Cultivating Peak Moments
We have all had experiences of higher consciousness, when we are attuned with the deeper currents of our lives. We sense that our life is more than pain, struggle, and suffering. Living in joy, freedom, and love is a state of being available to us right now and is only available in the present moment.
The small moments of love, joy, peace, and awe we experience are the wings of Grace gently brushing against us, hinting to us what lies deeper if we dare venture forth and explore more deeply. Have you ever felt a deep feeling of peace that pervades your thoughts and feelings? Or felt supported and cared for, nurtured and nourished at a deep soul level? The experience that all is right in your world, and you have no worries, fear, or shame. Or when your thoughts seek love and harmony and goodness - these are the whispers of freedom, joy, and love. This state can only be found in the present moment, in the Now. We can’t anticipate it in the future. We can only truly experience it here and now. Now is a timeless moment.
Peak moments can occur while lovemaking, connecting deeply with another human being or an animal, or being in Nature. I remember windsurfing off the coast of Florida and three dolphins swam underneath me, so close I could touch them. At that moment I felt completely one with All That Is - the sky, sun, wind, water, and beings. Peak moments like these take us out of the way we habitually experience ourselves and bring us into a greater context for our beingness.
Peak moments can even occur when the circumstances around us aren’t beautiful or peaceful or awe inspiring. While in Las Vegas with my husband on one of his work trips, I explored the pool area outside the casino hotel - definitely not my favorite or ideal place to be. But as I looked around all I saw was the love being expressed between the families, friends, and couples that surrounded me. In those moments, I felt so much love around and within me. My heart opened and I realized that my circumstances don’t matter. Love is within me always, everywhere.
Working with the memories of our peak moments can help us to connect with those feelings inside right Now. Journaling can help us to connect with those experiences as can sharing them with others. So often we share our fears and complaints. Try making a habit of sharing the peak moments of your daily life. This will help you connect in to that joy you experienced and help another person connect into the possibility of joy for themselves as well.
Those moments are windows into a state of being available to us on a much deeper, more consistent basis. Our daily lives can sometimes feel like those black and white paint by number pictures. Our daily practices are the paint and brushes and movements needed to bring color into the picture and make it alive for us. By connecting to our peak experiences regularly, we move more deeply into the experience of being fully alive.
