Stoking the Fire

“What I know in my bones is that I forgot to take time to remember what I know. The world is holy. We are all holy all life is holy, daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves, the whisperings of grasses, the shimmering of leaves.” Terry Tempest Williams

I’m still feeling like I’m “Firing the Grid”, like on Tuesday morning, when I awoke at 4:00 and meditated from 4:ll for an hour, very much forgetting how long an hour can be at that time of the day. Time seemed to whiz by and I felt warm, light and excited to be part of the prayer time for the planet. Someone on the web had suggested we include our Power Animal as part of the process, so I invited two: Horse and Swan, who accompanied me on this early morning journey. During the entire time, I was aware of the presence of countless other beings doing the same mindful meditation. Which included many of my friend, members of my Wisdom Circle here in Moro and most especially, Kaline. I definitely did not feel alone.

Today, I read in Eckhart Tolle that in the act of trying to become an “awakened being”, which I’m always striving (too hard) for, there are three stages. The first stage of awakening to the present moment is to Accept. Accept where I find myself each moment and accept who I am in the moment. Abraham calls it Allowing. This kind of acceptance is not the suffering kind, that sighs and puts up with what the moment, person or condition brings. It means an EMBRACING of who I find myself to be. . . where I find myself to be. . . .and what’s happening. An open-hearted, feeling-filled embrace, which translates into JOY. The next stage of awakening: enjoyment. Actually enjoying the present moment. Getting into it. Smiling about it. Settling down into it, instead of “putting up with” the present moment, the present me, the present circumstances so that I can finally get on to what’s next. To what will make me happier.

Tolle says that the third stage of Aware Being is ENTHUSIASM. When that present moment celebration of NOW generates a vision within us. Whether that vision is outer or inner directed doesn’t matter. Both are equally energizing to ourselves and the planet. We may be one of those people who becomes a genuinely unselfish, gifted leader of one kind or another. Or we may be one who generates positive light by being the more contemplative type. Anyway, I’m loving the idea of trying to live right NOW. This moment. Gratefully. With an open heart. With joy.