The Sanctity of the Moment

As a conclusion of these general observations about the course of dressage training I want to add the serious admonition; not to hurry any of the exercises and to let them all follow one another in such a way that the preceding exercise always consitutes a secure basis for the next one. Violations of this rule will always exert payment later on; not only by a triple loss of time but very frequently by resistances which, for a long time if not forever, interfere with the relationship between horse and rider and often jeapardize the success of the entire enterprise.” – Gustav Steinbrecht 1884

Every moment – every circumstance, every decision, every interaction – leads to the next. Your life is one long chain of moments strung together, from the day you were born into the light of day to the day you exhale your last breath. Every link affects every future link.

The notion that you can be angry, divisive, resentful, begrudging, judgmental or cruel in one moment of your life as a means of protecting that which you love or ensuring a better future is a fallacy. Every link affects every future link.

Thankfully people forgive and people forget, but violations of the sanctity of the moment will always “exert payment later on.” The point is: take care how you carry yourself from one moment to the next. You are wise to treat each moment (and especially those present within it!) with sanctity – as a loving mother would protect and enfold her newborn child – because a well-handled moment always constitutes a secure basis for the next one.

6 thoughts on “The Sanctity of the Moment

  1. Joshua

    The sacred gift of this present moment does deserve our finest, though the debt can never be repayed, we owe it to ourselves and this world which was created for us, the very best.
    Notes of dischord need be erased from history, not by attempting to battle the dischord but by bringing the highest and finest note we’re capable of that others might relax , enjoy that tune, and join in!

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  2. David R

    Well expressed. If we are to perceive and work accurately with the integrated pulsations of the present moment there must be a sense of sanctity. Our ability to protect the sanctity of what is around us depends first on the fact that we will not violate what is inside us. This sense of personal honor keeps an intact connection between the invisible and the visible, and all the links to come to focus where we are right now. This is the heart of integrity and the basis for effective and substantial living.

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  3. Chuck Reddick

    Perhaps one question one could ask themselves before they embark on an emotional jaunt is whether or not what I am going to do is sustainable or not. This same principle applies to business as much as it does to personal. There is always a price to pay when compromising ones integrity etc in the short term. Things like trying to beat or bad mouth the alleged competition, deep discounts in order to create a temporary victory or turning your back on what are obviously deceitful tactics causes a steep price to be paid in the long run rendering that type of behavior as non-sustainable. Instead of looking to achieve short term success at any cost we to be meaningful need to always consider the long term ripple effect on what we are about to embark on. A good starting point is to always look at what value one can add to any situation that they may find themselves in.

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  4. Coco

    This is literally where the rubber hits the road. We can’t take moments back once they are squandered and we do pay the price regardless of an abundance of forgiveness from others and our creator. The gold is in the moment. They create our lives and our legacy. This is a post to take to heart to understand in this moment we’ve been given the key to change our lives.

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  5. Ricardo B.

    To me, this is one of those things which you must develop a feel for, as we all have to communicate with the world around us. The lack of sensitivity in the world today is the harbinger of many of the ills we see afflict people, and so many times, it is our own doing as we can’t escape the net consequence of our actions, however it makes sense to us at the time. If we constantly excuse our ill behaviors and yet at the same time wish for a world free of impropriety, then we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.

    I, for one, look for a world of ladies and gentlemen.

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