It Really is the Little Things

by Daniel J Schwarzhoff

Artwork by Kristen Schwarzhoff / See

The late train, the burnt toast, the extra pound on the scale. Life's little frustrations are our teachers. They inform us where we need to grow if we are watchful of them.

Once you understand the nature of disappointment, then the inevitable displeasures of life begin to serve, making you a stronger, more resilient person.

But most of us don't see them that way. We get annoyed and angry. We blame others or ourselves, judging either or both. That's playing God, the spiritual substance of 'sin.'

But when we watch these temptations, potential annoyances, from a position of objectivity, we do not get upset and find that they lose their power over us. We become free from judgment and self-righteousness.

Spontaneous Forgiveness

Then, we automatically accept them with grace. We forgive others, even ourselves. We see the truth about our own behavior and thinking as well as that of others. That's humility, and it is the essence of grace.

This is an awakened state of consciousness and it changes how we live. Not later. Not years down the road. It happens the very instant one practices conscious awareness.

The trajectory of life immediately alters for the better. You align with the will of your Creator, free from the will of a self that otherwise directs actions and thinking. You become more open to new experiences and seize opportunities without ambition because the fear packed into imagined negative results disappears.

When we observe life's annoyances without succumbing to emotional turmoil, we recognize resentment for what it is. A path to humility and a deeper connection with God lies through simple observation.\

Be Prepared

Each day is replete with such events. They occur from the moment your eyes open in the morning till you retire at night. Sometimes, for real, other items in the imagination. But you can be prepared for all of it by practicing Non-Contemplative Meditation.

It is a simple and powerful technique that helps you step back from thoughts and emotions and see them for what they are.

You observe them without judgment. You detach from intellect and see thoughts for what they really are, just projections meant to stir and upset you with either joy or sadness, false love or hate. And it becomes plain that they do not define who you are.

Non-Contemplative Meditation can be practiced anywhere, at any time. There are no special requirements or prerequisites. All you need is to sit still with a willingness to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment and allow it . . . without adding anything else.