I am alive. are you ?
Sometimes, in the whirlwind of everyday life, I forget a very simple thing: I am alive! I AM ALIVE! Most of the time, we get lost in our illusions, in our daily tasks. We move from one activity to another, from one object to another, from one piece of data to another. And then time passes, and we spend our time finding interest in moving matter. We give our days, our weekends, our lives to these things. It's easy to get caught up in this routine, to lose ourselves in automatic mode, worrying about the things, objects or ideas. We sort them, accumulate them, sell them, share them, offer them to others.
These things become Me. They bring me back to my past, to my identity, to my problems. They can create frustrations, addictions, attachments. They can make us hungry, annoyed... looking for more. But the truth is, these things are dead. They are not alive, and they have nothing to do with life.
And what about living beings? We neglect them so much, oppressing them, suppressing them, for the sake of ideas, money, machines and stuff. Your mind is not alive either, it is a broken record that dwells on the past or worries about the future. We rarely pay attention to these countless traveling companions sailing around the sun with us. I think some of our activities, some practices bring us back to Life. Social relationships, physical activity, growing plants, laughing, playing, cooking. All these activities are Life itself, immersing us in the moment. Nothing is more vivid, more direct and more alive than the present. So, how to align with this idea? Here are some ideas.
Take care of your body: like an instrument, the body requires special attention. This means a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, mindful management of emotions, and time for activities that make you feel alive. Remember death: Paradoxically, reminding myself that I am mortal is a good way to pay attention to life. Memento mori is a way to remind myself that I am alive. If we avoid thinking about death, we forget that we are alive. Feel your heartbeat: Place a hand on your heart, now. Feel the beats through your chest. It beats without thinking about it, without us having to do anything. It works day and night. It's a reminder of the momentum of life that animates us. It's the flow of life expressing itself through us. Take a break and contemplate: In this frantic race, stop everything. Sit down, breathe, do nothing. It's a space to realign, to reconnect with what's really there. Look at the play of shadows on a wall, or simply observe the inside of the fruit you just cut. Contemplation helps appreciate the details.
If you're reading these lines, you're probably alive. Isn't that something? In the midst of our routines and concerns, let's maintain a connection with life, the source that animates all things. The miracle of life flows in you.