Abandon, Embrace
“Our body limits the spiritual divine spark which we call our soul. In the way that a vessel gives form to the liquid or gas which is put into, our body gives form to our spiritual being. If the vessel is broken, that which was in it no longer retains the form it had and flows out. Does it receive a new form? Is it united with other beings? We know nothing of this. After death the soul becomes something different, something indescribable. Death is a liberation of the soul from the material personality in which it existed in this world. For those who live a spiritual life, there is no death.” Leo Tolstoy | A Calendar of Wisdom
Each morning, begin with thoughtful introspection. What is troubling you? What is weighing you down? What is causing fear within you? Once you have that answer, write this simple sentence down:
### Today, I abandon…
Finish that sentence with whatever flows naturally from your pen. If you feel it would be helpful, write a few more sentences about what you’re letting go of. It doesn’t matter. It’s just important to get that thing out and on paper into the real world.
It is the intentional process of removing clutter from your heart. You abandon things that are weighing you down.
We discard whatever is non-essential to our being.
Today, I embrace…
You may need to embrace some kind of harsh reality that you’ve been avoiding in some cases.
I will embrace and befriend my shadows so that I can abandon them in due time.
However, on most days, you will think of something positive, uplifting, and meaningful to welcome into your life. The rest of your day, you can reflect on what you are letting go of and enjoy what you are embracing.
Happiness comes as an indirect result of pursuing goodness, not possessions. The same is true of the soul, I suspect. The good life comes as an indirect result of keeping your soul light and uncluttered.