Blissful Moments

When welcoming receives everything just as it is,

love blossoms and joy abounds.

What wonder, astonishment, and delight.

Richard Miller

  YOGA NIDRA   

The sun was out today, so I could not possibly want for more.  I decided in honor of the sun's presence, I would try to stay in each moment, appreciating each ray of light.  I would embrace whatever came my way without any attachment to outcome.  I would brave the unknown.

It would be nice to report my day went smoothly filled with 'ah ha' moments, but that would be an out and out lie.  In spite of the unexpected popping up, I managed to stay present, but felt there were too many situations teaching me patience.  There were challenges in the house, so I decided to limit the testing field.  I went out into the back yard and wandered in the flowers.

Life became very simple.  While practicing deep breathing, my eyes absorbed the array of colors while my nose inhaled the fragrance of the peonies.  I touched the flowers and felt the varying textures of the petals and the leaves.  I could hear a few bees buzzing around as I lazily watched the ants crawling all about.  

Next came the rabbit trying to psych me out.  We stared each other down and I am not quite sure who broke eye contact first.  It was probably the distraction of the crazy squirrel running along the fence and jumping from branch to limb.  

The birds decided I wasn't a threat after all, and fell into the chorus of their songs.  I was amazed  as they cleaned their feathers, never losing balance at all.  I wondered why the Blue Jays had such vivid color and  had such an annoying call.

Cuddled in the outdoor chair, I maintained presence and speculated about the synchronicity of all the seasons of nature.  I closed my eyes, and allowed colorful shapeless visions flit across my mind.  I felt nothing but peace and calm. 

In these blissful moments, I was happy to be alive.  I was reminded of the beauty in the world and easily let the negativity fade.  These seemingly perfect moments allowed me to feel loved and accepted as I bravely faced the remainder of the day.

 

In the Flow

I've been a fish:  in search of bottom when I've surfaced, in search of surface when I 've bottomed, and the ribbon of God's sea passing through my gills is what I've felt and thought and spoken.

Mark Nepo

The Book of Awakening


In my life, I have too frequently found my self treading water exhausted rather than gently going with the flow.  Going against currents weaken our discovery for what we yearn to know, while fighting upstream can be an obsessive distraction.

According to Mark Nepo, like the small fish uses a gill for turning water into air, we must turn our experiences into something that can sustain us.  We can transform our pain and heartache into something positive to help us move through our days rather than trying to figure out how it all works.

We can determine for our selves which flow we want to follow, as not all of us are meant for mainstream.  No matter what we decide, we must find our soul to be trusting and mindful of what we learn while in the flow!

In the Moment

Whatever you are doing,

be aware of it.

Dipa Ma

Being in the moment, we monitor ourselves and realize when we are being kind and when we are being rude.  As human beings, we are not always compassionate and we frequently judge.  When we are able to be in the moment, to not be distracted, we are far more aware of our own behaviors. 

Our behaviors will never be perfect, but once we are aware, we have a greater opportunity to change how we act.  If we are irresponsible and move through life at a high pace, we may never monitor ourselves.  We may minimize our behavior or justify it falsely. 

As we monitor our behaviors, we see a broader picture instead of our own biased view.   We have greater listening skills and our keen observations prep us for better decision making.

When we are in the moment, we are more mindful in both speech and action.  We can make a better impression on others by allowing them to feel listened to and understood, even if we do not agree.  We do not have to challenge everything we hear or see, so we are not distracted by planning our defensive response.  We simply give ourselves permission to simply be present in the moment without drama or discernment.

When we practice mindfulness, we display respect and honor towards others which in turn creates a better feeling about ourselves.  Our ego is less likely to puff us up or bring us down.