Turn Mundane into Ritual
My intent for February is to have a daily ritual. This will be a time of peace, observation of the present and heightening of the senses. But this ritual won’t be exactly what it sounds. I plan to choose a random action during the day (such as doing my skincare routine, the dishes, laundry, driving, making my lunch) and heighten my awareness to it. My desire is that these "rituals" may begin to build on one another, until my days are spent in present tense.
In The Power of Now Tolle explains that our problems come from past and future worries, and that there are no problems in the present.
In order to do this, my plan will be to choose a task in which I feel I can bring full attention. Limit distractions and noise, and begin to observe the current moment with all of my senses. What do I see, feel, smell, hear and taste? With each sense taking time to notice and be aware of fluctuation, not just list facts. I then will be aware of my breath and thoughts, attempting to stay in the reality of the situation. Acknowledge wandering thoughts but bring them back to the current action.
While this may be something you can randomly intersperse in your day, another option would be to set aside time to do your daily ritual. Some suggestions would be your AM/PM skincare routine, making and sitting with your tea, or making your bed.
In this way, we can piece together these moments of calm and explore sensory awareness, staying mindful throughout.
Let me know if you plan to give it a try!
If you’re wondering, Yes! I am still doing my February challenge of NO SPENDING. I will not be purchasing anything (food, coffee, clothes, extraneous items) for the next 28 days. Some of you know I strictly limit my use of amazon and I decided to take it one step further. If purchases are made, I will be transparent and hope that I can find small businesses to support. Join me in this endeavor, it is the shortest month after all!