An anthropologist traveled around the globe and studied many different cultures. Wherever he would go, he would ask to talk to the people who were considered as the “wise” ones. To each of them, he asked if they had any daily spiritual practice, something that would support them on a daily basis. Across cultures and beyond the variations of the practices themselves, he found three key elements that they all shared:
- State a sacred intention for your day: What do you want your day to be? It might be: being more patient with a co-worker or a child, feeling joyful, being more attentive to a person…
- Give gratitude for something: You may be grateful for the beautiful weather that morning, for feeling healthy, for having a good neighbor, for having a job…
- Take a life affirming action, do something that says “yes” to life, something that brings you joy; it can be something very simple and mundane, something that you will do for yourself.
Most people would think about this during their morning meditation but you can equally do it when you are in the shower or washing your teeth, for instance. Find what works best for you and make sure that it can fit easily into your daily routine. You will pretty soon discover that those simple practices will color your day and help you feel more centered, more aware and present.
If you want, at night, you may briefly touch base with those three key elements that you had selected for your day and reflect upon the way things may have enfolded.
Béatrice | Contemporary Shamanic Healer
allowingthelight@gmail.com
Béatrice Pouligny
Allowing The Light
September 2011
I find the Action-that-brings-me-joy practice the hardest to incorporate/remember ~daily.
Do you include at Intention&Gratitudde-time (approximately) a commitment to do a specific action during the day OR a general commitment to do this type of action during the day?
For now, I am just carrying a 3×5 card with me!
Suggestions?
Be happy!
It depends on the person. For some people, thinking in the morning about what they are going to do during the day to bring joy in their life is important at first (in particular for people with busy schedule or who would tend to disregard that part) — just to make sure that it happens, and then they can shift to a commitment.
What helps is also either to journal or review those three elements at night, anchoring them a little bit more in us.
Hope that helps.
To our happiness!