My dear, dear, quirky Luna Lovegood…quite possibly my favorite character from the Harry Potter series. To the casual observer she comes across as a complete space cadet; her head, filled with odd notions, creatures and seemingly out-there beliefs, floats all soft, fuzzy and fabulous in the clouds. Those who take the time to understand her (as much as anyone can understand her) quickly find she is full, not of fluff, but of wisdom, compassion and remarkable insight…OK…and a little bit of fluff. I dare say we could all stand to have a little of Luna Lovegood ‘s loveliness in us… and here are 6 steps to help you do just that.
How to Channel Your Inner Luna Lovegood in 6 Easy Steps
1 – Be Honest
Luna is always honest and never ever rude. She simply says what she means and means what she says without being cruel or judgmental. We all know people that use “honesty” as an excuse to be vicious or mean-spirited. You know the type…they say things like “Not to be rude, but…” or “I’m going to be brutally honest…” These people aren’t being honest at all, just mean. Honesty should always be tempered with compassion. So how does Luna accomplish compassionate honesty?
2 – Be Understanding and Accepting of Others
Luna Lovegood does not have expectations of others and who or how they should (or shouldn’t) be. She recognizes each and every person (and creature) as its own unique self. In doing so she gains understanding of their true natures and can then accept them at face value. She does not make judgments about them, they merely (to paraphrase Popeye) are who they are. By placing expectations on people you are attempting to force them to exist on your terms. This mindset causes nothing but disappointment and heartache. Take people for what they are instead of what you would like them to be and you will never be disappointed. How much happier would we all be if we stopped trying to force others to conform to our expectations and just allowed them to be who they are? Much, much happier. But how does one function without expectations?
3 – Keep an Open Mind
If there’s one phrase I have a difficult time imagining Luna saying, it’s “That’s impossible.” To Luna all things are possible, no matter how outlandish they may seem to others. What does this have to do with managing expectations? Keeping an open mind will help you accept others as they are. It also keeps you open to all the possibilities that the universe has to offer. If you shut yourself off to the seemingly impossible then you might never see a thestral or have your shoes stolen by a nargle, your imagination will surely suffer and you may well miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. You never know what the universe has in store for you. Keeping an open mind will keep you awake and alive with possibility. How in the world can you make sure you stay open to the universes plethora of opportunities?
4 – Roll with the Punches
So many people struggle against the current. This inevitably proves to be both tiring and futile. If you fight against the current you will be so busy struggling and flailing about that the life preserver you’ve been waiting for will drift by completely unnoticed. Emulate Luna. She goes with the flow, offering no resistance to where the waters of life take her, she merely uses her thoughtfulness as a rudder. There are some things in life over which you have no control. In such instances the best you can do is to manage yourself and let the tide carry you. You can, naturally, help steer the course of events with your thoughts, feelings and actions, but fighting against them will get you nowhere fast. To quote Dostoevsky: “…fling yourself straight into life, without deliberation; don’t be afraid – the flood will bear you to the bank and set you safe on your feet again.” By following the universal stream you will always end up where you need to be when you need to be there.
5 – Embrace Your Eccentricities
You are a uniquely odd individual. Let your quirks shine! Luna makes absolutely no attempt to mask her uniqueness. She is not embarrassed. She allows her unusual characteristics to make her shine in all her glitter, barefooted, wrackspurt-seeing glory. You are wild, weird and wonderful in your own special way and its important to embrace these eccentricities. By embracing your oddness you embrace your true nature, which allows for better acceptance of others, enables you to go with the flow and leads you towards step number 6.
6 – Be 100% Authentic
This is a subject I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Everyone should strive to be as authentic as possible. If you follow steps 1 – 5 then they should help guide you closer towards authenticity. Why should you care about being authentic? Being authentic, at least in my opinion, moves you as close as possible to your higher self and ultimately, true happiness. By being authentic you have accepted who you are; you embrace yourself; you love yourself; you become whole. When you no longer struggle with self-acceptance then you are freer, more at peace and better able to connect with your higher self, others and the universe. Luna does this flawlessly. She is fearless and absolute in her dedication to being 100% authentic Luna. As a teenager I would have gladly traded my angst ridden psyche for some genuine self-acceptance and self-love…if only I knew then what I know now…but better late than never. Are you ready to live authentically?
Some of you may have already be living the Luna Lovegood lifestyle and to you I say well done. Some of you are just beginning your journey. I applaud you. I know I for one still have room for improvement (although I believe I have done an excellent job of embracing my eccentricities, as my husband and family will attest). So next time I am feeling challenged, overwhelmed, bitter or lost at sea I will stop and ask myself “What would Luna do?“
Kisses & Chaos,
Alli Woods Frederick
