Morning Pages

When I think of the places and moments where I have sensed true spiritual transcendence of mind in some way, moments of places traveled to far from here come to mind.

My first morning in Venice I vividly remember waking to the pleasant sounds of chiming bells from the duomo, soft rain rain pattering on the white linens hanging on the alley clotheslines, and pigeons cooing while perched on windowboxes. I recall feeling a sharp sense of tranquility and a desire to pray. How lovely, I thought, to wake every morning to chiming church bells that bring your sleepy mind into focus on the heavenly. Would I be less neglectful to routinely meditate and pray and ask for a measure of inner peace?

I've also dreamed of living in colorful, balmy Morocco where the call for prayer comes from the mosque three times a day. A reminder to not ignore the spiritual rhythm.

I remember Nice, France where I found a serene prayer spot atop Castle Rock sitting under a silvery, breezy olive tree while gazing out over the sparkling Mediterrranean. I felt the urge to center myself in that blue and green paradise. Our accommodations also happened to be in a converted monastery that still had the original chapel. I was enchanted by the peace I experienced.

I now reflect that perhaps that the problem often is that too much familiarity and routine stifles our spiritual curiosity. The child that used to kneel in praryer and immediately gush praise to God for the simplest of blessings like dogs and rain to play in, now has grown cobweby and dozes off mid-sentence in liturgical prayer. We've lost our childish sense of wonder. I remember being three years old and believing with all the logic a toddler could muster that the city lights I saw at night from the hill were really each home's guardian angel that was shining so brightly. My mind was so attuned to look for the heavenly and miraculous that I now marvel at the serious and practical 22-year-old I've become.

What does it take to shake up one's spiritual paradigm? To reenergize one's wonder and amazement at the spiritual realm?