Sage, Meditation, & Love

This morning, I was listening to a replay of a favorite radio show of mine, Coast to Coast AM. The guest on this particular show talked about burning sage (also known as smudging) as a means to clearing energy, which I have done before, yet she gave a great tip: Before you start burning your sage stick, open a window or door in the back of your home. Start burning in the very front of your home and work your way towards the back (making sure to get the corners, and any other hidden spots, of each room). Once you finally reach the open window or door in the back, smudge it. Close the window or door and smudge it again (though I found I needed to keep the door open longer to filter out the excess smoke). 

After completing my new clearing, I felt drawn to sit for meditation and also to dedicate the upcoming session to unconditional love. I’ve always heard of dedicating a sitting to something, but never had, and usually just get in to position, settle my body, and focus on breath. I noticed that in this session, with the preceding dedication and smudging, it had a much more “alive” quality to it. Was it the fact that I had a dedication? Was it the smudging? Intuitively I felt that, no it wasn’t necessarily either of these (though they certainly may have helped), it was what I was dedicating the session to: Love.

Have you ever noticed that when you are in love, you feel so alive? So present. So grateful. So connected. I think these may be the keys (to feeling alive): Being present, being grateful, and being connected.

How can we attain this? 

What would happen if we all lived, moved, and had our BEingness in love…

Lived in a way in which every thought, action, reaction, word, and choice came from a place of love?

Would that make us more present, and grateful, and connected?

How would our world change?

The ripple effects would be insurmountable!

I will practice this today; join me?

P.S. Another great practice, especially when you are in a hurry or too much in your head:  “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh