Dear Common Ground Friends,
Our days are made up of many ordinary moments taking care of ourselves and each other, cleaning up, waiting our turn, responding to emails, and so on. So many of these moments can seem small, easy to overlook as we move from one thing to the next. We don't have to wait for more perfect circumstances to practice relating in a wise and loving way. We can remember that these ordinary experiences are the very place where freedom is cultivated. Again and again, we return to the ordinary moments already unfolding around us. We practice attending wisely, allowing the heart's exposure to life to reveal the causes of suffering and the possibility of the heart's release. Moment by moment, rather than looking for a different life, we learn to value the life we already have by relating to it with love. This week, join me in bringing curiosity about how this shift in relating to the ordinary becomes a source of peace.
Peace,
Shelly Graf
Co-Guiding Teacher