Wabi Sabi Wednesday

A ritual.

When we are overwhelmed with the demands on our time. When the house is dirty, there are errands to run, deadlines loom, and the kids are clamoring for attention.  When we feel our grip is slipping, we can take a moment to gently, little by little, shift our perspective on the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete parts of our lives.

In Japanese tradition, wabi sabi is a concept typically applied to objects. Wabi sabi celebrates, paradoxically, the  imperfection in objects, as being innately perfect and beautiful.

It’s about shifting our perspective. Appreciating the chaos and unpredictability in our busy lives, which opens us to the creative possibilities available in each moment.  Even when the kids are sick, the laundry basket is overflowing, and the deadlines are pressing –  wabi sabi is waiting to provide relief.

Each week, on Wednesday, we make a little bit of space to step back and look at some part of our beautiful, crazy life that is making us, well, crazy.  We take a compassionate look at what is causing friction and how we might find the perfection and beauty in the middle of the mess.

Once we know what kind of imperfection, impermanence, or incompleteness we are working with, we can let wabi sabi begin to work it’s magic by calling on an older, wiser (yes, imaginary) part of ourselves.

“What would 80-year old me say about this?”

Our inner 80-year old typically offers us some space and relief, to look at the situation with a wider lens. With some distance and perspective, it is easier to see the beauty and perfection in the very situation that has us tied up in knots.

I hope you’ll join me.  I’ll go first.

What needs some applied wabi sabi this week?

The imperfect facts

This week, there is more gnashing of teeth happening related to my clothes not fitting.  I turned 39, went to two events, a dinner, and gave a talk at US Embassy Rome over the three days and I found clothes to wear, in my closet (thank goodness).  But I have not been exercising this week with all the socializing and preparation for the talk I gave today.  It’s been a productive, exciting week.  With minimal exercise. Which I have committed myself to.

How it feels

Bleh.  I feel like a total loser for not following through with my exercise this week.  I KNOW it will feel good.  I KNOW I will feel better.  I KNOW that it makes every part of my life feel more fluid and effortless.  Instead, I have a judge and jury in my head that has declared me full-on guilty of dropping the ball and ruining any chance I might have of losing the 10 pounds that I picked up this last year.

What would 80-year old me say about this?

My 80-year old self is 100% compassionate, she is nodding, listening intently – but I can tell she is unimpressed with this line of reasoning.  Here’s what she had to say:

“Is it true that you didn’t exercise this week?  If I recall correctly, this morning you ran before your talk, right?  And didn’t you go sledding this weekend with friends?  So, last week, you worked out five times.  This week, you’ve worked out once.  But you have the rest of the week to put in the time you want to put in.  There is no failure here, that I can see.  Did you enjoy your birthday and all the socializing?  Yes?  Well, isn’t that lovely – to connect with people and have fun?  There is plenty of time for all of it.  Take a deep breath and then schedule some workout time for yourself this week… ”

The beauty and perfection in this situation

I see that I simply don’t want to let myself down.  It’s true that I didn’t work out Monday or Tuesday – things were busy.  But I’m amazed at how quickly that became a life sentence of not exercising.  It is two days!!  And I did make time for a short run this morning.  I have four more days to get in exercise this week.   Which is a lot.

I’m feeling a lot more hopeful and enthusiastic.  I do make time to exercise – but not at the expense of showing up for other stuff in my life.  Sometimes all of my commitments require some juggling throughout the week (meaning some days I don’t get to exercise) but overall, I can make it all balance out.  I can accomplish what I want to accomplish and see the people I want to see and still have time for me.  It may not look the way I think it will, but if I can keep my mind clear, I will find ways to accomodate all of it.  This is a beautiful reminder to not get so caught up in my expectations.

Would you like to join in Wabi Sabi Wednesday?

Does something in your life need a little wabi sabi this week?  Leave a comment, or email me, and let’s support each other in finding wabi sabi.

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