Every day we offer something to the universe and those beings we come in contact with, whether we know it or not.
The practice of offering can be used to touch the sacred.
Most of us are probably unaware of the myriad offerings we receive or give. A stranger’s quiet smile is an offering of acknowledgment; “I see you. I may not know you, but I recognize common humanity.”
On the surface, this awareness is subtle, yet within the depth of our hearts, we recognize our own suffering and joys in others. This recognition and sharing of experience affords comfort and makes hard times bearable.
Bringing awareness to your daily offerings is a way to invite sacredness into the seemingly mundane. Simple acts of Grace daily can manifest improved well-being, mood, and self-love.
One of the most significant offerings one can make is that of attention or active listening. How often do we rush conversations, or instead of listening, we only wait distractedly for our turn to speak? In doing so, we miss opportunities for connection, growth, and learning and cheat ourselves of experience.
The attentive offering takes practice, a slowing down, allowing our awareness to focus on the object or concept at hand one-pointedly. A gentle way to bring more mindful offerings into your life is by choosing a simple way to offer a blessing each day, like a smile.
Choose to gently smile at your co-workers as you pass in the hallway, strangers on the street, or at the market. Allow you thought to be “I see you, and I recognize your humanity.”
We forget when lost in our responsibilities and troubles that others have lives as rich as our own. When we gently acknowledge their existence, we pull ourselves out of self-centered living, if only for a moment. Over time with practice, we extricate ourselves from our ego, cultivating compassion.
If we continue this practice and let it flow throughout our daily routines, our every act, our life itself, becomes an offering, a sacred journey rife with gratitude.
Namaste.