I was talking with one of my very wise teachers recently about the lost art of contemplation. Mulling things over, being reflective, thoughtful – it’s not the pointy, sharp parts of thinking but the soft gentle almost fuzzy parts. There may not be an answer or a nice and tidy conclusion, just a rumination. I loved this idea so much and thought I’d share what I’m thoughtfully holding space for…
- Flaneur – this word is beautiful. I first heard it from Anthony Bourdain. It’s a person who saunters around observing life (usually those around them). A relaxed and casual gait, no hurry or pace, also no judgment just a beautiful soaking up of surroundings. I am drawn not just to the word but the very act of being a flaneur. The sheer joy that I imagine is experienced, the richness of seeing the world around me from this perspective sounds divine. Be more flaneur…
- Memento Mori – There is a full cycle in nature that we all follow: birth – life – death; and this phrase is latin for “Remember you must die”. This can feel extremely uncomfortable and can trigger fear, uncertainty and even insecurity – it definitely does for me. However, it can also be an active source of inspiration and clarity. We forget sometimes that our life is finite, every moment is something truly precious. With no guarantees of future moments only the certainty that at some point we will no longer exist as we do now, where we choose to put our attention becomes a burning priority. It’s both expansive and contractive, vast freedom but with slices of deep fear. How are you spending your minutes, hours, days, months…?
- Routines – the older I get the more I appreciate a good routine. It’s the foundation upon which we can go wild and create something fascinating. By choosing the things that support us being our best selves we can then go on to actually be our best selves. Being regular and consistent with practices that do this is essential, it’s like compounding interest, at some point it magically pays off. I highly recommend, “Atomic Habits by James Clear” there are many juicy pieces of wisdom throughout.
Love,
Jo x