Greet each spring day with gratitude
How do we greet these days of early spring? Do we wake up each day grateful for the new 24 hours ahead of us? Can we see that just greeting the day is a blessing? I hope so.
And if it is a struggle, perhaps we need to take a closer look at the practice of mindfulness and see it for what it truly is — a disciplined way of life, not simply a passing fad espoused by the purveyors of store front enlightenment. Mindfulness is found deep within, not simply in sipping a smoothie — although I do enjoy one on a spring day.
To look at the world and all it holds, with richly embedded compassion, is to live fully in each moment. But, how to do that? Many people associate contemplative prayer with the Christian tradition and mindfulness with Buddhism. However, they are not mutually exclusive and they are not in competition with each other. Rather, they nurture and support each other as they both create sacred space for Spirit in varying ways. The clearing of the “monkey mind” and the prayerful silence of welcoming the Divine prepare us to sit, without distraction and without the swirling chaos that spins around us like whirligigs gone wild.
Both practices open us up to honestly acknowledging the reality of the present moment, facing it with compassion and then, letting it go. The interconnectedness of the self and the Spirit, in these moments, carves out a pathway that sustains us as we wind our way through the unknown, through mystery. In that mystery is the love, mercy and grace of the Divine, the relationship of sustenance. The essence of who we really are. The marriage of humanity and divinity.
When we are honestly living mindfully we live in the wellspring of energy from our Source. That loving energy bathes us in understanding, trust, creativity and strength. The energy of the holy does not flow with anger, fear, resentment or envy.
When we mindfully live in the sacred flow of compassion, life changes and gratitude pours out into the world. Yes, mindfulness pours like a smoothie but requires much more of us as we feed ourselves and the world. Sit. Acknowledge. Offer compassion. Let all go in surrender. Breathe. Then sip that smoothie and enjoy every moment without distraction!