My Sunday List

April 9, 2023

Quote

I am what I practice.

Song

Mansion Door by Shaky Graves. The hypnotic high points combined with loose jangle have me mesmerized. What an excellent recording.

I watched

Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed.

A very good documentary about the making of Jason’s album, Reunions. Making art is hard. Making it with someone you’re in a romantic relationship with is some kind of particularly wondrous insanity.

Book

Next up, Don’t Believe Everything You Think, by Joseph Nguyen.

Reading of the Week:

by Melody Beattie, Journey to the Heart, April 9

Take better care of yourself than you ever have before. That’s what your heart is telling you to do.

Those times of driving yourself, depriving yourself, not being gentle and loving with yourself will no longer work. Punishing, criticizing, repressing, and denying won’t bring the feelings, the growth, the result you’re seeking. The harder you push, the more you relentlessly demand perfection, the worse you’ll feel.

Fall in love with yourself. Be gentle, loving, kind, and attentive. Take time throughout each day to tend to your needs, just as you would tend to someone you loved deeply and dearly. Loving and caring for yourself this way won’t waste time. It’s not a delay. Take better care of yourself, and life’s magic will return. Your life will improve. You’ll feel better, too.

Thing

Two things this week.

1. This print by my friend Alyssa Rosenheck. It’s such a good reminder and a treasure in my home. Love over Fear.

   

2. Rishi Lavender Mint Tea. I sometimes have more than one cup per day, but I hardly ever miss having a cup of this at bedtime. I love ritual and this tea puts me in the frame of mind to relax and rest.

Favorite Photo I Took This Week

I took a ton of photos this week — we were on vacation in Asheville, NC for John Henry’s thirteenth birthday and spring break — but I snapped this one through the windshield on Friday as we made our way home and it has some kind of magic. I want to paint it.

 

Prayer

Thank you, Great Spirit, for showing me what I need to see.

Intention for the week to come

May I seek and live up to my highest calling.

Something I’m thinking about

Patterns of behavior. Cycles. Seasons.

Why am I sometimes drawn like a magnet to certain behaviors that I know are dangerous to my emotional well-being? Such as indulging in an argument when I know I should walk away, or subconsciously/passive aggressively egging something on that’s actually a diversion from the real issue I should be talking about? No one wants to think they’re predictable, but I am nothing if not. Now that I can at least sometimes catch myself in them, I hope I can change some of my most infuriating patterns.

A prayer for myself this morning: May I surrender instead of falling into my habit of using defense mechanisms when I feel out of control.

---

Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. — Buddha

---

Habit

It isn’t my habit yet, but I want it to be — sitting still. Just sitting and doing nothing else. I’ve started toying with how it feels since I read The Art of Stillness.

Wish

1. That Justin Jones and Justin Pearson be restored to their seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives as soon as possible.

2. That you will forward this to one person and that person becomes a subscriber too.

---

Have a wonderful, peaceful, joyous week. And thank you for supporting my work here at The Autotelic.

Lots of love,

Allison

---

I love Easter. Do y’all still do baskets? The Easter Bunny still comes around here, even for H.