Making the Mundane Sacred *
“There is no mundane dimension really, if you have the eyes to see it, it is all transcendental.” – Terence McKenna
One of the invitations I have been receiving in the past months is to make the mundane sacred. By slowing down, and bringing both presence and reverence to each moment, we not only elevate our experience of life but also our own vibrational state. The current cultural norm of toxic productivity has us rushing from one thing to the next with our eye trained on the future while we frantically tick boxes off our list. This leads to: stress, burnout, emotional and physical tension, disconnection, depression and/or frustration and dissatisfaction.
On the other hand, when we really take the time and live each task or experience to its fullest, we are able to experience much more ease and joy in our relationships and our creative/professional endeavors. And we then naturally start sloughing off anything extraneous to our well-being and contentment.
Here are seven simple tips for making the mundane sacred (with a bonus poem at the end)
1) Slow down
While this is self-explanatory, most of us are conditioned to speed up and get really busy during the big, transitional times. However, the more we breathe, take breaks, spend time in replenishing activities (whether that be in nature, meditating, taking a bath/shower, creating art, gardening, working out, connecting with loved one and so on) the better we’ll be able to navigate things with ease.
2) Declutter/tidy your space
It is difficult to slow down and touch into gratitude/reverence when the space we’re in is cluttered. And our internal and external state often impact each other in either a positive or negative feedback loop. The invitation here is to start with what you are doing/where you are in the moment. If you are about to cook, make sure the kitchen counters are clear. Before you work, clear off your desk (more about that below). Planning a big spring cleaning/decluttering (although it may organically turn into that) is likely to overwhelm you and make you want to put it off, or clean from a rushed and contracted place. So start small.
3) Have ritual/grounding objects in your work/living space
Having objects that have meaning for you in areas that you spend a lot of time in (such as the bedroom, your desk, the kitchen counters, your home gym area etc.) can help you connect to a deeper sense of relating to whatever you are doing. For example, I have rocks, crystals and other objects on and around my computer to help ground me and be a clearer channel during sessions and when I write. It also helps me remember the bigger picture when I’m doing tasks I might otherwise dislike (like taxes, paying bills, doing marketing etc.). Personalize this invitation in a way that makes sense to you.
4) Bring your breath and gratitude to what you’re doing
An easy way to bring more presence to whatever you are doing is to take a few deep breaths before starting. I also like saying “Hi” and “thank you” in my head to whatever I’m doing or whoever I’m interacting with (and “thank you, bye”) to mark the start and beginning, and to tap into gratitude. That may be appreciation for myself, or for whatever the activity or interaction is bringing me.
5) Be in the process rather than the outcome
Again, this is both self-explanatory but also counter-cultural. We have been trained to “keep our eye on the prize” and always focus on our plans and goals. And while that might help us with our accomplishments, it often diminishes our enjoyment of our lives and what we do have, since we end up focusing all our energy on what is currently missing. In truth, being process oriented and reaching our goals doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. In fact, I’ve found that when I’m in the moment-to-moment unfolding of experience, following where the energy is rather than pushing things with my mind, I manifest what I want much more easefully, and sometimes way beyond what my brain thought was possible.
6) Focus on the deeper meaning of the moment
When we are rushing from one thing to the next, it is easy to take things for granted, or see things/people as a distraction. Which can create a general feeling of frustration, dissatisfaction, and—further down the line—regret at not realizing what we had. If we slow down and get out of “ticking things off our list” mode, we can remember to appreciate whatever is in front of us. Paying a bill is an opportunity to be grateful for whatever it is providing us. Going shopping, we can appreciate we have the money for and access to nourishing food. Showering can be a ritual cleaning activity, and so on.
7) Make it simple (and everything can be sacred)
If you like elaborate rituals and have time for them, by all means do that. But most of us get overwhelmed if something feels too difficult, and then we don’t do it. This does not have to be complicated. Do whatever feels accessible, easy, and enhances your enjoyment of life.
Life as Sacred Ritual
Give yourself space
Spread your wingspan
to full capacity
Out, out, out…
till you touch
the immensity
of possibility
when you live
in Infinity
The only limits
are self-generated,
trauma perpetuated
B R E A T H E
your lungs
out, out, out…
beyond distorted prisms,
twisted stories
imprisoning potentiality
E x p a n d
into the
unknown
Elevate drudgery
into art
Make the mundane
a sacred ritual
Reclaim sovereignty
over experience
Let the mystery
dissolve matter
until you float
in the bliss
of beingness
© Jenny Brav
My Story
As children, we all experienced some level of wounding due to unmet needs and/or direct trauma. As a result, we subconsciously developed beliefs about ourselves or the world to help explain what we were experiencing. For example: “I’m not enough,” “Others can’t be trusted,” “I can’t make mistakes,” “I need to stay small to be safe,” and “I don’t belong.” These beliefs in turn led us to adopt coping strategies to try to manage in a world where “not belonging” was our daily reality.
