Not long ago I attended a meeting of the Institute of Noetic Science (IONS) group in the little town where I’m vacationing. The subject was miracles.
Each of the twelve people in the inner circle got to speak, and as the Native American rattle passed from one hand to the next, it became clear that by a mysterious process of energetic concordance, the group consciousness was intuitively naming the conditions of a miracle.
I was reminded of the beautiful book by Todd Michael, The Twelve Conditions Of A Miracle, which takes the sayings of Christ and expounds upon the secret teachings hidden in the text.
There are conditions required to see an angel or experience what we call a miracle. I won’t name them all, but here are some.
1. An Attitude of Gratitude
A constant and unflinching awareness of the blessings poured upon us, and a thankful heart.
2. Expectant Joy
A sense that something good will come, spilling its blessings onto everyone involved.
3. Awareness of Beauty
Of the astonishing elegance, let us say, of a single daylily that blooms for one day only (“You went through all of that for one day!”).
And combined with these, I add the qualities of humility (not to be confused with humiliation), awe, wonder, and innocence. I remember one man once accusing me of being a romantic, as he scornfully challenged me: “Okay, show me a miracle!”
I answered, a single tulip. “Look at it!” I said. “Look deeply. Look at it as if it were you, for you too are a miracle, a soul incarnating in this body at this time.”
He was disgusted, but I think of the Buddha who when asked about enlightenment held up a single flower—and smiled.
