Everyday Epiphanies

Gratitude bestows reverence,
allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies; 
those transcendent moments of awe 
that change forever how we experience 
life and the world. 

-John Milton-
 

 The sun shone as the wind blew on a cold Winter day in January, the day of Epiphany after the twelve days of Christmas. My grandson and I stood on the shore of a small lake in Colorado watching thousands of wild geese fly in and out of the preserve. We were amazed at the finesse of their glide patterns and constant communication, their precision in ascending and descending from air to water and beyond. Here we experienced an epiphany in motion; a sense that creation was constantly becoming, evolving and ascending while rejoicing and renewing itself. It was a moment of wonder!

Epiphanies are manifestations within and without where something in seen, heard or experienced in a new way. We have an insight into what seems common that elicits an unexpected inner awakening; transforming the common into the uncommon. From this surprise, there comes a certain delight in the moment, bestowing reverence and a sense of wonder at what, a moment ago, was quite ordinary. In this space, we touch the transcendent that’s always present, always waiting for us to awaken to it. 

This momentary ‘awakening‘ helps us know experientially that there’s way more going on in this realm of life than we’re aware of. Awakening in these moments prods us to become more conscious of the conditioning we’ve received that keeps us blind, deaf and unconscious from the substance within the forms. We begin to ‘see‘ the invisible in the visible, the substance behind the forms and the essence within the matter. The awe leads to wonder and wisdom. The light begins seeping into the darkness enabling us to see the many colors, patterns and insights that are part of a New Life. 

These ‘transcendent’ moments of awe change how we experience life and make it more vibrant and alive. Think of a time when you experienced an epiphany. Maybe it was the birth of a child or the sunset that touched something within that couldn’t be explained. Maybe it was a sense of wonder in a ritual or the gift of another that touched your heart. It may have been an insight that came in a dream or the words you heard that stopped you in your tracks. It could be a line you read in a book or the darkness that lifted when you saw your own foolishness, and smiled at the revelation.

When we open ourselves to all the possibilities and potentialities that show up in our everyday lives, we can wake up and enlighten up by aligning with the Source of light and life. We can discover something extraordinary about ourselves and the whole of creation: We are part of the evolving pattern of it all. This awareness is part of our DNA, part of who we have been created to be and are at the depths of our being. Here, the unconditional love that permeates the Cosmos comes to say ‘Hello’: To bring good tidings of great joy thus changing the world in the moment and beyond.

Everyday epiphanies can happen anytime by altering our perception in simple ways. Open yourself to see more broadly, more deeply. When you perceive something within you or outside of you that you deem ‘good,’ that makes you lighten up and feel better; look into it and let it expand. Allow yourself to be awed, surprised and delighted by seeing through the surface into the heart of the matter. See the beauty that’s beneath the surface, the light within the darkness, the gold within the gunk. Allow yourself to be surprised, delighted and awed by the wild geese, wherever and whatever they are! 

•    In this moment, look around your surroundings and find something that attracts your attention. Stay focused on it and look deeply into it beyond its surface. Look more spatially and smile. What are you sensing beyond the surface? Feel it. Ponder it. Experience it. Awaken to the beauty, the delight, the openness, the essence within you merging with the essence of the object. Breathe it in. What’s awakening in you?

•    Take a walk in Nature just to be in the outdoors. Walk, sit, stand and notice what attracts your attention in the environment. Take your time, go slowly. Be aware of the sun, wind, temperature, sounds; your movements, breathing, heartbeat, energy and the senses within you. Make an attempt to see something in a new light, with in-sight. Become aware of the slightest revelation that comes. Notice what you’re feeling,  what brightens up your day.  Give thanks for it  and know you are part of it.

      by
          F.W. Rick Meyers +