Winter Housekeeping

Simplifying Your Inner Life

“For me, inner simplicity means tuning in to what, in my opinion, is the best this world has to offer, such as the love of family and friends, the wonders of nature, and the serenity and clarity that come from silence and quiet contemplation.”

                                Elaine St. James (Inner Simplicity)

The fact that the new year begins in winter in the Northern Hemisphere brings with it, if you're like me, more time indoors than outside. With that shift, come the kinds of thoughts and chores that are interior. Over the past few years, I have begun a slow campaign of simplification both in my external environment and my internal one. Living simply suits my nature, because I tend to be an anxious person when things start moving too fast. Over the course of a few years, I have pared my lifestyle down to make it more manageable; my friends down to people I really love; and my involvements to those that truly matter to me.

I know this isn't possible for everyone; most of you still must go to a job everyday, and interact in political ways, and get along with people who may or may not be your personal choices. And there are those of you who thrive on a fast paced lifestyle. It has been my experience, however, that even those whose very nature is extroverted and interactive, run into walls of inner fatigue. We tend to go and go until we can't any more. In the end, we may use substances and unhealthy behaviors in an effort to keep the pace. Sometimes, an overly hectic lifestyle leads to illness of one kind or another, and that becomes the means by which people reassess.

Whatever your particular lifestyle, now is a good time to contemplate whether it serves you well or not. Are you happy? Do you feel as though you're involved in activities and with people that nurture and support you? Are you contributing to something meaningful? If you were going to make changes, what would they be? How can you rearrange your life to accommodate the changes you'd like to see?

The winter season is the natural time for this 'going in'; this sweeping out of the interior house. All of us yearn for a peaceful world at this time of year, not always realizing that that peace begins with us. Making simplifying adjustments to life is the beginning of inner peace and tranquility. We'll be exploring some ways of doing this together over the next few posts.

                                               In the spirit,

                                                   Jane