Attentiveness 24/7

Photo by Ryan Kwok on Unsplash

Years ago as a novice in the Third Order Society of St. Francis (TSSF), at one of our gatherings someone who had been in the Order for several decades proposed that we stop reading books. Later I noticed that he was being severely reprimanded for making such a comment to a group of novices. But in the past month I have heard similar statements from a variety of sources. My understanding of the meaning of those words has changed as I’ve heard them repeated again and again.

In the past few weeks I’ve had a couple of experiences that have been instructive in this matter. Both were terribly annoying at the time and it took some stepping back to realize the importance of what was being communicated on a larger scale. The first event was that one of our toilets got backed up, no it wasn’t a child’s toy interfering with the flow. After a few hours of pushing and pulling with a plunger, water overflowing and of course mopping the floor; I had to pause and look at what was going on within me. There I was engaged in this menial task enraged at the absurdity of my overreaction, both frustrated and laughing at the same time. I read the message as an opportunity for me to explore spaces in my life where I was blocking the flow of thoughts, actions, and perhaps, even new experiences. Hhhhmm . . . not a bad conclusion from rubber gloves, plunger in hand, and water flowing everywhere.

The second event was my computer quit. I turned it on one day and the screen was black, necessitating a whole range of responses not the least of which was the unexpected expenditure and the lack of accessibility to a range of activities from writing a blog to Zoom calls and other forms of technological inquiries. When I acquired my new computer a few days later, the kind fellow at Staples who aided in my purchase let me know that my twelve year old computer had reached a critical state, he said “your battery was about to explode.” I thought he was being a bit dramatic, but in reviewing my responses to several national events, “explosive” was and excellent descriptor.

No doubt, I could not have related quite so intimately to these events and their significance in my life from reading about them in a book. Spiritual lessons were abounding in real life if I allowed myself to see clearly what was really going on. I think that was what my Franciscan brother was signaling for me and others in his comment to not read so many books. Perhaps, he had in mind these words of Rumi:

I have been a seeker and I still am, but I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teaching of my Soul.

If we get too caught up in other’s spiritual stories we miss the lessons of our own experiential adventures. The opportunities that are unique in place and time for our personal and spiritual growth. Of course, what gets greatly minimized is the merit of our own prophetic voice.

It’s not that the shared experiences of others aren’t advantageous, but nothing beats being in the thick of things and paying attention to how I’m behaving mentally, emotionally, and especially physically, which ultimately affects everything around me. All of my responses ripple through the cosmos and affect much more than the present moment. We know this because before science affirmed it we were dropped into a web of interconnectivity, not separate from the Divine. I can’t do anything without affecting all other beings whether consciously or unconsciously. So the more conscious I become of my behavior the more I can neutralize my frequency toward higher vibrations in alignment with the greater Good. And you can, too.

I’ve come to the understanding that the brief moments of prayer, meditation, contemplation, or any other meaningful ritual are merely starters, the foundation laid for attentiveness 24/7. Like a partially turned off faucet — water rhythmically dripping throughout the day—such is inner engagement. Spiritual practices don’t end when the timer goes off, they actually begin for all practical purposes when we take responsibility for carrying the Presence into the world. That’s a powerful undertaking when you think about it—24/7 spirituality—acknowledging with gratitude the grace flowing into and through us.

Life truly becomes awe-inspiring when we are awake enough to be both the observer and participant of a situation, interpersonal encounter, or even a mishap in which creative energy surges to new heights and transformation occurs, often spontaneously.