This morning the sun was out, veiled by clouds, but bright enough to cause the rain droplets on the flowers to glisten. I couldn’t wait to take photos, so I skipped my nature meditation and walked around the front yard taking photos before the clouds moved in.
I noticed that I shifted in and out of a state where I was aware of myself as part of the picture (no pun intended). When I was not aware of myself I was not witnessing my own actions. I would say this is a shifting in and out of the Witness state. I only knew I had been “asleep” after I woke up– just as when one wakes up from a dream.
An analogy is that of the clouds obscuring the sun, an opening in the clouds occurring, and then back to the veiled situation. There is a cycle of “waking” and “sleeping” that happens in our daily lives, perhaps more frequently when we meditate (participate in practices that still the mind). This experience gives me additional incentive to meditate, because being awake feels so much better. It feels like true freedom.
I have been working with the theme of “beginnings.” (Wisdom Card 3) The first discovery was that any moment I wake up I can have the attitude of beginning again– being present. However, I still found it hard to be present at the beginning of each activity. Then– I realized I needed to pause and set an intention before beginning an activity. This added extra oomph! I can set an intention at the beginning and check back at the end to see if I have carried through. This revivifies my sadhana and brings more presence into my daily life. An ongoing challenge!
How do you Pray?
Next time you pray, try praying in a way that leaves a trace. Try journaling, drawing, or recording your prayers. If the way you pray is to take a walk to commune with nature, collect items that sing out to you, bring them home, and take a fresh look at them. If you hold sacred space for meditation or journeying, before going off into the journey, take a moment to test the quality, texture, and form of the space that you uniquely create. Test it again when you ‘come back’.All self-knowledge is valuable but the experiences of your intimate and unalienable soul are of immense worth. They teach us new and surprising things about who we are in a way that transcends the story of our lives. Your Spiritual Signature points the way to the most precious gifts that you can develop and share with others. The experience of connecting and reflecting on our soul’s spiritual signature is so profound that it becomes a source of great strength, humility, and love for our whole lives.
Since I had been up at sunset, it wasn’t easy to rise before sunrise. I took this shot from the bedroom window and went back to bed until the sun rose from behind Jenny’s roof. That’s when I knew I needed to get up– it was my birthday and I had a feeling this clear sky might not last. The early morning was sublime with the moon and sun taking their course, the birdsong, and the painting of the earth with the orange dawn glow. Sure enough, the clouds made their way in for the rest of the day. But I had gotten my birthday cup of sun and moon nectar.
With Ben’s help, I had my wished-for birthday conference call with my mother and three aunts, who were all there when I was born 65 years ago. My sister was on the call; so was “Mean Uncle John.” It was the first time we tried to use Skype for a call, and it was nip and tuck. I didn’t know if it would work, but I knew we wouldn’t give up. We didn’t. It did! We DID it!
When you can finally say to yourself that you wouldn’t have wanted the past to be any other way, then you come to a place where you can fully have acceptance, allowance, and forgiveness for yourself and others. The best part, you are open to allow for the greatness that is blessing you this very moment to embrace you and you become free to receive what is to come that is in your highest good. Peace and grace are in the state of acceptance and it starts with making peace with our past. -Kat Zaghi
