Friday 21st Feb, 2020
Opening to the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
It is easy to get bogged down in seriousness, lengthy to-do lists and riding endless loops of the thought-train. Slowing down and appreciating the little things help us reconnect to the beauty all around us. Connecting to beauty lifts our mood and expands our sense of inner space.
We don't necessarily have to travel any distance to find beauty. You could simply be in your kitchen and the light comes through the window in a way that everything feels alive. It could be an exchange of kindness you glimpse in the street that opens your heart or an event of synchronicity that stimulates a sense of wonder and awe at how this universe actually works. It is here, with us at all times.
This week I've experienced beauty in the flavours of a new recipe, cooked slowly and with love. I've experienced beauty sharing tears with a friend, watching animals play, seeing the rocket seeds I planted emerge from darkness to light and feeling my body rejoice with a much-needed, guilt-free, sleep-in!
Can you remember a time when you sat exams and there was that moment after intense concentration when the examiner says "pens down"? It's that moment of raising your head and suddenly you are aware of all this space around you. Your head is now empty and you feel yourself take in a deep breath and the tension pour out as you exhale with relief.
We can easily cut ourselves off from this wider view as we go through life. We can become so focused within our own mind-movie that we forget we are a part of something bigger; that there is a huge, expanding universe within us or around us - depending on your viewpoint!
And we don't necessarily have to seek out "extraordinary" experiences to connect with beauty. Our ability to be open and awake in the present moment draws us into the extraordinary beauty that is present, even whilst steeped in the mundane stuff of every day life. The task at hand is to take the time to raise our heads, breathe deeply and cultivate inner space.
You may walk your dog the same route each day, yet his or her excitement never wanes on hearing the word "walk". What if we reacted like that to the word "work" - haha!! But seriously, each new day affords us a kind of subtle excitement in the not knowing what will unfold and the endless possibilities of what could unfold.
Even if your daily routine is unchanging, your inner terrain is key to being susceptible to beauty on your path.
Shifting into a place of joyful expectation is something worth cultivating. Whether people are born with this aptitude or not, I do not know. But I do know that we can choose to cultivate this within ourselves. Knowing that this choice benefits the whole of existence makes it all the more meaningful. Every single one of us has a place in the big picture.
You matter. May beauty find you on your path today and always.