“365 Days of Mindfulness” [Day 68] Each Moment Is A Temple…

Do not brush past this moment in a hurry. Each moment is a temple.

Bow to the moment, and see it’s majesty. It is a center for peace, where possibility lives, it is sacred, it is not meant to be squandered or wasted.

How many moments have you lost because you were rushing on to do other things in your life? What would happen if you just took the time to take a deep breath and sit down for 5 minutes. Let the world go on whirling and swirling around you. If you are at home have a quiet corner that is your mindfulnes/meditation corner. You can set up a small altar with things that are sacred treasures to you. These things needn’t be religious icons. They could be crystals, a child’s drawing, the ashes of a beloved pet whom you always want to keep with you knowing that they are always near you in spirit, because truly they are. Add anything to your altar but have at least one candle. Sit down, light the candle, feel the beauty and the sacredness of the space, gaze into the candle flame, and breathe. Feel your breathe going in and out gently, slowly, and deeply. Never take your eyes off of that candle.

If you can take a little votive candle with you when you go to work, if you have an office where you can close the door, perhaps at your lunchtime, and before you go back to work light the candle, gaze into it, spend a few minutes breathing, and you will find yourself coming gently back to the present moment. It is truly amazing what this one act can do to change the whole tenor of your day.

I had a student once who did this, and one of her co-workers found out and asked, kind of shyly, if he could join her in meditation. She told him to come in at a certain time after she had had time to sit and eat her lunch. Then another woman wondered what was going on and she joined them. Before long others did and there were too many to crowd into Karen’s office so they got permission to use a conference room that was never used at that time. Before long they had 20 people and they each brought their own little votive candle and sat it on the table in front of them. Karen started bringing a little bell and rang it at the beginning and the end of their time together. She said in a matter of months the whole tenor of the relationships in their workplace had changed because even those who hadn’t joined them were affected by those around them who had. They were quieter, gentler, and the whole energy of the place changed. Eventually some of them started meeting at Karen’s house one night a week and when it got too crowded they rented a church hall. And so it has grown. And people invited friends and family and now they have their own center. It is not huge, but they are now doing charitable acts in their community.

And it all started because I encouraged her to take a single votive candle to work and spend a few minutes on her lunchtime doing a gentle mindfulness meditation practice.

Too often we have big dreams and goals and we want to jump right into them and then when they don’t happen right away we give up. You have to start with that one tiny candle for 5 minutes. The smaller you start the more likely you are to keep doing it it and in the process something often happens. The “Big Dream” you thought you wanted is transformed along the way and you might not need to go as far as you imagine. There are all kinds of jewels along the way you would have skipped over and missed if you had been able to jump from here to there. It really is true that it’s the journey that matters because if you live wholly in the present moment, if you are awake and alive wherever you are along the way, you will see things that you could never have imagined and didn’t know were there.

Each moment is a temple. Enter, sit quietly, light a candle, be very quiet, center yourself right where you are, and feel the holiness of the place. This moment is where miracles occur. There is magic here.

Comments

  1. Lighting a candle
    to bring all my ancestors
    as close as this flame

    xo
    ka

  2. Writing by candlelight always makes the words flow for me, and we make it a practice to light a candle at the end of the day, sending up prayers for those meeting challenges just before we go to sleep.

  3. I so needed to hear this today…too many balls to juggle right now with the pending sale of my house….staging everything, updating appliances, cleaning carpets, all need to be done according to my realtor…is she kidding?! Ok, breathing slower, lit my candle, sitting in my comfy chair and savoring the sacred moment…coming back to being mindfully present. I am in the temple of the sacred moment and all is well, and all will be well…
    Sending you blessings and love for reminding me to slow down and start small 🙂

  4. Beautiful story. Thanks!!

  5. Katya honey that is just beautiful… I love bringing the ancestors in. As always, you stir my soul…

    Love,

    Maitri

  6. Cathryn, that is so beautiful…

    I burn only beeswax candles because artificially scented candles can kill birds. (Sometimes I use soy with essential oils, but mostly only beeswax). I buy them in quantity from a little farmer and they are so lovely and sweet when they burn you could almost eat them! It is really something how just having one small candle next to you while you write makes it a truly sacred act.

    I love hearing about your practices. It always lifts my heart.

    Blessings to you dearest friend…

    Maitri

  7. Oh sweet Donna, you have had so many challenges but you are handling them so well and as we work together I see you just growing leaps and bounds each week. I am so proud of you. And yes, the outer world will be there, always, and life will happen but a few moments in sacred space can do wonders to bring us back. And you always have that very special place to go to that we discussed.

    I am sending you so much love honey, and holding you close in my thoughts and heart and prayers as you move through the days ahead…

    Maitri

  8. You are so welcome Joan. Blessings dearheart…

    Maitri

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