The secret to the spiritual life is that there is no secret. It is all about wakefulness, about being present, engaged, and purposeful. The opposite of wakefulness is a sleepy, habitual, and mechanical way of existing in the world. Wakefulness is always a choice which is not always easy or comfortable because it necessarily involves taking responsibility for our choices, state of mind, moods, addiction to fear, and our very lives. Though wakefulness demands our responsible participation, it is also a great gift which serves as the gateway to God Consciousness. Wakefulness eventually takes us beyond surface awareness into larger and more expansive dimensions of awareness, into ever brighter realms of light and into God who is Light itself. The process is simple: consciously choose to do whatever you must do with total attention and love. When the Buddha was asked about the secret to his enlightened consciousness, he answered, “I am simply awake and aware.”
In each moment,
May I stay awake,
Attentive, and loving
