The miracle of you

"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thru chinks of his cavern." —William Blake

In tough times such as these it's easy to become selfabsorbed, looking at challenges that loom directly in front of us and, in the process, totally miss the miracle that every moment holds for us if we but open our eyes to the gift.

I love Blake's quote because it epitomizes how we tend to lose sight of the fact we are, first and foremost, spiritual beings.

This is because we have taken to viewing life from the outside in, as human beings who at times may be fortunate enough to have a momentary spiritual experience, rather than from the inside out, as spiritual beings who are always having a human experience.

Many of us have become so focused on just getting through another day of life we have forgotten the fact that we are life.

Our experience in life will never be greater than or less than our perception decrees it to be. In "A Course in Miracles" it is written: "Perception is a mirror not a fact. And what I look upon is my state of mind, reflected outward."

When we make a conscious choice to live with an awareness that we not only exist in a spiritual universe but we are also the very essence of Infinite Intelligence, it alters our perception, which in turn will alter our behavior, which will alter our experience. With that understanding, all of life literally becomes a sacred miracle.

In my mind, being aware of the miracle of life changes how we experience the gift itself. The American Indians have a saying that refers to the "Three Miracles."

No. 1. It's a miracle anything exists at all.

No. 2. It's a miracle that living things exist, such as animals, plants and trees.

No. 3. It's a miracle that living things exist that know they exist. (That's you and me.)

This is not news to us. Plato reminded us: "The universe is a single living creature with all other living things in it."

Of course, this is just another way of saying Infinite Presence is all there is and we are all one with that Presence. We are the microcosm within the macrocosm.

However, William Blake was right; it's difficult to see the whole of the universe through a "chink in our cavern." If we are not careful, it is easy to close ourselves up in the cavern of a confused, fearful, hurried, worried mind.

You are a magnificent being of incredible potential, so don't squander it on the minutia of smallmindedness that originates from a limited perception of yourself and the universe. It's time to thing big.

Consider what a miracle it is that you can, in actuality, observe your mind thinking about the miracle of your life in this very instant. Descartes said: "I think, therefore I am."

I believe he had it reversed: I am, therefore I think. Imagine that.

You can think and you can be aware of what you are thinking, so the observer of the thought must be bigger than the thinker. Imagine just for one moment the power and liberation that comes with the awareness that you are far more than the condition or experience that lies before you.

First, know and remember you are a living manifestation of an expanding universe and from that knowing, think big—really big.

Think "I am" and then expand your vision, deepen your perspective and experience what it feels like to be a part of something infinitely larger than just the individual you.

While you may not be all the Infinite is, the Infinite is all that you are. That is the most amazing miracle of all, and that is the miracle of you.

Dennis Merritt Jones is a local spiritual mentor, keynote speaker and author of the book "The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Purpose in Your Life." Contact him at www.DennisMerrittJones.com.