“You cannot perceive beauty but with a serene mind.” Thoreau
This, basically, what I was talking about RE:any simple moment could be a joyful one if we’re in a healthy state of mind & physical capacity.
Serene mind, calm heart, and healthy body can make any moment beautiful. Our perception is mainly guided and limited by these.
And perhaps a good chunk of the time we currently spend on 1) chasing thrill & pleasure or 2) numbing / coping with / escaping from pain can be spent more on cultivating and maintaining those three things instead.
To get a serene mind, I need to make sense of things and feel like I make sense to others.
To get a calm heart, I need to give more than I take, to owe nothing to no one, and to remember that nothing is owed to me.
To have a healthy body, I need to experiment & listen to what makes it good both in the short and the long term. Better feeling good than looking good. Give it a good stretch and move because I can and I get to. Sleep heals, shower recharges, water cleanses and refreshes.
quoting [[2022-01-22]]
when you’re feeling rested, gotten enough sleep, am comfortably full, not constipated, not feeling bloated, in a comfortable room temperature, having no debt, no pending backlog/deadline you’re anxious or uncertain about, then even sitting on bed doing and thinking absolutely nothing can be blissful. washing hands, washing face, able to “feel”, the water flowing against your skin, taking a simple breath became a joyful thing. able to look at the mirror without judgement, at peace with things as is… all moments became good moments.
yeah this is probably the whole idea of being in the moment, mindfulness whatever, but I think I’ve been approaching it the other way around. trying too hard to do. BE IN THE MOMENT(!!) focus on your breath, forget your pain, embrace your discomfort etc etc. instead of preparing myself to welcome it and letting the moment come. removing any barrier for me to properly see it when it arrives. too much of active pursuit, not enough active welcoming.
I could be sitting on a comfortable chair surrounded by the most beautiful view and people I care about but if my mind and heart aren’t calm, body is fatigued, or whatever, I won’t be able to appreciate or fully surrender into the moment. I’ll be living in my head, going on autopilot, reacting, riding shotgun with my self defenses on the steering wheel.
