Through divination and observation, I'm noticing an overarching theme emerging for this coming season, perhaps even for the year, if not a longer trend.
Rather than spiritual transcendence or ascension, it's as if a next step in our evolution involves descension, as if the cosmos and the collective psyche are beckoning us to instead draw spirit down into matter. It seems to be a time to recognize and reclaim the sacred nature and divine intelligence inherent in the material world. A time to remember that physical forms are emanations of the divine and to invite this awareness into our felt senses and lived experience.
It's a beautiful opportunity to practice the divine law of sacred reciprocity called "Ayni," by the Q'uero of the Andes, to actively participate in the giving and receiving of/to the world of form.
In Andean tradition, giving precedes receiving, and both are important for sustaining life.
For our practice, giving can look like...
We might start by offering a simple moment of gratitude for what we have and who we are. We can take it a step farther by invoking, stoking, cultivating and infusing the light of Spirit into our being and environments simply through our intentions and will. We can bless, if not dedicate and align our work, our projects, our money, our health, our minds, emotions, homes and relations with Spirit.
We can imagine the sun shining a beam of light, full of divine intelligence, love and energy into these areas of our lives, and imagine our bodies and our things radiating with this light.
We might even ritualize this experience by making a physical offering, perhaps taking a piece of chocolate, a gathered stone, a flower, a coin, a trinket we've made, or a cup of water and blowing the breath into it to symbolize infusing it with Spirit, and gifting this item to your favorite spot in nature, leaving it near a tree, releasing it into a creek, or placing it on an altar as a gift to the divine.
On the other hand, receiving has a lot to do with surrendering, allowing, presence, taking the time and paying attention.
In practice, receiving can look like...
We might practice sensing into and trusting our bodies. We might simply take a deep breath and feel its temperature, notice how our chest and bellies move, how our body responds. We might notice the sensation of our chairs, beds, floors or the earth, and sense into being supported, held and carried.
We might once again visualize a beam of light coming from the sun into our bodies, our work, our projects, our money, our health, our minds, emotions, homes and relations. This time, allow these areas to drink up the light, to absorb, digest, become infused with, to appear and feel nourished and fed by it. If you'd like to complete the circuit, once you feel full of light, you can once again, imagine it radiating out into a beautiful flow of giving and receiving, of mutual reciprocity. We can ritualize this (take physical actions to symbolically represent our intention to receive) by setting aside time to allow ourselves to be in relationship with and nourished by sensual reality. For example, we can diffuse aromatic oils, light some incense or literally stop and smell roses; draw a lovely bath and relish its multi-sensory pleasures; wear something soft or pet an animal and enjoy the sensation of touch; prepare and/or eat a beautiful meal and be present with the aromas and flavors; listen to and be moved (emotionally and physically) by music; watch a sunset or a live performance and revel and marvel in the beauty and creativity of it all; adorn ourselves with jewelry and things that make us feel beautiful; clean &/or beautify our space(s) so that they look and feel pleasing to our eyes and our bodies. Prayer: May we know the sacred gifts, awe and wonder of material reality, sourced in Spirit, and enjoy the magic of being human in relation with it all!
Affirm: I am grateful for and am in awe and wonder of material reality's sacred gifts. I am safe in my body and trust my senses. I receive the infinite abundance sourced in Spirit, and enjoy the magic of being human, in right-relation with it all!