How many of us rush blindly through our days, fall into bed exhausted, and wake up the next morning to do it all over again? For many of us, our lives are composed of millions of meaningless moments, all strung together -- perhaps with a sprinkling of sacred moments mixed in. I'm sure you can think of a few sacred moments in your own life. Maybe your marriage, the birth of your child(ren), or perhaps a heartfelt moment of connection with a good friend. These are the moments when we are consumed with joy and awe. At these moments, we are fully present in the moment. We aren't worrying about tomorrow, or trying to rush through the experience to get to the next. We are in the now, and the now is amazing.
Why do we wait for major events to honor these sacred moments? Why can't every day be sacred? Every moment? Each moment is sacred, if we decide to make it that way. I stated above that our lives are filled with meaningless moments, but those moments are meaningless only because we don't honor them. We are hurrying along, focused on other things, not stopping to notice them at all. They come and go without so much as an acknowledgement from us.
Honoring the sacred means simply choosing to make each moment count. It is a tiny shift in perception that assigns meaning and importance to each moment. It means stopping to notice the beauty and love around us, and within us. It means being fully present in each moment, because only the present moment truly exists. So many of us worry about the future, hold regrets about the past, and completely ignore the present. When we give the now our full attention, even mundane tasks can take on an aura of holiness. Then our lives become millions of meaningful moments. Nothing has changed except our perception, but it makes all the difference.
How do we change our perception to one of sacredness? What does it mean to stay in the present moment? Let's use an example: washing dishes. When most of us wash dishes, we hurry through it, often thinking about the million other things we need to get done that day (or the next day). Our minds are scattered all over the place, focusing on everything but what we are doing. Who can blame us? Washing dishes is not the most exciting experience. However, if we choose to make it a sacred experience, we will want to focus on it. We want to take our time and really pay attention to how the water feels on our hands, how the soap cleanses away the grease and grime, and the sense of satisfaction we get as each dish moves from the dirty pile to the strainer, now clean and shiny.
Maybe that still doesn't sound very thrilling. Let's look at what else is happening. As we give our full attention to washing the dishes, we are not only "doing", we are being. Ah, that is the key. It doesn't matter what we're doing or not doing in each moment of our lives, it matters only that we become aware of our own state of Being. In those moments, we are fully alive and conscious. We are connected to everything, and we are One with everything. We are.
Have you ever embarked on a walking meditation? This can be great practice to help you honor the sacred in your own life. Many of us walk for health or recreation, but we can also walk for spiritual awareness. A walking meditation is a slow, focused walk where you give your full attention to each step you take, the feel of your muscles working, your breathing, and even your surroundings. Especially if you walk someplace in nature, a place with lots of trees and wildlife. The trick is to not let your mind wander, but stay focused on the now. It can take practice, but once you accomplish it, you will return from your walks fully refreshed and revitalized.
Imagine every day of your life holding joy, peace and meaning. Imagine miracles consistently happening all around you. Imagine being filled with awe and gratitude each day, and lying down to sleep each night feeling peaceful and relaxed. You can, if you choose it. All it takes is that tiny shift in perception. Choose to make it so, and it will be so.
Wendy Betterini is a freelance writer and web designer who strives to motivate, uplift, and inspire you to make your dreams a reality. Visit her website, http://www.wingsfortheheart.com for more positive thoughts to help you on your journey.
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport carWe often forget that we are human beings first, and... Read More
Your creative gift has power.God was the first and still... Read More
In the spring of 2003, I spent three weeks in... Read More
When the Tsunami struck Asia and East Africa on December... Read More
I always thought Ecclesiastes was like Proverbs. That's probably because... Read More
Charity isn't the easiest virtue to master. And with St.... Read More
When the body of Christ isn't protected we become vulnerable... Read More
As a Psychiatrist I spent most of my life training... Read More
The bible tells a story about four men who sat... Read More
"It's a big challenge. It's a journey into the unknown.... Read More
John Eldredge writes in his book Waking the Dead, "God... Read More
Almost every spiritual and religious teaching exhorts its followers to... Read More
It's strange how my life today looks wildly different from... Read More
Greetings Divine Ones, I am going to ask you a... Read More
Would you like an exciting and wonder-full resolution for the... Read More
If we don't behave according to a specific church's doctrine,... Read More
Forget what you have read or seen about vampires. The... Read More
Years ago no matter where I lived, whether a house... Read More
Rose Ann Schwab is an internationally and world renowned professional... Read More
My lady Lydia was a Hawkins of the ancestry of... Read More
In my yard are quarter-circles of grass growing taller than... Read More
I was originally brought up Catholic, at the insistence of... Read More
In a recent article entitled "Some Evidence of How We... Read More
Many look outside of themselves for an experience of the... Read More
We as human beings consider ourselves the most intelligent species... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..In God's world, everything can be used as an anology... Read More
First, there is the field of complete consciousness.This then expresses... Read More
It's an almost unbelievable thought, but could you be getting... Read More
Adam had it right when he covered himself with fig... Read More
"A common jar of clay can never become a noble... Read More
Because of the bright lights behind me, the golf balls... Read More
We are apart of all that is, our consciousness spring... Read More
One does not have to live long to realize that... Read More
The tongue is such a tiny little organ. Yet, it... Read More
You will become as great as your dominant aspiration...If you... Read More
Chaos: "complete confusion" and "the formless void before the creation... Read More
Freedom....The cherished goal of humanity throughout its history.No society has... Read More
According to H. G. Bosch, the newspaper cartoonist H. T.... Read More
Karen was the name of the reception person, who sat... Read More
Good morning Roy, good morning JosethWhat about me, were do... Read More
We may sometimes consider the difficulty that occurs with our... Read More
Iktomi:Another and somewhat longer term correspondent of mine is a... Read More
The Planetary Spread is an excellent layout to use when... Read More
*Advice on living a humane and compassionate life.According to text... Read More
One of the most frightening things... Read More
Charity isn't the easiest virtue to master. And with St.... Read More
Burn out, it can happen to anyone. Some of the... Read More
Echo was a flea-bitten gray horse, with brown speckles everywhere,... Read More
Universal Law is an invisible influence in every individual's life,... Read More
One cannot ask why bad things happen to good people... Read More
Spirituality |