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.
move in cleaning service Glencoe ..Military personnel at a U.S. prison in Guantanamo, Bay, Cuba... Read More
God, what a wonderful spirit. He, is our ever present... Read More
By invoking an external God to whom we look for... Read More
Did you ever get a feeling or gain notion of... Read More
I can't boast about my culinary skill, because I just... Read More
No, I have never seen a fairy, an angel, nor... Read More
As I sat down today to write this article, I... Read More
One of the most touching stories in New Testament scripture... Read More
The "Left Behind" series is inspiring, in that it makes... Read More
Last Saturday, the children were down at their grandparent's house... Read More
The Planetary Spread is an excellent layout to use when... Read More
THE GNOSTICS, ESSENES AND THE 'OCCULT':Throughout this book I have... Read More
Ok, let's start with the amazing story of Robbie and... Read More
The passenger had to be carried onto the plane and... Read More
There are moments in the believer's life when the Spirit... Read More
Second Isaiah, so called because his book of prophecy was... Read More
The atmosphere surrounding the earth is still a matter of... Read More
'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom... Read More
Let us face reality squarely in the face by acknowledging... Read More
It would be nice if the planet - like so... Read More
Although spring is just around the corner, there have been... Read More
Realisation and repeated memorization of the true knowledge is the... Read More
"Self-Actualization" is the process of making our self "actual." Our... Read More
My favorite scripture is Roman's 8:28. "And we know that... Read More
Though closely akin and sometimes used synonymously, John Rawls distinguish... Read More
disinfecting cleaning services Winnetka ..Looking for some ways to feed your soul in the... Read More
We all hear of the concept of the "Enlightened Master",... Read More
I'm not sure Paul had the Japanese culture in mind... Read More
What type of person grabs your attention and motivates you?... Read More
God said, "Thou shalt not?" and we continue to tell... Read More
Carl Jung, 20th century psycho analyst and dream researcher, said:... Read More
We are all here on this plane, thinking to ourselves... Read More
We all need space, we all need time to ourselves.In... Read More
Have you ever experienced a traumatic event? I'm sure the... Read More
One of the most difficult barriers... Read More
I once read a story about a Catholic priest who... Read More
Feeling restless? Is part of you calling out for change,... Read More
This statement sounds incredible. ASK and it shall be given.... Read More
We desire to understand the world by giving names to... Read More
Maybe once in a lifetime, we find ourselves seeking spiritual... Read More
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, "Go, assemble... Read More
I am often asked to explain what I mean by... Read More
There is an inherent generosity in the human spirit to... Read More
Do you have a servant's heart? Has God blessed you... Read More
"It's a big challenge. It's a journey into the unknown.... Read More
You can't help but feel a sense of electricity in... Read More
Every workday, five days a week, I take the light... Read More
Life is just a journey. Princess DianaWhether we are... Read More
Everything in the entire universe, big and small, visible and... Read More
You're probably sabotaging your successful Christian life right now if... Read More
Spirituality |