In our world, it is common for us to appreciate almost exclusively the ‘big ticket’ items in life – the new job, house or car, the unanticipated windfall, the volunteers who help out in a disaster, the player who scores the winning goal for the team. It is, in my experience at least, rare for us to appreciate what we deem as insignificant or mundane events like enjoying a lovely meal or just a cup of herbal tea, for example. Such moments are relegated to the status of being merely incidental and instrumental in our pursuit of the big-ticket items.
Even rarer is it for us to appreciate qualities, those of others and ourselves, the exceptions involving social rituals like death, marriage, and graduation. Rather, our focus tends to be more on achievements and material acquisitions.
I’ve been observing how this sets us up with a continuum of progression for appreciation, with qualities per se receiving little or none, treat-like items and events receive a modicum and, as noted above, the big-ticket items take the lion’s share. We eke out our natural appreciation like a miser would his gold and force ourselves into habits of utilising appreciation like a non-renewable resource, using it minimalistically and idealistically as a means of confirming when an inner picture, goal, wish, dream or aspiration has been reached – seeing it as the full stop at the end of a sentence or the tick in the ‘done’ box.
Along with millions of other people, much of my life has been focussed on unfolding a spiritual, and latterly, a Soulful path. On these paths there has been, until recently, a similar tendency to appreciate only the ‘bigger,’ more advanced or perceived-as-being-more-Divine qualities and for ‘a limited time only,’ as the TV ads would say. On the spiritual paths I pursued, there was a belief in true divinity occurring only after death – hence no need to appreciate this life: and on the beginning Soulful path I noted a tendency to appreciate only the absolutes, e.g. absolute Joy or absolute Stillness. Such occasions were rare so what do we do with our appreciation the rest of the time? Are we then repeating the pattern of appreciation being exclusive and only for ‘special occasions?’ If so, how do we redress the matter?
Is it possible that we can bring the magic of our Soul’s presence to any and all mundane tasks through the choice of such inner connection? Could holding the awareness of our inner quality as we move through life, appreciating its effects on the smallest of details, be a way to bring our innate magic to the long overlooked mundane tasks of life? Can the mundane be blessed by the livingness of our loveliness, our joy or our stillness?
How would this look and feel on a daily basis?
Observation and experience have indicated that externally things look almost the same except that there is a notable absence of drive or disregard in one’s actions and movements, which have been replaced by a sense of solidness and grace. This can occur with just about anything – washing the dishes, setting the table, cleaning the house, walking in nature or to work. The possibilities are as wide and varied as life itself.
However, the real changes are felt on the inside and become visible through one’s connection with others and the outside world. When I am in appreciation of the flow of my movements and the inner warmth that accompanies this, I am also more open to looking deeply into the eyes of others and confirming our connection through a delicate smile or a subtle bow of the head.
At such times, I also delight in my surrounds – everything takes on the hue of beauty and wonder and I know that everything I touch feels the same loveliness as I feel within my body. Others will return my gaze in the same quality, again confirming our connection and equality by quality.
Here there is no continuum of importance, no big-ticket item to pursue, simply a warm meeting of loveliness gazing into the mirror of the loveliness of another and the mutual acceptance of that quality within each.
I find a deeper awareness of the perfection of the timing of events; things flow unhurriedly and have a natural rhythm, very much like the subtle gentle breath that is felt and enjoyed at such times. Often there is a light breeze that delicately caresses the face and hands, an invitation to allow one’s breath to deepen in the same delicateness, as though Nature is responding to and confirming this quality also.
This all feels very normal and from the outside looks completely unremarkable.
On the inside there is the unfolding of the knowing that there can be divinity in the smallest detail of our lives, if we but allow the awareness, and then the appreciation, of our quality to unfold and bring its magic to the mundane. Under the blessing of this magic the mundane is transformed by the touch of the divine, with no magic wand required, but the simple grace of presence expressed through the quality inherent in one’s movements.
By Coleen
Related Reading:
What is the Science of Appreciation and how does it Evolve All of Our Relationships?
Trust and Appreciation
Appreciation of Life and Ourselves
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
Coleen how interesting that you’ve highlighted our perception on the ‘bigger’ and ‘mundane’ tasks. It feels that life is created in such a way that we sweep things under the carpet. A prisoner would appreciate just the fact that they would love to have a cup of tea/coffee from a ceramic cup, or that they would love to share that moment with another.
