Ordinary acts and arts favoured by the soul

The Upside Life blog features "The Ordinary Arts We Practice Every Day" by Barbara Taylor. Taylor's entry focuses on Thomas Moore's observation, "The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest," a favourite Moore quote on blogs and Twitter, although the reference is more often to "ordinary acts." Taylor writes:

"One thing I love about Moore’s writing is that he is prone to blunt, powerful statements. For example: "No one can tell you how to live your life. No one knows the secrets of the heart sufficiently to tell others about them authoritatively."

For Moore, living soulfully isn’t about curing, fixing, or other popular psychological and spiritual concepts aiming at self-improvement or an ideal existence. Soulful living is instead about meeting life each day while remaining mindful of spirituality.

When I remind myself that the "ordinary arts" I perform each day are important components of my soul work, I find myself making a mental and emotional shift. There is nowhere better or more important to be than here and now, engaging in these “mundane” tasks.  It’s a feeling of sweet relief."