If we follow Unity’s practice of regular periods of prayer and meditation, we can sometimes feel a little wobbly upon re-entering the everyday world. The long-term benefits of meditation include clarity, focus and increased energy. But there can be a transition period between plumbing the depths of consciousness and becoming active in the outer world. I like to compare this transition to the times of dawn and dusk—those twilight hours when it is not quite day and not quite night.
At dusk, we see the remnants of the sunset while hearing the evening call of the cicadas. At dawn, we see the sun lighting the tops of the highest trees while still experiencing the cool silence of the dark. It is perhaps the contrast between these differing states of being that makes them all the sweeter.
These are periods of immense power, mirroring the time in history into which we were born. Those of us who chose to incarnate at the end of the 20th Century stand with one foot in the past and one in the future. We are the conscious bridges of the transformation of our species.
I am not a morning person. Upon rising, I like to put on snuggly socks and a sweatshirt over my jammies and sit in my recliner. There, I can look out into the yard and breathe the cool, fresh morning air. My dog Bailey will take his place on the footrest of the chair, and my little brown cat Smokie will climb into my lap for the first in a series of daily cuddles. We sit in the silence, breathing and allowing the world to reach into our hearts and call us into action. The dreams of the nighttime begin to fade and float away like wisps of cloud.
In a while, I’m ready to go to the kitchen and begin the morning ritual of preparing food for my pets and myself. The tea is strong and sweet. I begin to feel stronger and life seems to sweeten. By honoring the natural rhythms of our bodies and minds, we flow easily from one state to another, gently and effectively.
My prayer for each of us this week is that we take it easy; that we do less, think less, strive less and fear less. We are equipped for the fulfillment of our destiny--spiritually, physically and mentally. It is a matter of allowing ourselves to express that which has always been within us. In the words of one of the great prophets of our time, “Don’t worry, be happy.” (With thanks to Bobby McFerrin.)
Sent with love from the dreamy comfort of my hammock…
Rev. Carla