This week in yoga class, our teacher gave us a new assignment to add on to our "3 acts of kindness to the world and 3 acts of kindness to ourselves" daily practice.
We were invited to begin practicing respect, and we are doing it in an interesting and unexpected way. The practice is to show respect (or bring respect) to EVERYTHING that we touch...another person, an object, the family pet...everything that we touch with any part of ourselves...food as we prepare and enjoy it...the rug or hardwood floors beneath our feet...
I just started the practice and have already begun to notice two immediate benefits: Respecting everything I touch keeps me in the present moment, and it makes me feel grateful.
Suddenly, twisting the cap off the milk at breakfast time was no longer a trivial, robotic act, but one of wonder, and a reminder of how fortunate I am to have milk in the fridge.
Walking down the stairs to my kitchen first thing in the morning to feed my cats wasn't done in a zombie-like, "Ughh, it's morning" fashion. I felt each step beneath my feet. I noticed the coolness of the wooden railing as my hand held it along the way. I felt more curious about "the ordinary," and everything felt alive and interesting.
My teacher suggested touching everything as if we were borrowing it from a dear friend. We tend to treat such things with much more care than our own belongings. We can bring that same care to everything in our lives.
We can bring it to showering...brushing our teeth...opening the car door and sitting on the car seat, holding our pets, significant others, and children. Moment to moment, we can stay more aware and grateful of every little thing. It's quite profound.
Last night, as I was counting some bills before putting them into my wallet, I respected the money. As I cleaned my house, I took my time, respecting every object and fully acknowledging how each is a blessing.
Even right now, my fingers feel like they are dancing on the keyboard. :-)
I challenge you to accept the invitation to practice respect in this way, starting right now. I truly look forward to your thoughts before you begin and as you begin to experience the benefits.
Namaste.
(As a fun side note, I'm excited to share that this is my 100th post on this Sulilo blog!)
We were invited to begin practicing respect, and we are doing it in an interesting and unexpected way. The practice is to show respect (or bring respect) to EVERYTHING that we touch...another person, an object, the family pet...everything that we touch with any part of ourselves...food as we prepare and enjoy it...the rug or hardwood floors beneath our feet...
I just started the practice and have already begun to notice two immediate benefits: Respecting everything I touch keeps me in the present moment, and it makes me feel grateful.
Suddenly, twisting the cap off the milk at breakfast time was no longer a trivial, robotic act, but one of wonder, and a reminder of how fortunate I am to have milk in the fridge.
Walking down the stairs to my kitchen first thing in the morning to feed my cats wasn't done in a zombie-like, "Ughh, it's morning" fashion. I felt each step beneath my feet. I noticed the coolness of the wooden railing as my hand held it along the way. I felt more curious about "the ordinary," and everything felt alive and interesting.
My teacher suggested touching everything as if we were borrowing it from a dear friend. We tend to treat such things with much more care than our own belongings. We can bring that same care to everything in our lives.
We can bring it to showering...brushing our teeth...opening the car door and sitting on the car seat, holding our pets, significant others, and children. Moment to moment, we can stay more aware and grateful of every little thing. It's quite profound.
Last night, as I was counting some bills before putting them into my wallet, I respected the money. As I cleaned my house, I took my time, respecting every object and fully acknowledging how each is a blessing.
Even right now, my fingers feel like they are dancing on the keyboard. :-)
I challenge you to accept the invitation to practice respect in this way, starting right now. I truly look forward to your thoughts before you begin and as you begin to experience the benefits.
Namaste.
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| Image Courtesy of Women in Recovery |
(As a fun side note, I'm excited to share that this is my 100th post on this Sulilo blog!)
