We’ve entered the period in the Christian calendar called Lent, and I see an opportunity to make a comparison between Lenten sacrifices and what I mean by Curating Interiors. Let me preface with a caveat that Curating Interiors is not religious. But, like any practice done mindfully, it is about reconnecting with our inner light.
For anyone not familiar, Lent is a time when many “give up” something in order to prepare for the celebration of Easter. This 40-day period is an opportunity to cleanse bodies, minds, and spirits. Growing up Catholic, I am familiar with the practices and have many memories of what I chose to give up during Lent. Chocolate, sugar, and shopping were regular candidates.
A friend told me he was giving up alcohol for Lent. When I asked him why, he said, “because I love it and you’re supposed to give up something you love.” To be clear, I hold no judgment about what anyone chooses to adopt or let go of during lent or any other time. What I am passionate about is considering the deeper questions of why we choose to do, believe, or have anything.
It’s one thing to want to reassess your relationship with alcohol and quite another to “white knuckle” through 40 days until you can indulge again. In this first case, some initial suffering is endured in order to attain heightened clarity, wellbeing, and a new mindset around a particular behavior. In the second case, it’s a fight to the finish and the celebration may well include indulging to make up for lost time. In other words, life hasn’t changed that much except that the last 40 days may have been filled with more anger and resentment.
When my three sisters and I were kids, we practically competed with each other over what we could give up for lent. It was a test of wills. Our mom, being more in tune with the deeper meaning of this period, encouraged us to consider doing something nice for someone every day rather than abstaining from pleasure. She saw the possibility of bringing more peace and beauty to the world through simple acts of kindness. In this way, we need not suffer. In fact, we may even tap into wells of joy and fulfillment deep within.
Curating Interiors is a form of Self-devotion. By examining our beliefs, behaviors, and belongings, we choose what enhances and expands our lives and allow all else to be effortlessly released. It is not about judgment, beating ourselves up, or willpower. It’s an opportunity to purify our thoughts and bodies, sanctify our spaces, and excavate our souls with the intention of finding (or remembering) the essence at our core that longs to shine through. It shares my mom’s philosophy of Lent in that the intention is to free ourselves from anything that might inhibit our natural inclination towards kindness and compassion.