Most of the people in our Humanity’s Team community would probably say that they’re very familiar with practices of gratitude and appreciation and that a commitment to these practices is foundational to their conscious journey. I would say it’s true for me.
And as I’m guessing it is the same for you, I wake up in gratitude every morning. I bring that deep sense of gladness into the day, intentionally tapping into the feelings of awe, wonder, and appreciation.
I notice the glorious sunlight shining upon the spiderweb just below the gutter when I let Sadie out for a quick run around the house. I hear the melodic sounds of birds singing in the neighborhood trees and bushes as I sip on my coffee.
I feel the connection with all of life. It is my communion with the Divine.
But sometimes that flow feels like it’s interrupted. It’s not that I make a conscious choice to disrupt the flow. But for whatever reason, the experience of disconnection sometimes happens. And when it does, it’s unsettling.
Recently I had an experience that I believe is common among families and other close-knit groups of people when they gather together. I traveled to be with my family to celebrate Mother’s Day. The day started out on a positive note, and I was riding that “high” until our mother became violently ill. She ran into the bathroom and asked me to come in and see if she was okay or if we needed to call 911.
I took action in the role of her son, but I immediately grew greatly concerned for her welfare. I didn’t want this to be happening. She certainly didn’t, nor did the rest of the family.
I could feel the energy of the family shift, and especially the energy within myself. It was like being unplugged without warning. It was instantaneous and startling.
Momentarily, my energy fell into great discomfort and I knew right away that all of us in the room were being affected by my lower vibration. There was an interchange of energy frequencies, and you and I know that what we give we receive. I did not want to give my family the low frequency of discomfort. And I did not want it to boomerang back to me either.
This seemingly unplugged me was not who I wanted to be in that moment. I also knew that it’s not who I really am. Yet, sometimes our personalities are touched in such a way that the reactive mode gets turned on and we have the experience of disconnection.
In those moments, it’s up to us to remain aware. To be present. To consciously pivot away from the discomfort and toward the peace, joy, and love that IS the flow, that IS the foundation of all practices.
It’s not difficult to conjure up something of concern. But when we do, we move into judgment. We assume something’s wrong and shouldn’t be happening in that exact way. A block to the natural Divine flow occurs and gratitude and the experience of love are impeded.
We can look to the qualities that we share with the Divine as guideposts to lift ourselves out of the states of judgment, concern, and lack. Because there is truly no separation, these Divine qualities are always accessible to us.
We can feel into gratitude, appreciation, connection, communion, and love all at once and, by doing so, we have once again brought ourselves into the experience of true Presence and Divine Love.
It’s natural to experience what seems like an interruption of the Divine flow, though it never really goes away. It’s up to us to remain aware and vigilant for God (or if you prefer “Life”) and nothing but God, which is to say remain vigilant for Love and Life.
Let’s not cheat ourselves. And let’s not cheat others by indulging in ideas and feelings of separation and disconnection.
Let’s instead remain aware and yield to ideas and feelings of connection and flourishing. Let’s stay turned on to Love and Life and let the warmth of the Divine flow through us in true communication, communion, and Presence. In this, we will take good care of ourselves and those whose lives we touch.
Keeping the fire warm with you,
Steve
