God moments

May 5

God moments

When I think of God moments, I think of church, praying with family, and praying before meals.

Praying before meals shows appreciation for life. My good friends Kerry and Jon-Paul are seasoned prayer warriors. They grew up with good examples of how to articulate gratitude like where the food came from, who prepared it, and the nutritional benefits that sustain life. Prayer is also an opportunity to send positive wishes to friends, family, pets, and the community at large.

God moments can be found in any meaningful moment in life. Whenever I spend time with old relatives, I write down their stories of the miracles they’ve witnessed. I recognize God moments in nature, when the light coats the day and the skies open to the galaxies, unveiling the expansiveness of the universe.

god Moments

god Moments are a bit different, they can be a personal moment of self-reflection, meditation, and self-care. Self-care allows time for my nervous system to settle and creates a safe place for my mind to reflect. In my spa research, float therapy is where I have found the most god Moments. It’s a therapy without the influence of other people and their energies, and it minimizes sound, smell, and visual distractions. From the concrete jungle, congestion, and advertising to floating in my body and spending time with my mind. This has created ah-ha moments, true peace and gratitude, and an openness to mystical experiences through my senses, dreams, or conversations. I often talk with the float spa owners, staff, and regulars, sharing epiphanies, ideas, and heightened appreciation for the little things in life.

god Moments are times spent exploring spirituality, meditation, or talking about God with friends and lifting each other up.

Kerry and I had god Moments when we would hang out, do yoga, and then a 20-minute silent meditation. This created a trusting environment, opening the floor for conversations about our past, present, future, and philosophies on existence. In Madrid, I met Erika, a dance therapist from Sweden, who took me to a Tibetan Buddhist temple for a guided meditation in Spanish. I felt like that was a god Moment because I was trying a new culture with a friend that I could be myself with. Another friend like that is my oldest friend, Mollie. She grew up with religiously educated parents who are also like parents to me, they even took care of me for two years in my mid-20s when I was bedridden with Crohn’s disease and that’s a god Moment that I’m very grateful for. Mollie went to a Christian university and has a wealth of knowledge on the beliefs and traditions of many religions. She welcomes conversations about the perspectives of God and bringing God into our families. These friends of mine are all mothers now by giving birth to healthy babies, talk about a god Moment.

Meditating with friends is like a version of group therapy, it has a similar feeling of communal euphoria and joy. I’ve felt that at concerts in amphitheaters, a Sufi performance in an old cathedral, salsa dancing in the street, reading in a library, or going to a meditation class.

god Moments can also be a sense of freedom, like riding a bike, tubing down a river, or admitting to your friends how much you appreciate them when you’re tripping on drugs. I took MDMA at Burning Man and in the middle of the desert, people were lying under a canopy with lights synchronized to music. I joined in, and when the speakers started playing Jupiter by Holst, I stood up and conducted an imaginary orchestra with gusto. Whoever caught that performance tuned in to a random act of kindness or god Moment. A DMT trip once took me into a deep trance through the pineal gland, awakening a similar sense of universal love, peace, and acceptance.

God Moments

God Moments are moments that are so impactful that it changes your life. Something like a near-death experience can shine light on what is truly meaningful for you.

These moments don’t have to be full of fear, they can be decisively intensive meditations or retreats. A three-month meditation in the forest can bring one closer in their relationship with God and strengthen listening, understanding, and communication.

Living at your most elemental and detaching from material possessions lends perspectives on the difference between want and need. Meditating, praying, and focusing on the present is a gracious opportunity to befriend God.

In a way, Crohn’s is a blessing of God Moments. For the past 10 years, about 30% of the time I’ve been bedridden, monking around and feeling grateful to experience healing, surrender control, and appreciate each bite. With the addition of float marathons and meditation teacher training, I feel familiar with spending so much time with God.

God Moments can also be big transformations in life, maybe those who have fallen into social, physical, emotional, and spiritual depths can then follow the guidance of God and build a purposeful path.

Experiencing worship in a different language can heighten other senses for God Moments. I experienced this in the Greek Orthodox church where it is customary to stand for service, sometimes for hours. In the Orthros (the hour of prayer before morning service) I found myself in a standing meditation. I got lost in the holy spirit through the sacred space designed with stained glass, burning incense, and a harmonizing choir under the intoning of scripture. I found weightlessness on my feet, minimized hearing, and a detachment from time. The whole experience allowed me to let go of my consciousness and cherish the presence of God.

god moments

god moments are about pure beauty that brings together a portfolio of personal philosophies, aesthetics, and views on beauty. This includes everyday moments, appreciating slow days, and the beauty of simply existing.

This past year I had a pet praying mantis named Stirbee. When we first met we were meditating which really helped my practice. I let go of the tension in my stomach, jaw, and shoulders sooner and took deep breaths through the bottom of my gut. As little as she was, Stirbee held space so I didn’t feel rushed. Her god moments were constant reminders of getting grounded and being present.

It was nice to have a little angel with me, we would go everywhere together. For yoga class, I would carry her in a mini tree and the rest of the time, she would meditate under my hat. She gave me a beautiful view of peace, wonder, and appreciation.

So now every morning I go to her tree and light an incent and praise in gratitude for this moment of life. For her, life was seven months, for me, it may be a hundred years but in God’s eyes, it's like the same.

I enjoy the perspective of angels because it opens up the reality that everyone and everything can be interesting exactly as they are. It’s really about the state of the heart. Each person, plant, and animal has their own collection of God moments, god Moments, God Moments, and god moments. It’s what makes individuals so darn special and experiences so dang beautiful.

2021 Seattle, WA / Float Seattle Greenlake

2023 Malibu, CA / meditation class at The Mindry

2023 Los Angeles, CA / Greek Orthodox Church

2024 Los Angeles, CA / praying to the sun

May 5th, 2024

Emily Kosciuk

God moments

God moments

god Moments

God Moments

god moments

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