The power of attention is a magnificent gift and it is with this gift that we can infuse sacredness into our everyday life. I think this is a meaningful exercise for those of us who are looking to touch the freedom and unlimited joy that is our birthright. By the end of this my wish is that we can understand why infusing the sacred into our lives is an important and essential aspect of creating a life worth living. I’m experiencing deeper levels of sacredness in my life as I practice placing my attention on the things that inspire, uplift, and bring joy to my spirit.
First of all, what does ‘sacred’ mean?
The word stems from the Latin word ‘sacer’ which means set off or restricted. Many faiths across the word hold that the sacred is an “outward visible sign of an inward and invisible grace.” In other words, the outward sign points us back to something inside that must also be considered sacred, but cannot be seen without something to reflect it.
“Nature longs for beauty, and is only satisfied when beauty can be exalted. Outer beauty is inner beauty made visible, and it manifests itself in the light that flows from our eyes.” - Paulo Coelho
For me, the definition of sacred is that which is held close.
Held close to what, you might ask. Like a mother nurturing her newborn child, or the warm embrace of a loved one, these are moments we hold something close to our heart more than just the physical. However, they are time and space defined moments so they can only be held in our presence with them. Time will inevitably move forward and after that they become memories. Therefore, the definition of sacred as "that which we hold close" can be transformed into "a moment of attention." Because if our attention is not removed from presence it allows us to be the closest to the moment and the sacredness becomes a lived experience. Hence, at-tention, at the moment.
So, doesn’t that mean that “everything is sacred?”
This is a cliché that has made its way around New Age circles that doesn't have much substance. However, I believe that there is something behind it. I don’t think it’s wrong to say this, but I do think it leads us to a dead end because it doesn’t help us actually acknowledge it as a truth in our life.
I think a more accurate statement is “Life is sacred because you make it so.”
The sacredness is in your intention and attention. The more focus you put into the aspects of your life that allow you to see the sacredness inside yourself, the more your awareness can expand to see that the whole world is reflecting this to you. This is where the saying “everything is sacred” can turn from a platitude into a lived and embodied experience. I believe this to be what all of the mystical traditions are talking about.
Taking this beyond the conceptual, how do we place more attention on our life?
This may seem like a trivial question to ask because, of course, we bring more attention by using our mind to focus on something. However, I would argue that you must first take the step to remember that paying attention is your intention. So, every action taken is done with a remembrance that you desire to do it with unbroken focus. This is the goal at least.
When you continuously come back to the in-tention of paying at-tention it allows you to refine your skill of bringing yourself closer to the moment. Practice bringing your attention to the here and now and your capacity to stay in presence will expand.
And how does this allow us to experience freedom and joy?
Similar to what we’ve talked about, the mystical traditions often talk about creating a one-pointed mind. A focused mind is not afflicted by the past or future because it becomes the object of its awareness. When the mind is yoked to an object, there’s no space to ruminate on past experiences or worry about the future.
All wisdom texts, in their own ways, state that pain and suffering arise due to our separation from the moment. They say that our natural state, which is sacred, is a state of unwavering joy and we’ve only lost our connection to this because our mind creates a distinction between subject and object.
Hence why, if we want to experience our natural state, we need to use the power of will, which can only be enacted through attention, to restore this union of subject and object.
This is a sacred act. The act of restoring the union that was there before everything else. So, it’s not just the end result of reaching the present moment but also in the act of will (or attention) it takes to get here. Therefore, the journey and the destination are not separate. This is why “everything is sacred.”
Your life is a sacred act because you can participate in it. You can’t be taken away from the sacredness of life so long as your attention is focused on it and, interestingly enough, even working to restore the sacredness in your life by noticing you were not an active participant in it, is sacred.
I am constantly surprised the more life reveals to me when I am able to pay more attention to it. I think we must remember that the sacred is available to us as much as we are available to It. All of the “hidden wisdom” is actually hidden because we are not available to it, yet.
So, take a look at the things you are placing the most attention on in your life. Are they affirming the sacredness that you are? Are they inspiring you? Bringing you joy, peace and fulfilment? If they are, how can you bring even more of this into your life (i.e. get closer to these things)? If they are not, what things are you currently overlooking that could be paid more attention to? Or how can you shift your attention to something that ignites the fire in you?
Keep remembering your attention is your gift and choose wisely as to what you place it on, knowing that if you do so with enough intention it will bring you there. To an experience of the sacred within.