A Prayer for Presence

“Just be yourself. Be your light. Feel it. Breathe it in, and breathe it out. Let your light be like a candle. May you be surprised by your light and share it.” –Thich Nhat Hanh

So much happens during the course of one day. We go in so many directions. Our thoughts and actions are changing and transforming into different energies all the time. Our days are full to bursting in capacity. In our get-it-done-yesterday, have-to-Tweet-about-it-now, must-check-Facebook, multiple-meetings-in-one-day society, it is oftentimes hard to get a sense of our own true presence, or the presence of another person. Are we really taking each other in? Are we offering the best of ourselves in a given moment?

Zen Master and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh’s advice/quote above is like a moment’s meditation. We have this moment now to become aware of ourselves. Of our essential good nature. Our own light. Without fear and judgment we do have the power to slow down the fast pace and be in the full being of ourselves. Whatever the moment we find ourselves in is an opportunity to be with our own light. To open the heart up. Offer it up. Breathe. Be brave in stopping, to step out from the whirlwind. Let us allow ourselves the compassionate healing of remembering that we’re all in this together. Everyone’s in the midst of a whirlwind day, over-crowded schedules, barely a moment to spare. This moment gently calls for our attention now. This one moment is one which won’t pass our way again. May we be witness to ourselves and each other in it. Let us not become so busy, overwhelmed, over-scheduled or too tired that we forget to bear witness to each moment with one other.

Check in with your light. Your inner love-light. Say hello to it. Smile at it. Think of ways you can share it. Maybe there are lots of ways you can surprise someone, or many, with your love-light today. Take the light from inside and make it an outward manifestation.

May we all have the courage to embrace this present moment as it is. May we have the courage to be who we are and stand in our own light. May we be open and generous in sharing our love-light.

Just a moment. This moment. Breathe. Let us be witness to now, to each other, together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tracy Bakkelokken hails from the USA, but now lives in Norway. She is an artist exploring the path where creativity and spirit meet. Currently she is engaged in painting, writing and photography, in addition to creating for her shop PranaLight hosted at Etsy–offering a range of handmade art & jewelry designed to nurture and enhance the Divine Feminine Spirit.  Her blog, PranaLight, is about celebrating art, life and spirit!