Seven Daily Cups–loving practice in busy lives
Imagine that every day you have seven cups laid out before you that are full in the morning and empty in the evening.
Each of these cups contains a marvelous and amazing libation that is comprised of just the right combination of delicious ingredients: love, attention, focus, action, kindness, gesture, and forgiveness. These are not cups to chug it down, not something we can order as “a grande double-shot soy milk hazelnut latte´,” a libation cup is a drink poured out for the Divine, an offering to that which sustains us.
We pour, we drink: we give thanks, we partake: we acknowledge source and we imbibe source so that we are nourished and nourishing. These are the cups that overfloweth. Every morning they are laid out before us full. The Star card in the Tarot deck is a depiction of the ever filling cup, the spilling forth of universal energy, which we should never be afraid to expend, because as fast as we can pour it, or drink it, or offer it to the lips of thirst, we are re-sourced.
This version from Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert
I have been thinking about energy as another year of teaching and travel and work comes to a close. I am tired, and I am not tired, depending on the metaphors of energy that run in my mind. When I draw from personal resources, I experience those resources as though I was licking the last drops of moisture from a nearly empty cup. When I draw from universal resources, I find both energy and a reassuring sense of attachment to something greater than myself.
When I wake in the morning, I often start the teapot heating water as soon as I am out of bed. I get a big mug down from the cabinet, I have several special ones. I remember these invisible cups, and lay them out as well. What do I need to do today? Who do I need to relate to? Where are my priorities? How will I attend to the pace and flow and make good choices?
When I see all seven cups laid out on the counter, not just my mug for tea, then I plan my day much better. Start with time for self and beloveds–our ritual of sitting on a loveseat facing into the view, watching the day rise, writing in our journals and talking gently together. Ahhh, that first cup is so satisfying to sip fully. Then together we prioritize the work parts of the day, and what else and who else we need to tend.
If I get exhausted I know I’ve been drinking from the wrong well, and I remind myself to check the source, to not be stingy, to pour it out and create space for replenishment.
This is our job in the world: to pour forth our energy and confidently drink from these cups every day knowing that we will be replenished over night and the cups will be waiting for us in the light the new day dawn.
May your cups overflow in the holy days upon us.
Something opens our wings. Something makes boredom and hurt disappear. Someone fills the cup in front of us: We taste only sacredness.” –Rumi
Loved the delicious ingredients:
love, attention, focus, action, kindness, gesture, and forgiveness.
The Divine, an offering to that which sustains us.
Slipping slowly bring me to my centeredness . A ritual for me , my first gift to myself for the day .
Thank you Christina and Ann . Enjoy the festive period with your loved ones .
Love this concept, Christina!
Good positive approach – just thinking of doing it brings calm. Perfect timing to read this for me so thanks once again teach!
I love your description of your shared ritual for welcoming a new day with self and beloveds. I have greatly appreciated how ritual appears in the Peer Spirit circle practice and am eager to explore how to reclaim ritual in my own life. As you prepare to end this year I hope your time with self and beloveds is as nourishing to you as your work and stories and friendship have been for me. Best wishes for all that is good in the new year.
May we never forget to drink the tea and not merely worship the pot…apologies to Wei Wu Wei. Seven cups to share with others are a sweet thought indeed.
Your metaphors always fill me up and make me richer inside. Thank you.