A Good Cup of Life

“Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification.” ~ Martin Fischer

Early morning is usually my best time of the day. It is in the first couple of hours after I wake up that interesting thoughts pierce through the fiber of my awareness as needles sharpened by the quiet hours of the night.

Yesterday morning was no different. I got up and went to the kitchen to fetch a cup of coffee, and found my husband already there. I gladly took the cup he handed me, my senses jarred by the pungent aroma of coffee. When I glimpsed inside the cup, I noticed the coffee looked darker than I normally would drink it, but said nothing and proceeded to take a sip. Not only did it look darker, it was also bitter. I asked if he had added cream and sugar and he nodded as he got ready to dive into the newspaper.

Determined to not bug him any further but hell-bent on having a good first cup of coffee, I stood up and added more cream and sugar on my own. I stirred them in and tried again…absolutely disgusting. The coffee looked pale as a ghost, and was entirely too sweet. I realized then that my husband had indeed added cream and sugar – he had simply not stirred the coffee after he did.

Similarly, when blessings and wisdom are bestowed upon us, we don’t readily see them or acknowledge them until we “stir” them into our daily lives and apply them to our individual situations. One thing is to hear something; another is to actually listen and learn.

Simple knowledge of a concept is nothing more than a handful of nothing if we don’t apply that wisdom to something concrete. Without integration, knowledge is suspended in limbo, and rarely becomes a part of who we are. It remains the ghost of a thought that will not incarnate without our permission, and will continue to hover over us until we actively choose to shift the lessons from being purely intellectual to practical.

We can read manuals on how to fly a plane, but until we fly one, we really don’t know how. Functioning within the realm of life is no different – we can read hundreds of books, or hear lengthy sermons, about peace, tolerance, forgiveness and unity, but until we choose to make those chapters of higher awareness a part of our daily lives nothing will change. Reciting Biblical passages on unconditional love will not make us more loving, if after leaving church we personally judge how much others deserve to be loved.

Wisdom and knowledge are the cream and sugar in our coffee. Pouring them into the cup is the first step, but the perfect flavor will not be achieved until we have made the effort of properly stirring them in.

Lessons

“Life will teach you the lessons, it is up to you to learn them” ~ Author unknown


It was during our GOLO yard sale, yesterday, when I engaged in a brief conversation with a homeless man who happened to wander through the area. He mentioned that lately he has been trying to figure out what life is all about, and he felt sure that our time on earth is but a journey to discover how to give back.

He talked to Lolly and myself for a moment, then raised his eyes and asked: “But how do you give back?”

I truly had no immediate response for him, and suggested he should do his best to help others that are in worse predicaments than he is. Then, something else occurred to me…

Could it be possible that his life lesson is one of a different nature? What if instead than learning how to give back – which he didn’t seem to have a problem to do – his life lesson was about learning how to accept and be humble? After all, what better life situation could teach humility more than being homeless and at the mercy of others’ kindness? Is it possible to identify our life purpose by observing the facets of our reality and the patterns we implement in our daily existence?

We may not be able to understand some of the lessons that we are meant to learn, as it is not necessary for us to do so, but if we pay attention we can at least have a rough idea of the direction we should follow. For example, if we are the victim of a string of failed relationships, the culprit of that pattern could be appointed to a lack of self-love. Maybe, then, part of our life purpose could be that of learning how to embrace unconditional love toward ourselves and others.

As the wonderful teacher it is, life hands us assignments through our daily challenges. Whether we choose to do our homework or not is up to us.

Namaste

"I honor the place in you where Spirit lives. I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light, of Peace; when you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, then we are Truly One." ~ Author Unknown


The first time I heard the word “Namaste” was in a chant on tape I had purchased as a meditation aid. Although the vibrations of the word were very peaceful and definitely a mood enhancer, I had no idea what the word itself meant. I decided to do a little research on Namaste – what I found definitely made me appreciate the moment I purchased the tape.

Namaste is a beautiful expression which represents the belief of a Divine spark being present within each of us. Interpretations of this word include: 'The God in me greets the God in you", or "The Spirit in me meets the Spirit in you". Regardless of definitions, this very amazing word clearly states that we are all connected as one, and we should recognize and acknowledge that Spirit in each other. Granted, sometimes it is hard to see that spark in others. It can become so deeply buried under layers of earthly illusion that we readily assume some people have lost their light. Yet, they never do. As long as a breath of life exists within the body, the light of Spirit is ever present.

For some the light has become so dim they can no longer identify it within themselves, and may need the light of others to guide them back to the source. With the flame of one candle we can light a room full of them, if we pass the flame around. There is no reason why people can’t do the same. Each of us has that power. And what about those people whose only purpose in life appears to be that of creating strife and heartache? Are they a faulty product of the mind of Creation, or is crossing paths with them simply a test we must surpass before we strengthen the flame within ourselves?

Being able to recognize the presence of a Divine spark in all is exhilarating in the least. Our ego pushes for us to become isolated through fear, doubt, earthly judgment – sharing such a bond with all faces of creation is synonymous of never being alone.

No matter who crosses our path today – nice or bitter that they may be – let’s make an effort to greet them with “Namaste”. We do not need to do so out loud or overtly, but can just whisper it to ourselves. Their ears may not hear us, but the Divine being living inside of them will acknowledge the greeting, and will certainly nod in recognition of having met a kindred Spirit, if only for a moment.