Thoughts Arise

This morning as I gazed out the window, I imagined seeing the sky with new eyes. Consider being prevented from seeing the sky, until its memory begins to fade. If you then saw the vibrant hues of a sunrise what would you feel? Perhaps, seeing such splendor, you would be struck with awe. Not just by the beauty, but because of the magnitude. I felt as if I could sense the virtually infinite volume between me and the visual ceiling of the sky. It seemed to press down on me. It was not an oppressive force, but it was an irresistible one. It pushed me down, shrinking the ego to a speck, yet filling my heart to the brim. Oh, such joy to see majesty in its undiminished form!   Photo from www.freepik.com  

All experience occurs in the present. We add a sense of continuity with our imperfect memories and the concept of time. Sometimes a new object or experience captivates us and immerses us fully in the now . But in a meditative state it can seem that this novel quality exists in every moment; a newness in everything that is noticed. Every moment of experience has the potential for new sensations, thoughts, and shifts in perception. All of these arise on their own, without any effort on our part. With an appreciation of the passing of time, and of experience arising within each moment, comes a sense of flow . The contents of our mind are noticed, transfix us for a while, and are pushed aside by the next thing to arise. This arising of experience, the flow of perception and thoughts, this space in which the world appears is the feeling of being. What I am trying to describe is a felt state, not just a conceptual one. When one can shift perspective to notice the world this way, e