Moving towards being more spiritually fulfilled, one of the things that we can do is to bring the sacred into everyday life. I know some that would say that this is contradictory, but I disagree. Just because something is sacred doesn’t mean it can’t be part of your everyday routine.
In “The Fifth Sacred Thing” by Starhawk, there is a point in the story where the main character travels to a region that doesn’t have a steady supply of clean potable water and thus the individuals in this area, savor the water that they do have rolling it aroud in their mouth savoring it’s flavor, and texture and the simple experience of drinking water. This is an example of bringing the sacred into everyday life, because in all honesty, every breath we take and every moment we are alive is a sacred gift.
Honoring, acknowledging and being aware of the sacredness of our life experience is part of bringing the Sacred into focus. I try to remember the passage from “The Fifth Sacred Thing” whenever I drink water, to remind myself of how precious it is to our existance and take a moment to be grateful for the ability to enjoy it. Being asthmatic, I also am highly aware of what it is like to not be able to breath fully and thus when I can I try to be appreciative of the lungs that I have that are moving air through my body. We can savor the food that we eat and allow gratitude to seep into our being as we take each bite.
And then we can take it a little further and have small moments of silence, reflection or contemplation throughout our day. For me, this is a ritual of gestures, or reciting of my favorite Goddess prayer, or simply talking to my spirit guides, my ancestors etc. These moments don’t take long, but they are moments that I pause, acknoledge the enrgies outside myself and either express graitude or seek guidance depending on what is called for at that moment.
We have been conditioned to think that the spiritual is something separate, or set aside from our everyday life; while such moments or events, like a handfasting, iniation or baptism can be very moving spiritually and very special to the individuals involved, that isn’t the only time the spiritual side of life exists. Whether we recognize it or not the spiritual, the awe inspiring exists in every moment of our lives, it is simply up to us to recognize and acknowledge it. Each of our individual uniqu existances is a miracle, as a million minor choices led us to being born and to being the people we are. The very act of breathing is a miracle, expecially as it isn’t something we have to consciously perform. Everytime we make a decision, have a thought or say a word, each of these are miracles of life and experience. Bringing this awareness into our conscious thoughts regularly throughout our day can help us to feel better about ourselves, our lives and the world around us. Even then things are dark and bleak, we can still see these miracles play out before our very eyes.
Taking time to honor the miracle that is life, helps us move towards, understanding our inherent worth and raising our vibration.
Take some time today, to either focus yor attention and awareness on the awe inspiring experience of a simple act or pleasure or create a moment of stillness, contemplation or reflection. How do you feel after doing this? Is this something that made you feel better, or more focused? If this was difficult for you, ask why; what kept you from enjoying a simple experience like drinking cool clean water? What insight can you gain from your awareness? What is your subconscious telling you? Is this something you should work on? What seems sacred to you?
The Frith Wytch 