Over the last 10 years I have read a ridiculously large number of self-help books.

I have invested so much time and money into this self transformation project and I must say it’s been worth every minute and dime. I have gleaned so much wisdom from the self-help greats of our time and times passed.

The subject of conscious awareness has, hands down, been the most life changing for me of all topics. The most eye opening, positive neurotransmitter educing path I could walk down my friends and I hope you find the same result.

I have learned to become aware of the sacredness of life. I’ve come to realize that each moment has hidden within it, the most delightful gifts known to man.

As I sit in a tiny, bumpy boat racing back from Catalina Island to the mainland of Huntington Beach I am overwhelmed with the realization that the moment at hand will never return in all it’s glory exactly as it is in these milliseconds.

I place my headphones on my head and scroll through my songs on my little pink ipod and find my favorite Into The Mystic and press play…

As my little butt hits the hard wooden seat over and over I hardly notice because its competing with an image of a flying fish keeping up speed with us as Van sings, Hark now hear the sailors cry, smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic.

It’s as if he is literally writing the song while watching me experience this moment as the sea is actually kissing my face over and over.

I laugh as I look up and see the mermaid on our captains arm swaying her hips as if she’s dancing just for my pleasure while he uses his muscles to steer the tiny ship toward our destination.

When we finally make it to land I realize that my little butt is going to remember this moment for at least a weeks time. The good thing is each time I sat on a hard surface after that and I felt the reminder of the wooden seat I was also reminded of the moments I shared with my sea that brought such unique pleasure to me that I am not likely to experience ever quite the same again.

Was this a sacred moment? Indeed! Would any one of us see it as the same with the exact ingredients at hand? Possibly… possibly not. What made this moment sacred? A little pink ipod, a nice big towel keeping my legs warm, a tiny boat with a wooden seat dancing across the pacific ocean, a flying fish and a mermaid tattoo.

Not exactly your typical recipe for a sacred moment, but a sacred moment all the same. The key to this sacred moment is that it included things that I hold very dear to my heart and these things were able to synchronistically exist together in one moment.

It’s pretty exciting knowing that nearly anything in front of us can participate in a sacred moment simply by becoming aware that it’s happening right in front of our eyes and ears.

I work on creating these sacred moment each and every day/moment of my life. When I know I have a night to myself I throw myself a little romance Sarah party.

I run myself a nice warm bath with vanilla lavender bubbles, I light some candles, pour myself a glass of red wine, break out my favorite chocolate and scoot my mac next to the bath so I can listen to some ambient tunes while watching itunes visualizer, you can also remove the computer and place a great book in my hand.

Voila! Sacred evening. When I know I am going to be in the car for quite some time I stop off at Coffee Bean and order a cup of my favorite Strawberry Cream Green Tea, put on Pandora “French Cafe” to serenade me while I trek across the concrete jungle…Voila, Edith Pilaf and I are on a sacred journey.

As I sit here on my bed with my computer resting ever so gently on my lap I am placing each word so carefully upon this page. I am filled with a calm euphoria as the flame of my fig candle dances next to me and the breeze rushes in through my window, having its way with my crimson curtains… I hear the words…Voila… sacred moment.

I believe the best way to create a sacred moment is to get a good idea of what it is you enjoy. The type of sensory input that best stimulates the happy juices. What are your favorite smells? Tastes? Sounds? What are your favorite things to touch? What are your favorite sights?

As we become aware of our surroundings what we are experience we very quickly become aware of how each and every moment is very unique and thus quite sacred in and of itself. The other key here is creating sacred moments for yourself, the more you experience the elements of a sacred moment the more readily you will be able to tap into the moments that come to you.

Do yourself a favor tonight, give yourself an hour when the kids go to bed or the girlfriend goes home and create a beautiful sacred moment for yourself… go for a walk near the ocean, take a hot bath, make yourself dinner with a themed soundtrack (if your making italian, I suggest Pandora Frank Sinatra). Put on your favorite movie, pop some popcorn and slip into your favorite comfy attire. Choose to sanctify each and every moment…start NOW!!

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Sarah Stevenson, a.k.a. The Tini Yogini, is a Certified Yoga Instructor with a degree in Behavioral Psychology, serving Orange County California through yoga classes and teaching life-affirming workshops. You can visit her here.