The journey I’m exploring feels like a continuous unfolding of awareness, moving beyond mere perception or thought into a profound, felt sense of the present. When I speak of awareness, it’s not simply an observation or an intellectual understanding. It’s an experience that permeates my entire being—a flash of knowing that resonates with body, mind, and spirit in an instant, as if beauty itself is felt within. It’s a sensation so immediate, so transformative, that conscious thought has no time to react; it simply is.
This momentary awareness often arrives like lightning, flashing in and out with a depth and purity that defies typical perception. And yet, with practice, I’ve found it’s possible to make this awareness more accessible, to consciously step into it. Each time I practice, the space between perception and awareness becomes shorter, more fluid, allowing me to immerse myself fully in these flashes of knowing, to let them fill me completely, if only for a moment.
The doorway to this awareness is unique. It exists independently of any past experiences, emotions, or achievements. It’s as if this space of awareness is continually available, ever-present, and completely separate from the clutter of the past or the uncertainties of the future. It doesn’t rely on what I’ve done, felt, or thought; it simply exists, free of expectations or qualifications. This state of being reminds me of pure spontaneity, like when my mother would suddenly drop everything and declare, “We’re going to the beach.” She didn’t overthink it or let the weight of the day hold her back; she was just in the moment, and that spontaneity was everything.
That memory is significant, even if I’m not sure how often it happened or whether it was just once or a rare, wonderful exception. It wasn’t about frequency—it was about presence. My sister once reminded me of it, and I remember the warmth that memory brought, the vivid reminder of that effortless joy. Moments like those are glimpses into what it means to live in the now, to drop everything and go, embracing what is happening right here, right now. It’s a beautiful practice, one that has stayed with me as a guide.
In these flashes of knowing, I’m reminded that the present moment is not a stepping stone but a destination in itself. Happiness is not something I chase or seek outside myself; it’s the path that carries me to the present. I’ve come to see that happiness is both the journey and the arrival, the way in which I get to each moment fully. When I live this way, every moment becomes its own arrival, whole and fulfilling in itself, without needing to meet any specific criteria or achieve something “first.”
Now, as I continue to practice stepping into this awareness, I find myself able to let go of expectations tied to past experiences or future hopes. Instead, I can engage fully in each instance, embracing the beauty, the goodness, and the lightning flash of joy that comes from simply being in the moment. This present, this now, is where happiness resides, and every time I return to it, I find that I’m already home.
Spiritual Gravity 