The way we live our lives may be conscious or unconscious, awake or asleep, present or absent. How we live our lives is a choice. How we connect with ourselves, our partners, our children, our friends, our community, our humanity, our planet is a choice. Our awareness of this choice goes back to how awake we are, how conscious we are, how present we are.
Oftentimes, people go through life in a semi-conscious state, feeling so stressed or overwhelmed that they have chosen to numb themselves to their deep feelings and deep awareness. People may live in this manner for years. Usually when a crisis happens, it will wake people up. This may explain why many people live in a dramatic, crisis-oriented way. They “check-out” until the co-created crisis ‘snaps them out of it” and they come to attention and take action for awhile until they become numb again.
What if it were possible to live our lives as though we were creating the most beautiful Ceremony we had ever attended and didn’t want to miss a moment of it? What if we were so awake that we paid attention to all the details and chose to keep ourselves alert and present? What if we felt alive and connected to all that surrounds us in every moment? What if we allowed ourselves to experience the depths of ourselves without holding back?
The fact is- it is possible to live our lives this way. The fact is, we are connected to all that is around us- not only are we connected….but we are as one with all that surrounds us and are co-creating it through our conscious participation, or our lack of participation.
Your body, mind and emotions are comprised of energy. The sun is energy. The tree outside is energy. The earth that you are standing on is energy. All of these energies are already connected. Through our awareness of frequency and vibration we can allow ourselves to experience this connection that already is…..or not experience it. This is a choice that we all have.
Once we take responsibility for our life and begin to call forth the power that we have in co-creating life, what some folks call “miracles” become everyday realities. Separation is then identified as the illusion that it is and the experience of connection is all there is.
A Ceremony, in it’s highest form, is a sacred time that is shared in a co-created sacred space where the people present have come together to be awake, share, honor and acknowledge what is happening in the now-moment together. We begin a Ceremony by acknowledging that which we believe in- the “Powers that Be” – and express our gratitude for their presence, support, wisdom and guidance.
What if we were to live our lives as a sacred ceremony? What if we could be that present, that awake, that conscious, and that connected in each now-moment? What if we could begin each day and experience our life in this way? We can.
Our energetic system is comprised of our emotions, our thoughts, our Spirit or the energy that flows through us, and our actions. There are several ways to enhance our experience of our lives and be more present.
One way is to slow down…….not physically slow down, but emotionally and mentally. It is actually possible to move quickly, take many actions, and achieve many results while maintaining a calm, serene, present and peaceful state deep within. To truly be aware of our surroundings and our actions will enhance our experience of every moment….the warmth of the water as you rinse dishes, the feel of the keys as you type, the sensation of the water as you shower, the cool air as is enters your lungs. Instead of hurrying through the action, pause and experience the moment.
Another way to be present is to breathe consciously. Be aware of each breath as it moves within your system and deep into every cell. Feel the breath bring the force of life to you and through you. Breathe deeply as the air enters each cell of your body.
Gratitude is a powerful way to live your life. In every now moment, no matter what is happening or not happening- you can choose to be grateful…….grateful for your eyesight, for your steady heartbeat, for the green plants and the water of the earth, for the blue sky or cloudy sky that feeds us fresh air, the stars in the sky, for the warmth of the sun, the laughter of the children, for your life. Gratitude is a vibration that will emanate from you and shift your entire experience of life.
Experience each moment as the gift that it is. Here it is. Now. Now. Now. There it goes! Consider experiencing everything that you do as a ceremony- as if your life really mattered and your incarnation was worth paying attention to.
Remember the joy. You deserve it.
Theresa Sykes Brittany, MS is co-founder of Rites of Passage Council, Inc. a 501©3 non-profit organization that works with indigenous, earth-based traditions and assists people in remembering who they truly are as they take action to dream their lives into reality. She has a private practice near Asheville, NC where she facilitates private sessions, weekend retreats, sweatlodge ceremony, vision quest ceremony and women's circles. For details, please see RitesofPassageCouncil.com.