A knack for enjoying the here and now

 I am sitting in the living room of our house. The winter sun is setting, and the rays are streaming in. Behind the money plants there is an object reflecting the light and it looks like a laser beam is headed straight for me. Occasionally a car is passing in a distance, but we are too much up the hill to really notice. Outside, the bird feeder is nearly finished. A last feathered friend has seemingly fallen asleep on it. Maybe he filled up his belly too much to fly for a while. Thoughts? What thoughts could I possibly have other than seeing the beauty of the here and now. Motivation? Well, I have to pick up my wife soon from the gym, have to help my son with his computer and attend a spiritual discussion group meeting, but these are just responsibilities that life has in store for me. Action is, while I show up for the job.

 

Why are we so arrogant and presume ordinary folks do not have the same spiritual experiences we do? Some friends even tell me that I cannot experience the here and now because I am not enlightened yet. That’s not the Conversation with God I have day by day. The gospel I receive is that our God is truly democratic. Everyone has access to the higher energies, always, it’s just that sometimes we are too busy to notice, and yes, some of us are busier and more driven than others. The 13th century monk Meister Eckhart described the power of now in the following way, “God is like a person who clears his throat in hiding and so gives Himself away.” I am asking you, are you currently still enough to hear Him?

 

Action is, thoughts are absent, and drives are a waste of energy. That’s spiritual living in a nutshell. You still feel you have an agenda? Are the thoughts rushing through your head when you still get triggered? That’s quite alright. We are all human, but the trick is to become aware of the wasted energy when we once again get sucked into life’s little illusions. Spiritual maturity is returning to the power of now after every so-perceived interference. It’s actually not so hard. We can have a knack for enjoying the here and now.