Spiritual Business

Living it

I am not sure what happened last year. I spent most of it wandering through in a daze and ducking bullets that were shot out into the ether by the financial, emotional snipers of 2008.

I have come into this year with a new attitude and a new energy. This once overwhelming responsibility has turned to positive ownership. I can’t explain it other than it is welcome. I could wax on about astrology charts and the like but it is its boring to anyone but me, kind of like when people tell you their dreams from the night before. I don’t mind hearing dreams as I like to interpret them but most people glaze over and nod, while their eyes are saying, ‘You are so freakin’ weird man!”

A shift in the web of global consciousness  has asked us to take responsibility for our roles in positive change.  I was talking last night to The Good Doctor about how we cannot expect our personal lives not to change in the midst of extreme economic contraction. The worst thing I could have done is to expect life to go on as it used to, but I like this new humble world. Restraint, class, no more bling. “It’s a desire for intimacy, to go back to values. We need to return to a smaller scale, one that touches people.” says French fashion designer Nathalie Rykiel.
Karl Lagerfeld calls it “ the new modesty” in a fascinating NY Times article.
Whatever it is, me likey.

P.S  Read the article on rude children written by a leading New York pediatrician. I love it. So much. I can’t stand rude children and I am seeing more and more of them. 'Manners are free and take you anywhere' my grandmother used to say. What a horrible life these children will have as adults.

5 Responses to ‘Living it’

1. Minerva says:

January 16, 2009 at 3:11pm

It is interesting isn't it, how easy it is to give things up when you need to. Also I think it is easier when you don't feel like you are living on an island. The fact is there is a collective consciousness happening about this new sense of frugality and the people who will embrace it will have joy in their lives.

After a day of extreme challenges yesterday with one negative thing after another arriving in our office we were blessed when we returned home. Taking a glass of wine and wandering to the end of our garden we sat and discussed the big picture stuff. After a while I looked up and there was a Tawny Frogmouth owl sitting in the bottlebrush just quietly watching over us. It was an amazing moment to find that my spirit guide animal had roosted in my backyard. That was heightened even further today when I discovered it is not one but 2, a mother and baby - doubly blessed. Try your dream interpretation skills on that one!!!

I am really enjoying relegating ego to the back seat.

stay well and happy

2. undergirl says:

January 17, 2009 at 12:21pm

No more bling?Only buying what you can afford? Living within your means? Not trying to impress anyone with what you have ? Back to basic, down to earth living? I knew if I waited long enough I'd come back into fashion !! xox

3. LifeLearner says:

January 17, 2009 at 9:58pm

When I moved from a well-paid career to running my own business, I had to learn very quickly the art of living with less, especially in the first few years. While I still wish for more cash at times, I realise that I have so much that I value in my life - family, friends, a good cup of coffee, fresh flowers, blue skies, time to read a book, dreamy music, a long chat with a galpal. I am reading "My Forbidden Face" by Latifa, a young woman in Afghanistan at the time the Taliban took control. I read with horror at the loss of freedom for women, the complete control of their lives, the war, inhumane violence, death and fear they faced every day. Surely, where we have peace and freedom, we can cope with some tightening of our belts.

4. Louisa says:

January 18, 2009 at 11:45am

I love all the comments on this post. Especially Life Learner - yes, how can we complain about a bit of enforced saving when we are safe and free and living in the land of milk and honey in terms of our freedom?
Awhile ago i wrote an article on the link between debt and obesity, and I looked at statistics during the Depression where people really, really savoured that cup of cream or rasher of bacon they'd worked and scrimped for. Or the coat they bought to last.So much less waste. So much more satisfaction when they did actually make that purchase. So much more honesty and pride in what was actually bought - it was actually theirs (ie. it didn't belong to Monsieur VISA in reality...)
Yes i'm being romantic about the great Depression and there were terrible tales of sadness and woe but I do believe we need to look to a time when people didn't shop as a 'hobby' for some clues...
This economic 'crisis' might well prove our saviour, a blessing in a very unexpected package...?
xo

5. Louisa says:

January 18, 2009 at 5:15pm

PS Just read that one of Obama's first changes to the White House is the installation of a vegie patch. How symbolic and wonderful!

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