Whilst we live freely in this world, it’s interesting how we place our emphasis on what is circulating around us as the ‘bigger’ things. Yet, the label we give as being “mundane” is less emphasised.
If we really open ourselves to what is out there, un-phased by the circus and the clowns we live around, life would be more humorous than we are made to think it is.
I love bringing magic to the mundane, ‘On the inside there is the unfolding of the knowing that there can be divinity in the smallest detail of our lives, if we but allow the awareness, and then the appreciation, of our quality to unfold and bring its magic to the mundane.’
Beautiful Coleen. The more we appreciate the more we realise there is to appreciate in the love and wisdom that is flowing through us.
Appreciating when we are in a flow, ‘When I am in appreciation of the flow of my movements and the inner warmth that accompanies this’.
Mary, I agree, the more we appreciate, the more we are given to appreciate. So in the end, what we once perceived to be an intense moment, will no longer have that fuel attached to it. Because in that appreciation, God offers us more that He/She is every where…
Experiencing the Joy of our divine connection becomes natural and that is what a True Livingness brings and then we are open to appreciate all we are in essence \ Soul and thus True appreciative-ness of our re-connection! Then we can appreciate others have the same ability to re-connect by first living with the Joy of their Soul as a choice, when they are ready to make that movement normal and thus no imposition judgement or comparison on another.
Beautifully expressed Coleen, thank you. “On the inside there is the unfolding of the knowing that there can be divinity in the smallest detail of our lives, if we but allow the awareness, and then the appreciation, of our quality to unfold and bring its magic to the mundane.” We look outside of ourselves for things to appreciate, the big ticket items especially, because we have been educated and socialised to believe we are nothing as beings, and that life is about what we do and have. We are missing out on the greatest treasure (ourselves) because of this.
I am appreciating those magic moments more … the silences with people where for a moment you are just being with yourself and the other. I love that.
Coleen, I love what you are sharing with us all because we have it seems forgotten the little things in life that are just as important as the big things, as the little things are like a bridge to the next opportunity, each step we take is a bridge to appreciate more of what we are being shown. It’s when we feel that life is mundane we have forgotten to appreciate the little things in life.
I love the timing of moments when I come across a communication from God/Nature. But never equated that lovely feeling to appreciating the moment but it makes a lot of sense thats what it is.
Its an interesting balance, or rather a unique resource. Unlike other things, with appreciation, the more you use it, the more you have… it does not dwindle or deplete.
There is also appreciating all those things we do everyday, that we don’t even blink an eye lid with. Sleeping, waking up, getting out of bed, getting ready for the day. If we considered everything about how we move through in each day in all that we do, we would feel how every single thing matters and how we matter in every single thing we do.
I can relate to waiting for absolute joy etc in order to appreciate. But actually it’s appreciating the imperfect, more frequent moments of joy and love that make life amazing.
‘Is it possible that we can bring the magic of our Soul’s presence to any and all mundane tasks through the choice of such inner connection?’ What a beautiful question Coleen, this is indeed possible because our Soul is always trying to connect with us in every moment and all we have to do is give ourselves permission to fully embody our Soul and it’s there ready and waiting.
When the mundane lacks the spark and magic we then miss, it is for us to ignite it within ourselves and carry it into the mundane; the magic is part of a relationship and interaction whereby we play a vivid role for the magic to happen and to recognize it.
It is every moment that holds the beauty of the next moment and to live this there is no better or worse or more to like or less to like but simply the next moment to live in all that it holds and offers.
The magic is within us before it is experienced on the outside as otherwise we woudn´t recognise it and or it is rarely happening. That means we can and need to contribute for the magic to happen; it is the result of how we are with ourselves and in life, a response so to speak we cannot control but allow the space for. And so it is in our hands, in our movements and way of relationships that we experience magic or not in even the most mundane daily things (or not).
The magic is always there, but as you say Alex… its up to us if we are going to operating at the same level.
The magic is within us, it is how we are with ourselves and life that allows it to be seen and felt.
I really enjoyed reading this today, thank you Coleen, and what beauty-full words about bringing our soulful quality into every moment “…the livingness of our loveliness”.