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It’s easy to find your spiritual side meditating in your sacred space, singing hymns on Sunday morning or walking barefoot through a garden. It’s times like these that give us clarity, peace and most importantly a sense of connectedness in a rather unstable world. I’ve often wondered how I could create this kind of reality in my everyday existence. How does one stay Zen when your neighbor’s neurotic dog won’t stop barking? How would Jesus merge onto I275 during morning rush-hour? Did Kuan Yin ever have to juggle housework, a full-time career/school load, family obligations and keep her compassion for the needy?
In the burdens of our everyday existence, what seem to be irreverent, materialistic or earthly can become just the spiritual transformation we need. Trials and suffering allow us to flex our spiritual muscles and raise our Divine Quotient. I once read that any act, be it washing dishes or filing taxes can be a form of meditation or prayer if you allow it to be done with gratitude, love and grace. Consider how you write your mortgage/rent check. Do you grumble at the burden of paying money out every month? Or with love and gratitude are you thankful for your ability to pay your bills… that you have work, that someone believed in you enough to trust they could give you a home on the faith that you would pay for it in time? It is with the mindset of gratitude that one can fill the emptiness in one’s life with Divinity.
For some this may be a very hard concept to put into practice. I’ve written up the following exercise for those who seek to bring spiritual balance in their life but aren’t sure where to begin. It’s called the Power of an Hour. It centers on timing hourly intervals to keep you spiritually focused in the midst of your everyday reality. (You’ll need a watch or cell phone with an alarm. I prefer to use my phone on vibrate as it’s less obtrusive at work.)
As soon as you open your eyes in the morning, close them again and do one of the following as suits your path: pray, meditate, center yourself but above all GIVE THANKS to God/Great Spirit/ the Universe, etc . You’ve woken up today! 🙂
Set your watch/cell phone alarm for an hour later. I sometimes will set the time for a very specific number based on Doreen Virtue’s book: Angel Numbers which detail the meanings of numbers. For example, if I’ve been particularly stressed about my finances I will wake up at 7:38am (“738-You’ve accurately listened to your Divine Guidance, which has put you on the path of increased abundance.”) I give thanks for what I have and pray for Divine guidance in all matters related to my finances. You can also simply make mental lists of things you are grateful for or would like help with. I then set my (silent vibrating) alarm for 8:38am, one hour later. (“838- Keep prayer and spirituality at the center of your consciousness, and avoid focusing on the material aspects of life.) I go about my morning getting ready for work and when my alarm vibrates again I take just a small moment to pray, center myself and bring spirituality into my life. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy ordeal, a minute or two will do. I continue this exercise throughout my day, resetting my alarm for the next hour.
But how can you do this at the office? Slip off to the water cooler or bathroom. Can’t do that every hour without getting strange looks, right? Well remember earlier, I mentioned that any act can be a spiritual act if done with love and grace? Here’s where that comes in.. If at 4:38p my alarm vibrates and I’m helping a customer, I take it as an opportunity to be thankful that I’m needed in my place of employment, while helping that person to the best of my ability. If your alarm goes off and your child is crying, or your spouse/friend/cat needs you.. Help them! After all, isn’t there something divine about selflessly giving of yourself through love and time for others? That is your moment for that hour. You’ve brought spirituality into your life with your actions! Isn’t it beautiful in it’s simplicity? Continue this until you are ready to turn in for the night.
There are many ways to enhance this simple practice. If you have Doreen Virtue’s Angel Numbers or any other numerology book, you can pick your times based off what has most the spiritual intention for you.
If you enjoy working for healing crystals, add that to your ritual. (For example, whatever your trying to focus on that day.. Lapis lazuli for spiritual intuition, rhodonite for releasing and forgiveness, magnesite for creative endeavors, so on and so forth. When your alarm goes off, hold that stone and meditate focusing your intentions.)
The importance of doing this every hour is to create a heightened spiritual awareness. Though it may seem tedious, you’ll be surprised at how easy it really is. Practicing this exercise even just one a week, you’ll discover that Divinity can be anywhere, in any thought and any action.
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