Our Peace Nurturing Practice this week is celebration. We choose celebration as a way of being, savoring each moment to its fullest.  Waking up to a new day is cause for celebration; we have 24 hours in which to soak up the beauty, joy, kindness, and sacredness of each moment.  We build on our previous Peace Nurturing Practice of Welcoming all that comes into our lives and step into the space of pure bliss by savoring and honoring the preciousness of each moment, each breath, each encounter, each sunset.  Indeed, “Celebration time is here!”

Celebration can be individual and/or collective.  This is the time of year when many traditions celebrate Light, some use candles to remind us of the Light that is always within us.  A trip to Key West often includes going to Mallory Docks to celebrate the sunset with others.  When the sun is fully down, everyone applauds and there is a feeling, an energy of collective celebration.  Travelling to and/or within South America often includes applause for the pilot as the plane touches down and everyone celebrates the successful landing.  This tradition opens us to recognizing that while we expect to land successfully, it is not a given and should not be taken for granted. How many other aspects of life are we taking for granted that we can now choose to celebrate?   

Stepping outside we might encounter a plant or tree and take a few minutes to gently touch and speak with our green friends, celebrating their presences in our lives. My friend Diane and I recently dug out a tree that had fallen during Ian, been righted and came down again in Nicole. Before we put her up again, we spoke to the tree, touching her and reassuring her of our intentions.  Once she was settled in place, I played soothing music for her with a crystal wand.  Diane declared her name to be Divine and she is thriving.  We celebrate Divine’s good health daily with water, touches, and words. She has responded with a celebration of brilliant green leaves and bright red berries. 

Opportunities for celebration abound. Wherever we are, whatever time it is, we simply stop, look, listen, and discover what sparks delight in us in that moment.  As Albert Einstein said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

This rejoicing in each moment, each blessing, each breath is what builds our Peace Power for it means we are living life to the fullest and cherishing every last bit of joy from each experience.    

Desiring to rejoice

Opportunities arise

Celebrations

Appear

Before our eyes.

Reflection: On Monday, I awoke hearing these words in my head: “I wake to joy!” I giggled and began to enjoy the prospect of a new day.  Then I realized it was time to practice celebrating everything in my life as part of building inner peace. 

I chose a picture of a very tiny flower for this post because of its uplifting posture and its message that celebrations, like this tiny flower, may be hidden before our eyes.  The upward, receptive pose of the empty cup-like sepals to the right of the flower feels peaceful as do the soft, muted colors in the background.  The pronounced hair-like trichomes on the stems of the flower illustrate the feeling of the hair on our arms standing at attention when we are enraptured by a sight, sound, or experience.  In short, I selected this photo because it epitomizes celebration to me; it looks how I feel when jubilant! Each trichome is standing up, absorbing, and demonstrating delight in the moment.  One could say, the trichomes are celebrating just as we do, by expanding and rejoicing. 

Throughout this week, I have enjoyed meaningful conversations with almost everyone I encountered partly because my goal was to discover what there was to celebrate in each exchange.  The theme of celebration has guided me to savor every bit of joy in everything I have done.  Taking out the garbage offered a chance to celebrate the sight of Cumulus clouds.

Looking to rejoice, to celebrate has brought me many gifts, most importantly, delight and inner serenity.   

Your turn: What have you celebrated lately?  What do you wish to celebrate that you have not before? Have you ever experienced a peaceful joy from celebrating someone or something?

Thank you for being a vital part of Peace on Earth by nurturing peace in your heart, in your life.  The more that you embody peace, the more peace there is.

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.  (Click on the blue link below.)