Multiple Intelligences and Holy Instants

Elements of Miracle-Mindedness

Livvy and me at a trial ripping through weaves

A few weeks ago, I completed my second to last progress interview on the many years-long path to becoming an ordained Unity minister. One of the interview questions had to do with utilizing the multiple-intelligence concept in teaching. This is the theory that people have different ways of learning that work best for them. Some learn linguistically through reading and writing. Some learn best through mathematics. Some do best when they can physically move through a process of doing a new behavior or activity.

Dogs are similar. LottaDog Freya learned how to do the weave poles by me physically luring her through with a tasty snack. Livvy learned by getting a tug toy play session after running through two poles, then four, then eight, all the way to twelve. The more she has to think through a task without much input from me, the better and quicker she learns.

Here's a video of the two demonstrating different intelligences in their approach to deep snow. Olive seizes the opportunity for full immersion experiential fun, while Freya chooses the wisdom of watching from the nicely plowed road.

Despite the differing approaches, each of them demonstrates the master intelligence of being fully, joyously in the present moment. A Course in Miracles describes living from the now, with no attachment to the past or future, as a “Holy Instant” and suggests that the entire key to full on peace is living from one holy instant to the next.

A holy instant is every moment we come into the now and release focus on the past or future. In the holy instant we can open up to all of life’s beauty and allow old rutted thinking and grievances to loosen and slip away. Being in a holy instant consciousness is the single most effective way I have ever found to rise out of fear or worry. When I am ruminating on some potential happening, a tough situation a loved one is facing, worry about paying all the bills, becoming fully present in the now is priceless. I ask myself, “Right now, in this moment, am I OK? Am I safe? Right now, in this moment, are there myriad ways that everything in the future will be just fine?” Whenever I take the time to do this check-in the answer is always “yes” and I can more readily open to the peace that is always available, though often cast aside.

A Course in Miracles states, “The necessary conditions for the holy instant, does not require that you have no thoughts that are not pure. But is does require that you have none you would not keep.” The simple truth is, as humans, until we train ourselves differently, we spend the bulk of our lives focused on the past or the future, often in fear or worry. Dogs show us a better way. One of the most beautiful medicines dogs provide is the continuous reminder to live, fully, in the sacred, beautiful present moment.

May the Course be with you readers and may you choose many, many sparkling holy instants!

Cylvia

Freya doing her best through the weaves at a fun run.

If you didn’t get a chance to check out the last TRANSCEND piece on New Possibilities for a Livable Planet, here is that link.