The Wow of the Bow

Wow. In Asian cultures, bowing is a form of acknowledging and showing reverence for someone or something. What would it be like to live every moment in that reverence?

I am taking another class with Rev Kim Kaiser, who, in addition to being a Science of Mind minister, is also an ordained Buddhist Priest. This one is on Buddhism. And that was our assignment for the 2 weeks between our first and second class meeting. Practice bowing, either physically or mentally, to everything. Try it for a minute, and hour, a day. Whatever you can.

What would it be like to remember that every moment?

Einstein said that that there are two ways of live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other as if everything is a miracle.

Like most people, my default way of living is so caught up in my responsibilities and endless to do list, that I can forget to pause and remember that it is a miracle that I exist at all. That this life is a gift, and I get to choose how to use my time here.

I appreciate my life so much more when I remember to take a moment every now and then, to
mentally bow to the present moment. To remember that it is amazing that I live in a culture where I can turn on the faucet and get clean water. That I have air to breathe and that my lungs and heart work all day every day to support all that I want to do.

Appreciating What I Have

This has been brought to my attention recently because I have several friends and acquaintances going through health challenges. One of them quite serious. When I visit someone in hospital or read a prayer request, I say a prayer for that person’s wholeness. And I also spend a moment gratitude that I enjoy health and vitality right now. I am bowing to that moment. That reality. That gift.

I think it was A Course In Miracles that Rev Kim quoted in class, saying “Your attention is God’s treasure.” The only power you have is attention.

So where will I put my attention today?

The holidays are upon us. Are you giving the gift of you? The gift of your attention?

Are you caught up in the planning, preparations, shopping, flight schedules, and so on?
Or are you pausing in awareness to give the gift of Presence to yourself and those around you?
Your attention is a gift to yourself, and it is a gift to everyone you are present with. 

Will I revere the simple fact that this moment is?

When I get in my car, do I take a moment to appreciate that I have a mode of transportation? That someone designed it and others built it? That someone engineered the roads and traffic lights and thought up yellow and white lines to keep us relatively safe while traveling? That someone thought of safety belts and air bags and crumple zones? That most people most of the time obey the traffic laws and drive safely?

Am I present and bowing to my meals?

When I eat a meal or a snack, do I notice whether I am hungry or eating for another reason? Do I watch TV or read while I am eating?

Do I notice the color, smell, texture of the food before I take a bite? Remembering that many someones planted it, grew it, tended it, harvested it, packaged it, transported it, stocked it on the shelves, and rang it up for me at the cash register? Or do I wolf it down without even really tasting it?

OK, So It's a Practice

Of course I cannot do this for every single thing even for a whole day. But I can take 1 minute right now to notice, appreciate and acknowledge someone or something. And I can choose to do that several times today. And I can notice if I am a little more patient, a little more grateful, a little more content, a little more peaceful, a little lighter inside. I like the way that feels. So I think I will take a moment to do that right now.

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Will you join me?