Watch Your Step!

October 14, 2007

Dear Friends,

A few days ago I hiked to the top of one of Sedona’s lesser-known red rock formations called Mescal Mountain. On my way up I was painfully reminded of one of the principles for living life in the divine flow: Always keep your focus on your current step.

You see, this particular trail is not only loaded with lots of loose rocks, but it also has lots of cacti growing all along the way. If you don’t watch where you are stepping, you might slip on the rocks and fall. Or, you might walk right into a prickly cactus . . . which is exactly what I did. Ouch! Instead of paying attention to where I was walking, I was looking too far ahead, and I suffered the consequence.

The same thing can happen as we pursue our desires in life.

As I mentioned at the end of last week’s message, living life in the divine flow requires present moment awareness. The divine flow is always giving you the next right step to take to reach your goal. And that step is always right in front of you, relatively easy to do, and free of painful obstacles. But to see that step, you must stay focused in the here and now, instead of being focused somewhere in the future.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t value in looking ahead and seeing where you want to go. In fact, that’s a requirement. Choosing a destination is what sets the whole flow in motion in the first place. But after that, you must return your attention to the present moment so you can see the next step that the flow is guiding you to take.

It’s sort of a back-and-forth thing: You visualize your goal, then return your awareness to the present. You picture your dream, then come back to the current moment. If you are continually daydreaming about where you are headed, you may miss the very step that is leading you there. Or worse, you may make a misstep and find yourself sitting by the side of the trail pulling barbed bristles out of your skin!

Do you have a goal that you would like to accomplish, or a dream that you would like to realize? Great! Just remember that getting there is a step-by-step process, and your journey will be a lot more peaceful and pleasant if you stay focused on each step as it comes along.

Happy Trails!

Steven

© 2007 by Steven Lane Taylor