On less is more
Any quality work or art or practice will often involve a few central principles or focal points around which the thing evolves. When it comes to humans living well, this can also be applied, and we can see there are times we must lessen or simplify our lives for them to improve.
It can be important to increase, to intensify, to complexify, and this is a natural human urge to want more out of life. We must also be aware of the other direction of balance. When we fail, or fall, or life loses its zest, we are invited to reduce distractions, diversions or leakages of our vital energy. So we take time away or reduce the amount of that particular phenomena. Call this fasting.
If you never fast from certain things like social media, or food, or caffeine, or certain people who don’t care for you and would rather see you fall, then you will never know the benefits of taking space from those things. Many can be intimidated by this walking away, especially if there had been a sense of security or attachment to these things, because they did benefit you in even the smallest of ways or choosing them meant safety from a worse fate.
It is in times we feel called to fast and reduce, where we must be gentler and more encouraging to ourselves. No one else can have the strength to walk away. Sometimes we do it by force and perhaps highlighting the “evil” of that thing we find distance from. Sometimes we do it in a piecewise and progressive process of more fasting each day or week or month. Whatever your strategy may be, just recognize that it will continually be called to your attention if it is something your body, mind or spirit needs to address and have the genuine space from.
We choose to walk away and fast, then can witness the power of being away from that thing, and often we will find support or people who also relate to that particular thing having more power over us than we initially wanted to allow.
Within the world of movement and well being, I continually find myself fasting from food or “ being busy for sake of busyness” on days when I don’t have as much responsibility. The very same day or next few days I benefit in my mental emotional and physical being - it feels I have more calmness, yet more strength and clarity on how to act well. I love to have pressure to DO and get things going on me, however, that pressure cannot help me grow if I do not have a rhythm of DOING with BEING.
May you find your rhythm and enjoy the process, encourage yourself in the most difficult parts - because there will be. That can be seen as great because everyone will be able to relate with you on that.
