Another full moon arrives, and before you put down the Law of Beauty pause for a moment to consider the connection between Beauty and the 14th Law of the Eternal Present. Unless we slow down to be fully present, we will miss the Beauty. Beauty may be fleeting, yet once we’ve fully experienced it, it stays with us.
‘A thing of Beauty is a Joy forever’ wrote John Keats. This English Romantic poet died of tuberculosis, in 1821 at age twenty-six, but the beautiful poetry he left behind lives forever
As you study the 14th Law on the Wisdom Wheel, examine the relationship between the words present and presence. Why do some people have that impressive quality of presence? Why does it leave an impression on us? Being fully present is a gift that can do more for us than any gift-wrapped present in a box.
Of all the Laws, this is the one people mispronounce most often. They tend to say Eternal Presence instead of Present. As you discuss this Law with others this month, see if this happens!
You can learn about the Eternal Present from children. They are rarely distracted by the modern, guilt-inducing syndrome adults feel, ‘I-should-be-doing-something-else-right-now-or-I’ll- never-get-it-all-done.’ Fifteen minutes of quality time, paying full attention to a child, can register more deeply than five days of off-handedness. Reflect on times when you’ve been fully present to what was happening. That’s when Time stops and we form our most treasured memories. We’re in touch with Eternity in those moments.
The Law of the Eternal Present is also known as The Law of Now. This month try to read Ekhart Tolles’ best-selling book, The Power of Now
. He talks about how to experience Infinity in an instant when we are fully present. Everything exists simultaneously in this quality of Time.
There is an immense hunger for ‘recognition’ and ‘acceptance’ in this world, precisely because we refuse to be present or be with. It would do a world of good if we’d learn to practice the Law of Eternal Present. Then we could relieve some of the alienation, anger and loneliness before they flare up into violence. People resent being brushed off.
We know because we’ve all experienced it.
Hustle and bustle can be quite intimidating. We feel demeaned when others are too busy to notice us. In the past I used my ‘busyness’ to give myself space. Sometimes I wanted to extend ‘care and empathy’ but I couldn’t summon the energy for it. When you’re stressed out and exhausted, you can’t be attentive. ‘Being there’ requires an extraordinary amount of energy or it can be effortless. What makes the difference?
When we’re ‘running on empty,’ not centered or grounded, we don’t have much ‘being’ to offer to others because we’re not even giving it to our selves. It’s hard to sense the Presence if you can’t be Present for It! If we find it difficult to meditate for more than five minutes a day, what does that reveal about our readiness to deal with Eternity?
Many blessings, Malcolm & Cynthia Davidson
