1. Wabi sabi is a state of mind. When you embody or even begin to embody this state of mind, be aware of how different your life has become. It may be so subtle that you hardly notice it, like the gradual setting of the sun on a spring evening. Be aware of tiny nuances. Be conscious, be more fully present in your own beautiful life.
2. PERFECTION – it is not attainable so give it up. And according to William Somerset Maugham, “perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.” When you strive for excellence you are motivated, when you seek perfection it is demoralizing. Think about it. Native Americans wove blankets with one flaw left in on purpose – to let the soul out.
3. Isn’t the only thing that is constant is change? Look at Mother Nature…nothing stays forever – remember that sunset? It’s already gone and many more have taken its place. The tulip bulb, your grandmother, you. John Keats sums up impermanence, “Life is but a day; a fragile dew drop on its perilous way from a tree’s summit”. Know IMPERMANENCE.
4. TRANQUILITY is essential – do we even know the meaning of this word in today’s instant gratification, fastest-paced, do-it-now response to life? Breathe and turn off the television, the radio, the cell phone, the voices in your head. Be in the silence. Mother Theresa says this, “See how nature–trees, flowers, grass–grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls”. For yourself, silence will allow you to get in touch with your own soul.
5. CONTENTMENT is knowing how to enjoy what you have with no desire to have things beyond your reach. If you did have everything, where would you put it all? Kahlil Gibran sums up the idea of contentment for us, “Yes, there is Nirvana; it is leading your sheep to a green pasture, and in putting your child to sleep, and in writing the last line of your poem.” What is contentment for you? Do you have it now? How might you attain it?
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