The Gift

The third and ongoing step in the Tao is to find your direction.  The direction is not a path so much as it is a gift.  Just as the "Wise Men" from long ago set out in a direction to find the Christ child, so also each of us sets ourselves a direction in life, and we begin this journey of new life in the direction of seeking the Divine.

We seek the gift of Divine Presence.

The Zen of this gift is that this gift does not come to us, until we offer, freely and fully, the gift of ourselves to the Divine.  As soon as we dedicate our whole selves to Divine Love as a gift of self to Self, then we begin to receive, in the bits that we can handle, the Gift of Divine Presence.

The journey of life provides us an opportunity to seek the gift of Divine Presence, while offering the Gift of ourselves in each moment, so that as we give the gift of self in preference for receiving the Gift of Divine Self, or higher Self, we indeed do so.  When we give our self to the Divine, we receive the gift of the Divine.

This is a moment by moment experience.  So, whenever we are following other desires without focusing on the gift of self to Self, we lose the Gift of Presence.  One way to maintain focus is to become more fully aware of our own desires, especially any and all desires to control.  Influence is different than control.  When controlling, we are demanding.  When influencing, we are still offering the gift of self, along with a request. 

In each moment then, we need to be aware of whether or not we are asking, or demanding what we desire, while offering ourself complete with desire, to the Divine Love, so that Love can show us if it is better to let go of the desire, postpone the desire, or pursue the desire.

Unlike the "Wise Men" of long ago, however, the Presence we seek becomes a gift within ourselves.  Instead of offering gold, and frankincense and myrrh, we offer the gift of Self, and receive the gift of Divine Oneness, Divine Consciousness within our own being.

First, we offer our lower self, then we offer our higher Self, until All becomes One.  What a gift is that One!  May we seek, and may we find, that pure Oneness that is Divine Love.
Carol