Skip to main content

your life: are you paying attention?




Your life is always speaking to you— calling you to grow into your highest self. The test in the form of difficult circumstances are there to teach you the lesson you need to learn the most. There are no insignificant lessons and when you see everything as a lesson, you'll DIG DEEP to find out what's being taught at that particular instance; at that present moment. 

The concept of "dig deep" on which Spiritual Anthropology is built, is about looking beyond the surface and realizing that for every problem, there is a spiritual lesson being taught. And when you get down to the very root of it, we're all trying to get back to love, to God... to source. We act out of our hurt. Our anger is just a by-product of that. Fear, jealously, insecurity, self-doubt, and all other feelings of unworthiness are indicators— the writing on the blackboard, if you will. 

Class is always in session. 

When you begin to pay attention to your life, you become aware of the negative thought patterns that govern your life and the subsequent actions and behaviors that follow. We all have a story. Our past experiences are always there, peeking over our shoulder. I love how William Faulkner puts it; "The past is never dead. In fact it's not even past."

But life only happens in the present moment. As long as you are lost in the past or projecting into the future, you are not paying attention to what is happening now. That which is happening now is sacred. Life only happens in the present moment. 

Which brings me to mindfulness. We live in a society where everyone is overwhelmed and overstimulated by all that's going on between technology and social media sites. We pay so much attention to the lives of others on reality shows and forget about the only reality that matters. Escapism. But to be present, that is the real work of our lives. 

One of the spiritual tools to help develop mindfulness is meditation. Just to "be still, and know." Notice your breath. God reveals Himself through stillness or Being.

Here's what spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle has to say about being present in his New York Times Bestselling spiritual manual, The Power of Now (1999): 
"Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally. If you want to take responsibility for your life, you must choose one of those three options, and you must choose now. Then accept the consequences." p.82

Beautifully noted and plainly put. And you know what the good thing is? Every moment offers us the opportunity to step into consciousness by being present. 

Dig deep into your life by paying attention to what's happening within, especially when it's stimulated by something outside yourself. Don't deny the feeling, you don't even have to give the feeling a name. Just be there— fully and completely. And then watch what happens... 

Your life is your classroom. Please, pay attention. 

Dig Deeper Excecise: Want to know how unconscious you are? Change your cellphone's lock screen pass code to something new— a code you've never had before, but still holds meaning for you. Now spend the next few days noticing how it forces you to be present.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

who are we when we love? Honoring Nelson Mandela

I remember very vividly the summer I first read Nelson Mandela's A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM. I was living at my grandmother's house then. At nineteen years old, it was the longest book I had ever attempted to read. But I felt my soul leaping and growing and telling me that I had to live courageously. I could not afford to not fight for justice. I could not afford to not dedicate my life to love's purposes.  By reading Mandela's story, I saw what the best of humanity looked like. I saw that no matter how much oppression and humiliation others may inflict upon us, we can rise above it. We can choose to not let their evil define us.  Nelson Mandela is my hero. He was a giant of a man who had the unique ability to make others feel even larger than he was. You see, that is what great people do. They remind us that the light they have is inside all of us as well. We only need to let it shine, fearlessly and with the intent of eradicating evil by the power of love....
Post a Comment
Read more

i am grateful for OPRAH

Yesterday, my "Angel Mother" as i like to call her, Ms. Oprah G. Winfrey received the highest honor in the land-- The Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Obama applauded her for... "reaching the pinnacle of the entertainment universe." For twenty-five years, The Oprah Winfrey Show helped to extend the conversation about topics that were taboo; from sexual abuse to cellulite, she made it okay to tell the truth. She created a safe space for people to come and leave their shame and the secrets that blocked their light. Because of this, millions of others were liberated by the knowledge that they were not alone in their suffering. I started watching the Oprah show when I was around eight or nine years old. Her voice was soothing. Her insights were as wise and profound as those of my own mother. I saw the same light in her eyes that I saw in my mother's eyes. I believe it was because of this that she would go on to mean even more to me after my mother lost ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My 11 Spiritual Truths

Here on the eve of my 25th birthday, I wanted to share some of the guiding spiritual truths that govern my sacred and beautiful life. These truths have been the thoughts and essence of who I am and it is my joy to share them with you. 1. There are Spiritual Laws that govern our world. Learn them. Adhere to them. Then and only then will you align yourself with true power and operate in love as you co-create your life with God. 2. Only you have the power to change your life. No external force can propel you forward. You may be inspired, but even that is fleeting. Surrender yourself to a higher power and be guided into a fuller existence. 3. You cannot be successful if you are not serving humanity. Find meaning and the money will come. Success based entirely on acquiring money or material things will not add unto you. True wealth supersedes these things. Seek the kingdom first. 4. Let your thoughts be governed by love. Think on the good and the beautiful and the true. Release ...
Post a Comment
Read more