What Is Sacred In Your Life?
What is sacred in your life?
Recently, I’ve been thinking about something important. Five words, to be precise.
What is a sacred life?
Rivvy Neshama, author of Recipes For A Sacred Life: True Stories and a Few Miracles is the originator of this question. In a recent interview, she invited the listeners to ponder this profound question. And I have been thinking about it ever since.
What is my sacred life?
For sure I know it’s the life I live when I’m not running scared. It’s no coincidence that where we choose to place the ‘c’ is how we meet life.
Scared or Sacred.
When I think of the sacred I’m not talking about church-going Sundays. Or observing the Sabbath. Or going down on your knees in worship pose in front of an altar of Hindu deities. Although each one of the above practices is a great way to connect with the sacred. But those are not the only ways.
Too often we make the ‘sacred’ a rule, or what we were taught to do, or know to be holy.
I’ve strayed away from the world of what I was taught, only to return to the parts of it that I cherish. It has become a delicious balance between what I was raised to believe in and what is meaningful to me today.
So here’s my recipe for a sacred life:
- waking up with a prayer on my lips
- pausing to ‘feel’ grateful throughout my day
- playing with children to connect with my inner child
- eating my meals with joy
- being aware of my breath
- serving someone every single day
- honoring my body, the temple of my soul
- sleeping a good 7-8 hours every night
- reading books that nourish me
- listening well
- tuning into my inner guidance
What happens to this recipe when we’re grieving?
As I review my list I realize that my connection to the sacred is what rescues me every single day.
In other words, the sacred container that is my life holds the space for everything–my grief, disappointments, loneliness, despair and stubborn pride. In meditation, praying, reading, placing words on a page, playing with a child, and being grateful for all the simple miracles in my daily life, I am connected to that which is holy.
It restores my faith in life–even if in that moment I’m looking at the world through sorrowful lens.
Reflect on your own life and consider what is sacred. If you’ve spent little time pondering this, maybe now is a good time to start.
Create your own list. Add to it. Try something new. Make sure you spend time with what is sacred in your life every single day.
Thank you, Uma, for today’s post! While it is all helpful and I love it, the following piece spoke to me especially, “balance between what I was raised to believe in and what is meaningful to me today”.
I have often described my “religion” as belonging to the “church of Jill” (in other words, my own beliefs, gathered from my life experience). I like the idea of finding balance from the pieces of the sacred that are part of my childhood and upbringing that are still relevant, useful, and important to me today AND adding in all of my life experience and the people I’ve learned from along the way. This balance (thank you for that concept) is ever changing as I continue in life’s experience.
For me, right now, what is sacred is time with family. As my parents and in-laws age, I am celebrating every moment with them, realizing how limited our time with them might be. As my children are growing and approaching the fledgling stage of leaving the nest, I cherish every moment with them, as well, often torn between gathering them in my arms, not letting go and encouraging them to spread their wings and be independent. There are many other parts of my sacred, for sure, but time with family is at the top of the list right now.
Thank you, again, for this lovely, thought-provoking, post!
I love your detailed feedback to my posts, Jill. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know your thoughts. How precious that FAMILY is at the center of your sacred life! Could anything be more sacred! Squeeze every drop of time with those you love. It is THE most important thing.