Paying attention (December 19th)
December 19 – Paying Attention to your Life: Take a few moments this morning and jot down everything you did yesterday and when you did it. As far as it’s feasible, repeat everything on that list today, trying to exactly duplicate your yesterday — only this time, open your eyes and Look Around you while doing so. Notice and write down the beautiful and amazing things you missed yesterday … Re-Mind yourself to remain Awake tomorrow as well.
We live in a hustle & bustle world, in bodies that are regulated by brains that are equally busy. It is probably safe to say that most of us have regularly made mistakes or “had accidents” in part because we were distracted – because we were not paying attention.
Consequently, I knew going in that today’s task (and every task like it) was important for my journey of Self-rediscovery. After all, what good is it to have a “happy life” if that life isn’t consciously lived?
Initially, this task felt like it was misplaced in the Calendar. It just didn’t seem harmonious to me to repeat yesterday’s external, “pro-Earth” endeavors in order to enhance my internal personal awareness. As such, I went back two days instead of one and repeated the walk I took on December 17th – the time I set out to gain a “higher perspective”. When I did so, I was astounded at all the amazing things I had missed while looking for “higher ground”. And all I had to do was regularly pause and remember the “lesson lessons”:
So here are a few images from today’s walk, along with the lessons I learned from each of them:
Just outside my apartment, there is an old telephone pole lying on the ground (serving as a border for the driveway). And that telephone pole happens to have the numbers “5068” on it, providing the following archetypal message: “detachment from self (5) leads to Wholeness of Self (0), which allows unconditional Love to blossom (6) and thereby true Abundance to be known (8)” …
Messages of Wisdom are always present.
Every morning I feed my Friends, the chickens, and yet recently I had failed to pause & see how amazingly beautiful they are.
Love is the true sustenance.
Every year, I tend to split a lot of firewood, and I rarely notice my woodpile creations. Today, I paused & appreciated this one …
Death can bring peace if I use it to warm what is still living
How often do we pause and get really close to trees? How often do we really see another being at all?
Every being is more than one Being.
Moss is one of my favorite beings, and there is moss everywhere here on the farm. Today, I paused to FEEL its softness …
The more gently we tread, the softer our path becomes.
These are the stones I give to guests when they walk “The Mossway”, one of my favorite trails here on the farm. Today, I paused to FEEL their smoothness …
If we allow them to guide us, our life's harsh lessons will smooth our moment's rough edges.
Half-way up “The Mossway”, I glanced down and saw the next image. Do you see the small angel sculpture that has been steadily “melting” into the tree over time?
Not all Wonders are easily seen.
And sometimes, while looking “more closely” for the minute wonders nearby, we overlook the grandiose miracles that are allWays above …
It is life's larger miracles that are often overlooked.
What an awakening! And all that in just one 45 minute walk of attentiveness … As I returned to my apartment, I was reminded of one concluding Truth:
Our brains are primarily programmed to keep us continually looking for danger – to keep us continually distracted by the future – to keep us far away from the wonders of our Here&Now. We are free indeed to see the Beauty all around us, and yet it is necessary to actively claim that right in order to enjoy it.
We only have one life in our current form, and every moment thereof is unique & priceless …
Let’s pay attention to them while they are here!
See You when I see you …
… and until then, Be Now!
Scaughdt
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