What can we do to remind ourselves that we are infinitesimal but significant specks in the Cosmos? We may already have some habits that help us do this. We may have others which we developed in order to save money or relax but which, with an expansion of our intention, could serve a deeper purpose too. The value of the practice doesn't lie so much in its content as in its effect on us. Does it arouse our sense of wonder? Does it remind us of our responsibility to live as conscious participants in the world? Here are some practices that may be useful:
- Take time to enjoy the sunset and, at least once a year, the sunrise, too.
- Visualize the food I am eating as it was before it was harvested and visualize how I will turn it into energy, bones and flesh inside my body.
- Think of the water in my cup of coffee as related to the blood coursing through my veins or flowing in the ocean.
- Buy energy-efficient appliances.
- Put on a sweater before turning up the heat.
- Think of another use for something after it has served its initial purpose, e.g. water used in cooking vegetables can become stock for soup, worn-out clothes can be torn up and used as cleaning rags.
- Participate regularly in recycling programs in my community.
- Garden and compost.
- Listen attentively to a point of view I don't agree with, to remind myself that I live in a world of countless points of view.
- Enjoy an outing with another species.
If you have a favorite practice that brings you back to a sense of participation and interdependence, please tell us about it by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..