Simplicity

"If a time of scanty resources brings out an inner truth, one must not feel ashamed of simplicity. For simplicity is then the very thing that is needed to provide inner strength for further undertakings."

--I Ching

6/11/09

I'm healing and i'm taking my time, the time my body needs to put back the pieces together. I hold great importance in going through this process at the right pace and not rushing into doing things my mind-body is not ready for yet. The passivity of asking for help, having people do things for me puts me a beautiful place of simplicity where nothing is demanded and nothing is opposed. Of course, it not possible to live entirely like this when working or making a living and being active in the world, however, this is a good point for me to stop and reevaluate what really matters. Kind of like in retreat, but this time it's more real. Life circumstances are forcing me to be humble, demand less from people around me and from myself. Brock Currie gave me a the beautiful quote above before going into surgery.

Something about the simplicity and dull resources for activity reveals a boundless source of love and compassion, stillness and of holding things, people and moments sacred. It maybe the encounter with the newly recognized fragility of life, the fact that my life isn't as long and taken for granted as I thought, that spontaneously everything now seems to be important, especially how I treat others. Suddenly treating the people close to me with love and respect and allowing seems to me like the most important elements I can bring into my relationship with them, rather than pushing for agendas that are important to my ego, i.e. acting like I would expect them to, not overreacting, like i'd expect them to or handling situations the same way I would. They are each unique in their own way and that is why I summoned them into my life, to attract these qualities into my own life. So rather than putting down those qualities, something my mind habitualy tends to do when it's overworked; allowing them to flower and nourish me in the same way they would feel nourished by being allowed the space to thrive and be themselves.