From today's Daily Om:
Most of us begin our days with a continuous list of things we need to do to keep our lives running smoothly, but we rarely take time to note all the things we don't need to do. For example, we don't need to figure out how to breathe. We don't need to find a way to make sure the earth continues to revolve around the sun. We don't need to concentrate to ensure that our heart beats and our cells regenerate. All of these things, and many more, take care of themselves without our having to think or do anything at all. This is the miracle of life on earth.
Beyond the wonder of the natural world, we have the wonder of human-created conditions such as indoor plumbing, electricity, automobiles, airplanes, telephones, and the Internet to name a few. Someone living just a hundred years ago would be overwhelmed by the ease with which we can communicate with people all over the world. Every day, millions of us jump on airplanes and fly to distant locations in a matter of hours. If we have access to a computer, we can read obscure information about any subject, free of charge, at any time of the day or night. And yet, it's only when one of these miraculous inventions fails that we notice it at all.
1-Minute Contemplation: Notice one thing that you were not aware of a minute ago. Maybe the floor pressing up against the soles of your feet, or the sound of the air conditioner, or a bird singing outside your window. Just breathe calmly and enjoy the experience you've noticed for 1 minute.
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5 comments:
Hi Mike, your post sent me into these thoughts...
We should be aware of our breath. Stop what it is your doing for a moment, and realize your breath. Inhale, exhale..."oh yea, I'm alive!" Being aware of your breath, reminds you that you're alive here and now. Will it take our breath to stop, our death, to realize and be aware of ones life?
It shouldn't. Though it demonstrates relativeness, you did not realize you were living until you had something to compare it too, your death. At which point is too late. If one is looking to live fully aware and enlightened we must empty ourselves of our discrimnations and opinions, of self, in order to see we are part of one whole...in which we then find ourselves again, but true, and alive.
Hi Travis, thanks for the thoughts! *breathe in...out* "Ahhhh...." Good experiential example of relativity.
I will make a note of this on my list to rip up my list. Of course I will not get to the list ripping ceremony until sometime next week. LOL. Seriously, this is so true. Thanks for the reminder Mike.
"Maybe the floor pressing up against the soles of your feet..."
Oh yes. The press of the hardwood against soft soles and bending toes. An invaluable lesson Mike (then again, all these lessons seem to be...invaluable).
Finding the greatest joy in the smallest things. Si.
Y
Thanks Don & Y for the comments! I've been swamped with condo stuff as of late, so I'm glad that the posts I've found time to make have been useful and thought-provoking!
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