Find Serenity in the Midst of Routine
By Dr. Stewart Bitkoff
a Book Review by Marie-Claire Wilson
Dr. Stewart Bitkoff had a long daily commute in New York City-area traffic for most of his thirty-year career as a specialist in therapeutic recreation and psychiatric rehabilitation.
What is the usual reaction that we have these days when we are confronted with the myriad challenges of life and with stressful situations? We lose our cool, we get upset, and sometimes we explode… worse, we lose our spiritual balance. There’s got to be a better way to deal with life.
This little bedside book has some clear-cut remedies for these over-the-top reactions. Who wouldn’t like to be able to stay calm and clear-headed no matter what we face? Imagine that there is a wave of energy all around us that brings calm from the cosmos to our lives. This calm is a gift from the cosmos to us that makes our lives seem full of possibilities while restoring our spiritual balance.
A chapter called, “In the Moment,” was one of the parts that spoke to me personally. The author writes: “Some mornings, the monotony of the drive [to work] and the routine or working each day makes me weary. I began thinking about all my problems, and I am trapped. This is the snare of yesterday and of expectation; it is no longer living in the moment.
When I am at one with the moment, I am able to soar free. Part of my mind fixes on the routine and repetition of the drive; another part is able to sing the song of freedom. The problems of yesterday and the expectation of the day’s events are jailers. They are yesterday’s reality and not the possibility of today. They are not the moment. Only by living IN THE MOMENT can I begin to operate outside of the confines of time and space.”
That chapter summarizes a good philosophy of life. We all need to be reminded of that spark of the Divine that is within all of us. One of the best ways to do that is to be present in the moment. Easier said than done. But studies have shown enormous benefits for people who practice being present in the moment, through whatever methods they prefer to achieve it (such as through meditation). We all know of the health benefits, such as lowered blood pressure, less stress hormones, more feelings of joy etc. But there are spiritual benefits as well. When we integrate our spiritual practices into our daily lives, we can touch that depth, that strength of the Divine that is within us. We can ride that wave of calm energy that is flowing all around us any time we want.
By seeking and tapping into this “wave” of calm energy, you will see positive results in your life. This is one sure way to begin to manifest more positive effects overall. We become more positive ourselves, and this attracts more positive events and people into our circle. We will also evolve spiritually and achieve higher planes of consciousness. Whatever we think and feel, wherever we put our energies and our attention, this is what we also attract for ourselves. That’s the Universal Law of Attraction.
If we put a lot of energy into negative things or think about negative things a lot, then we will attract the negative to us. Worry falls into this category. We all know that frantic worrying serves no practical purpose, achieves no positive effect… but it does have a negative effect on our body, very obviously. It also has a negative effect emotionally and spiritually. Why worry when we can instead be present in the moment and create a more positive future?
If we are present in the moment and concentrate on what is really important, the present moment – not what has already happened, and not what might happen, but what IS – then we can live fully. We can concentrate more on the positive things that we wish to manifest for ourselves, and that aids in manifesting them. It’s the first step toward a more balanced, more positive life.
This human life is meant to be spiritual lessons that we learn, so it’s up to us to make these lessons mean more and have the desired outcome. Being present in the moment cultivates an attitude of patience, which is an essential for living well. Patience is also a great way to relieve the stress of daily life, We all know that we can get more out of our lives, but sometimes, we just aren’t sure how to begin. This book is a very good guide for that positive approach.
This is the kind of book that I consider a little treasure that I will want to reread and to keep by the bedside for evening meditation readings. Whenever I’ve had a stressful day, I think that this book will help me concentrate on the Divine principles that have helped me to channel my personal energies into the more positive energies. This is how I can remember to connect with the cosmos to that infinite light, to that infinite calm, for balance, and for peace.
Marie-Claire
Marie-Claire Wilson, author of The Spiritual Tarot: The Keys to The Divine Temple, is a bilingual writer and poet. She has been a practicing medium for 28 years using direct clairvoyance, the Tarot, numerology and palmistry. Office in Washington DC. To make an appointment for a phone reading call toll-free: 1-877-847-7330.
Click here to visit my web site www.marie-claire.tv
Click here to link to Oracle 20/20 where article is published.