A Sense of Order: Cultivating Contentment

[luv2salsa]

Order is the shape upon which beauty depends.

---PEARL BUCK

 "For years I have suspected that in happy and fulfilled lives domesticity and spirituality are invisibly but inexorably connected-one a golden thread, one a silver filament-which, when woven together, create a tapestry of contentment.  The Shakers, a religious communal sect that flourished in America during the mid-nineteenth century, invoked a prayer each morning for the grace that would enable them to express their love of God through their daily tasks-tasks as simple and mundane as making a bed.  And the seventeenth-century Carmelite friar, Brother Lawrence, wrote in his devotional classic, Practicing the Presence of God, that frequently he felt the spirit of God among the pots, pans, and potatoes in his kitchen as he was preparing a meal for his fellow monks.

     Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by outside circumstances-worries about money, concern over a sick family member, or anxiety over prolonged business negotiations-instinctively I turn to homegrown rituals to restore my equilibrium.  There is an immediate emotional and psychological payoff to getting our houses in order.  We might not be able to control what's happening externally in our lives but we can learn to look to our own inner resources for a sense of comfort that nurtures and sustains.  I have even noticed that there is a direct correlation between the days when I'm feeling depressed and the days when the house is in disarray.  I suspect that I'm not alone.  "It's not the tragedies that kill us," Dorothy Parker once observed, "it's the messes."

     If you feel constantly adrift but don't know why, be willing to explore the role that order-or the lack of it-plays in your life.  No woman can think clearly when constantly surrounded by clutter, chaos, and confusion, no matter who is responsible for it.  Begin to think of order not as a strait-jacket of "shoulds" (make the bed, wash the dishes, take out the garbage) but as a shape-the foundation-for the beautiful new life you are creating.  It may be as simple as putting something back that you take out, hanging something up that you take off, or teaching those who live with you that they must do the same for the common good of all.

     There is a Divine Order-a Sublime Order-inherent in the Universe.  We can tap into this powerful source of creative energy when we are willing to gradually cultivate a sense of order as to how we conduct our daily affairs.  Invite Divine Order into your life today and a more serene tomorrow will unfold."

                                                                           --- Sarah Ban Breathnach

[moomers]

Jan. 23, 2009 at 9:57 AM

You are such a seeker.I love it !! I sincerely relate to this journal!!!

[luv2salsa]

Jan. 23, 2009 at 10:24 PM

I seek to be happy through "Simple Abundance".  This book is truly a life-changing daybook.  I am posting about a week behind what I read.  I am working steadily at bringing everyone to the current date.  Have you ever heard of this author Sarah Ban Breathnach?  These are her words... yet many times it's as if she is inside my mind and here with us today (though written years ago, it's a true reflection of womens struggles whenever we seek fulfillment, spiritual connection, and abundance).

(Original Poster)