Recently I’ve become increasingly aware of the oh-so-familiar feeling of inner-urgency.
The fear that there isn’t enough time.
Time feels so pressing.
It seems everything must be completed all at once.
There’s a sense of rush that washes over me as I wake each morning:
Get up
Do morning routine
Start with daily tasks
While I am deeply committed to living a mindful life
And embodying a state of being is truly a value
The condition of our minds can often act as a counter-energy to living peacefully
Despite our best intentions
Sometimes my own mindfulness practice can feel like effort
A practice to fulfill some desire within for peace and purpose
Giving sacred awareness to daily living is beautiful, isn’t it?
But the ego likes to attach outcome to this, once again
Despite our best intentions
This is ok.
This is not wrong.
This is part of the human condition
Like the clear reflection on a still pond, our mindfulness can act as a mirror.
Life becomes clearer.
We are invited to practice the beautiful art of living from our souls and not from the mental chatter.
For this reason, I believe the sweet sister to stillness is woven in the blessed in-between
Hidden in the transitional moments of our life.
The moment when we wake up before putting our feet on the floor for the first time each morning.
The moment of pause between each bite.
The moment just before we wash the soap off our hands to stop and smell the aroma - no matter how many times we’ve smelled the same fragrance.
The moment we realize that one pump of shampoo is sufficient, and we do not need more
The mindful, breath-focused transition between each yoga posture.
The subtle stillness that occurs between each inhale and exhale.
The slow transition between our seated meditation and moving forward to the next task.
The grateful pause when greeting a loved one with a hug just before letting go.
The in-between of walking to the car and driving or exiting the car and arriving.
In fact, these blessed in-between moments are about fully arriving in each moment.
Because this moment - each moment - is our life. And that is worth honoring deeply with our actions, and with our way of living.
The sunset is a beautiful reminder of this blessed in-between.
The final moments of daylight as fire-orange emanates one last time before surrendering to the evening sky
Flowing through life in this way, in the sacred in-betweens, is the antidote to that inner-urgency. This moment will pass whether we rush through it or not…and we will never relive the same moment twice. So why not live from that place of awareness, where inner-tranquility takes root?
These are the practices I continue to cultivate and I hope this awakens in you the same offering to live from inner-tranquility, rather than inner-urgency.
Because these very moments - the sacred in-between - are the gateway to a life that is fully lived.
May you enjoy the swirl of steam rising from a freshly poured cup of tea before taking your first sip.
May you seek out the sunset, and the wisdom of her in-betweens.
May you take moments of pause throughout your day to feel the rhythm of your soul - your breath.
May you look up to the stars each night before falling asleep to honor that this day was special, and a once in a life time.
May you live as though each moment matters, because it does.