I’ve recently started listening to a little daily video Jamie Ridler does at the start of her morning she calls Behind the Scenes in her studio.
Today she talked about something that has been on my mind quite a bit lately. I always think it’s particularly interesting and noteworthy when a message shows up in different ways. Kind of feels like the universe has taken a big old highlighter and said pay attention to this.
While I encourage you to go listen to Jamie here, the piece she talked about that I’ve been rolling over in my mind today is this:
“We stop exploring ourselves. We stop giving ourselves the opportunities to surprise ourselves…I don’t want to get stuck in a previous part of my life. Live in an era that isn’t here anymore. I want to be here now.”
YES!
And yet I see a lot of ways in which I’m mired in old comfortable patterns and how those are the places that are rubbing me. I need to surprise myself more!
That message came to me again when I found this quote by Rumi in one of my journals today:
“Be crumbled. So the wild flowers will come up where you are. You have been stony for too many years. Try something different. Surrender.”
Indeed. I think I will be carrying that around as my mantra for a while – digging deeply into it. And how wonderful would it be to have wild flowers around me.
Speaking of flowers, Jamie mentions pussy willows in her video. It’s that time of year for those sweet beauties. I have some fresh branches which delight me, but I also have a door wreath that I saved from last winter and recently re-hung.. This might be its last season because every time I open the door a few little catkins which have dried fall off. It makes me smile to find these little bits of soft fuzziness on the floor.
I just discovered that pussy willows are a favorite flower for Chinese New Year celebrations. The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar one, based both on solar and lunar considerations, which explains why although the new year – the Year of the Wooden Sheep – began earlier this month, the actual lunar new year celebration doesn’t happen until later this week at the time of the new moon. But it’s nice to know I’ll be ready with my lovely pussy willows.
And in the meantime, I’ll continue pondering balance. That eternal dance of knowing myself ever more fully, but remaining in flow not stasis. Holding firmly to my me-ness and yet always digging deeper for the hidden surprises within.
What about you? Do you surprise yourself? Are you feeling stuck in some places? Are you ready to have a fresh new start with the upcoming Chinese New Year? Prefer wildflowers or pussy willows? Do tell – you know I love to hear?
Wow! What great energy and smile she has. Glad you shared the video. I loved it. Thanks!
However, I don’t know that I have ever gotten to that place of ‘I know’ like she speaks of because I am always thirsting for new experiences and adventure and new connections.
My friends have always been so surprised that I am out there on a regular basis meeting new people or traveling to new places. They call me a ‘thrill seeker’. I just think I like to keep it interesting.
Interesting and thrilling are fabulous Elda. What delights me and I find fascinating is how we’re all so very unique. And while I love that there are things we all share in common, I think we ought to celebrate our individuality with as much dedication as we devote to trying to fit in the collective. We’re ALL so beautiful!