Awaken to the Divineness Within

By Ora Nadrich 

The chaos in our world has grown to extreme levels, and many among us are questioning our life’s meaning. We sense that there must be something more. Yet, trying to rely on external influences to give our lives purpose leaves us unfulfilled. 

We are all worthy and deserving of knowing the sacred truths of life, but we must first strip ourselves bare of that which doesn’t nurture our authentic selves. We must quiet our cluttered minds, transcend limited thoughts and beliefs, and step into the present moment.  

We can rein in our busy minds and train them to be more present through a practice of Mindfulness. It’s an inherent ability all of us have and helps us to be conscious and aware. With Mindfulness, we can raise our level of consciousness and live more authentically. It helps us find union in reality, free of illusion.  

Don’t you want to know what this life, this reality, truly is? It can’t possibly be just what’s on the surface. Remaining on the exterior is like living outside a magnificent palace and never getting to go inside. 

If we aren’t present and aware, we stand a greater chance of remaining unconscious, which poses a serious threat to our humanity. History has shown us that when people are unconscious, or unaware of dysfunction and looming darkness, they can easily be taken over by powers greater than them — with catastrophic consequences.  

Here are some ways to use Mindfulness practices to live more consciously: 

1. Find union in present moment awareness. 

To show up with an open, uncluttered mind isn’t easy to do. Yet, when practiced consistently, Mindfulness sharpens our awareness so that we become more conscious and aware. The more present we are, the more aware we are, and the more aware we are, the more present we are. It keeps evolving from there. When practiced consistently, Mindfulness will sharpen our awareness so that we can see beyond the surface. 

2. Curtail ego-driven thoughts. 

We need to get out of our own way and out from under the drama we create. Let’s not let our “small selves” run the show. Learn to value slowing down and quieting the mind by refraining from trying to manipulate the world to feed the ego. When we aspire to heighten our awareness, we raise our consciousness and continue on the path of spiritual development by lifting the veils of falseness one by one. 

3. Look for ways to apply Mindfulness to everyday life. 

It’s possible to implement Mindfulness in all that we do, which can be eating slowly and really tasting our food without rushing, or taking a leisurely walk and paying close attention to the sounds of nature around us. By training our minds to be more present, we find ourselves much more appreciative of the moments of our lives and less inclined to rush through them. 

4. Engage in caring for the spirit. 

When we feel a type of emptiness, or apathy, that’s our spirit telling us something extremely important. But, if instead of going deeper within to find what’s troubling our spirit, we choose a distraction or way to anesthetize ourselves, we aren’t tending to our spirit. Feeding our spirit can mean meditating, practicing yoga, sitting in contemplation, moving to music, gardening, playing with a pet, making love, painting, cooking, taking a walk in nature or serving someone in need. Find ways to let the spirit soar. 

5. Align with the sense of oneness. 

With Mindfulness as the ever-present guiding escort, we are able to explore life beyond the surface. We become aware that we’re part of the collective, the universe, the cosmos, the oneness and the supreme consciousness that breathes life into us all. Mindfulness will lead us down a mystical path. If we keep our minds open and our thoughts quiet, life’s hidden truths will become known to us. 

We are all mystics in training, and through the quietude and acceptance that we experience with Mindfulness, the mystical experience is available to all us who are open to its presence.  

Ora Nadrich is founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking and author of Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity, named among the “top 18 books on what an authentic life looks like” by PositivePsychology and “one of the 100 Best Mindfulness Books of All Time” by BookAuthority. She is a certified life coach and Mindfulness teacher, specializing in transformational thinking, self-discovery and mentoring new coaches. Her new book is Mindfulness and Mysticism: Connecting Present Moment Awareness with Higher States of Consciousness (IFTT Press, Nov. 11, 2021). Contact her at oranadrich.com.