The contemplative life is accessible to anyone at any time.  But when, where, and how do you even start? I can't answer that for you, but can share how it began for me.  Noticing.  Noticing is the point of contact with present-time -- with that which captivates your attention and stirs your heart in this moment.  Do you notice a repeated thought? a thought pattern? an emotion? an attachment? a color? or something beautiful in the middle of chaos that makes you heart smile?   Reviewing your own data, that which  you consistently notice, is sacred work and the only way I know to step into the field of curiosity; of actual life.  Like Thoreau's tender quote reminds us "it's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see" .   What we see  is the invitation-- it's where we begin our divine apprenticeship and courtship with life.      By Mayra Porrata ©2026 Solara Publishing, LLC