© 2004 Jeremy Youst
What is Life Mastery? What does it look like? How do you feel when you are living a masterful life? Is it a path, a destination, or simply an illusory dream that can never be realized in our lives? Although, I have asked, studied, listened and spoken about mastery most of my life, one beautiful summer solstice morning, quite innocently, I decide to ask my Inner Knowing about this very simple yet elusive topic. Here is what I heard…
Life Mastery is realizing in each moment that Love is who you are! It is knowing deeply inside there is nothing to know, that all you truly need shall be provided for, always. Mastery is living upon the earth as if it were heaven. It is coming to the place of realizing total self-responsibility, and making a moment-to-moment choice to take slow and conscious breaths. It is learning to command your loving attention for the purpose of joyful living, recognizing that learning this is the only real course of action to take as the Love that you are.
Life Mastery embraces all four elements found on Mother Earth. It is like water, for it is ever flowing and innocent, ever moving in its presence, yet ever seeking to surrender and combine. Mastery is like the earth, for it is remembering the joy of playing with form, yet ever being willing to let go of form. Mastery moves like the wind, for it interacts with all things and carries the energy of breath, prayer, thought and sound. Mastery is like fire, for it is willing to consume and transform that which is no longer needed, to purify in creative resurrection that which is being called for right now.
Life Mastery is Walking in Beauty; it is fully embracing each precious, unique and beautiful moment. It is celebrating every new experience with the innocence of an open heart, yet knowing how to forgive when suffering arises. Mastery is breathing one breath at a time. One BREATH at a time. It is closing your eyes before the warmth of the sun, and letting a smile come upon your face. It is having the ongoing feeling that there is always enough: enough time, enough space, enough acceptance, enough compassion, enough support, and most importantly, enough Love.
Life Mastery is when you forget you were ever afraid of losing something or someone. It is having an impenetrable faith that everything that is, is perfect, just as it is. It is trusting that every connection made, every relationship found or lost, and every reality experienced has a purpose. The confidence of living this way delivers you to the true meaning of all of life’s events. Mastery assumes nothing, yet embraces all things. It is trusting life to such a degree that you are willing to enter into every new experience without hesitation, without expectation, yet always knowing the outcome will be perfect.
Life Mastery engages the power of the moment. It is when the past no longer pushes you, and the future no longer pulls you. It is the willingness to believe in nothing, yet be open to everything. It is looking at life not as a destination, but as a journey. It is recognizing the perfection found in the word, parents; and the ongoing perfecting that goes into the word, children. Mastery is remembering that all generations, all evolutions and all eons of time exist now. Right now.
Life Mastery has no regrets, it is when you never have to think or say, “I’m sorry”. It is the exuberant, unabashed permission to laugh out loud, stick your tongue out at friends, and be playful in public. It is radical and renegade, yet considerate and compassionate; it is powerful and commanding, yet gentle and inclusive. It is stopping on a busy street to look up at the clouds drifting by in the sky. Mastery is never ever worrying if anyone likes you, because you know you’ve learned to like yourself.
Life Mastery is the birthright of every living human being on the Earth. It is blessed and abundant, generous and kind. It is knowing in the deepest part of your heart that to give to another is to give to yourself. It is living with the joyful understanding that “mine” or “yours” are simply two sides of the same coin. It is believing in the goodness of wealth enough to know you don’t need any. It is never having to call yourself rich or poor. It is sharing what you have: your love, your time, your things and your shelter, without a single doubt that you’re going to run out. It is stepping into the effortless place of compassionate sharing, of learning to love everyone equally as a piece of God, with all your heart, every moment of every day.