It seems God has been speaking to me lately by means of shampoo bottles. Two separate phrases have stuck with me like road tar for months now. The first “Curiously Clarifying.” The second, “Nourishing Rituals.” The real catalyst, though, has been the societal response to the COVID-19 virus. And so now I may finally be getting the Divine point.
With imposed mandates shifting our schedules into a lower gear, an effective life pause has been offered to each of us. That space has indeed been curiously clarifying for me. I see more clearly what matters and what does not. In this space you and I may notice as well what agitates us and what stories we build around those agitations. We may see our auto-responses more clearly too. And lastly we might notice the stories we pile on, which in turn stir up fears and anxiety. It’s OK to feel fear and anxiety. That is part of being human. We might consider staying to inspect them rather than running to propagate fears. And thankfully, in this slower time, we have a shot at sensing what grounds us and brings us back to ourselves; what centers us in the reality of the present moment.
For many of us, our mindfulness practices have risen to the top of that list. These include our walks, our scripture readings, our meditations, and our asana practice. Despite all that goes on, these endure as nourishing rituals that cannot be taken away. And so our beautiful efforts to love and serve those around us at each moment will endure.