absorb in intentionally into myself.
I can only guess that what happens at that point is that everything becomes more joyful. The house is honored for its beauty - and instead of cleaning out of obligation or duty (or even to provide us with a clean place to play and grow), it is cleaned for the sake of beauty and lightness and joy - honoring it for those things.
What a concept.
Loud noises perhaps will come less bothersome. Beautiful pictures will become tools - instead of things not to be noticed.
I can only think too, that the cycle of beauty will perpetuate, don't you think? That absorbing joy and beauty will mean emitting joy, and that means there will be even more beauty to draw upon?

It's an interesting suggestion.
I am looking forward to this day.

9 comments:

EC said...

It is an interesting suggestion and one that is deserving of further musing. I love the idea that by drawing upon the beauty of chaos it somehow becomes less chaotic. I think I'm far away from being able to do that successfully but you always give me something to broaden my horizons.

This is a wonderful post, Steph!

evie

Carla said...

Hmmmmm. I like this a lot. Grateful to have read it, so thank you for sharing and welcome to Sacred Life Sunday! Blessings & love.

KMDuff said...

Lovely post, full of beautiful ideas. It is kind of a counter to the thing I've been musing, about how electronics "suck" energy from us, keep us from clarity in thoughts. Just how clean and clear and happy I feel when we go somewhere where my cell doesn't work and I don't have a computer all day. I'm obviously not going to give up my computer, but maybe I can counteract it by finding the beauty to gain energy from and focusing more on the positive. Such a gentle thought. :)

piscesgrrl said...

An older friend once told me, "I clean my house for myself. I would never think to clean it to prove something to others. They know me." That was pretty profound.

I find that this is true - absorbing and then emitting. But I will admit it became easier after my doc helped me get my hormones more in check. ;-)

Stephanie said...

I clean for myself too, certainly.
But it was the most interesting for me - for instead of feeling guilty for liking and having my possessions, it was an invitation to appreciated my home and all that goes on in it in a new way.
YOu know?
Take the beauty and use it as fuel.
Was so different than "get rid of your possessions and don't be attached to anything."
Was freeing, I guess.
I often feel guilty for liking pretty things in my home.
:/

Stephanie said...

Thanks, M - I know just what you mean. (Though we don't have cells around here. - gasp!) Or even caller id!!! :)
Or even a wireless phone, at the moment!!! (My girlfriend bought me one a couple of years ago, but I left it out in the rain.) I'll stop, now. :)

I was thinking, too, about the vampire thing, and wondering if that's what I would be doing - but I don't think so. I think the idea invites gentleness, as you said, and sponsors more beauty.

Probably I should really focus on that, as I"m currently pmsing - thus yesterdays "edgy" post.
:)steph

Stephanie said...

Thank you so much, Evie and Carla.
I really appreciate it!

piscesgrrl said...

So what is guilt? It's like a clash of desires. I was just thinking that this unschooling conference I just attended was profound for me (in so many ways) **right now** because a few years ago, the message I'd have taken from it would've been to live more simply, reject the trappings of modern life like electronics and 'things'. I'm in a different place now, though. I know there are parts of living a subsistence-level life that appeal to me (gardening and preserving) and parts that don't (forgoing computers, video games for my kids). I could see some younger, newer-to-unschooling, more idealistic folks clamoring to say, "See, I KNEW we should get rid of our tv" and then that goes home as a new sort of dogma. If we're talking about unschooling, it's not about the thing itself ("if we get rid of tv, we'll be better/happier/greener") - it's about honoring our needs and desires. This CAN be done in respectful way, respectful of the earth, each other. It's not "I want" only - it's moving toward joy.

So, in my long-winded roundabout way, I'm saying - you're on to something here. :)

Take the beauty and use at fuel INDEED. I Love That. Because if it's all about deprivation, then what? At what cost? Happiness? If everything you do is done with awareness and gratitude and respect and love, then it goes without saying that no decisions will be made out of pure selfishness.

I'll stop. :)

Stephanie said...

Laura -
YES! Exactly.
Woohoo!!
:)

While I personally don't have a problem with tv, and the children's toys, etc (we are ruers, after all, and I consider those things valuable resources and tools for learning), I have a bit of a problem on other levels - knowing as a conscientious person we're not supposed to be "good consumers", and all that greeny stuff. :)
The other is living more simply - living without putting too much stock into one's possessions - gotta have more, this makes me important, etc.
But I like pretty curtains.
And pictures on the wall.
And my books.
Trappings.
And I don't feel trapped by them - they bring me joy, you're right.
Which is why this thought was so liberating for me.
I'm glad to see I'm not alone!!
:)
xxoo