Joan Marques - Ed.D., MBA.
Burbank, California

The wealthiest moment in a day is the moment that you allow yourself to sit for a while in a peaceful environment; in a comfortable position; and let your mind flow.

The more spiritually oriented ones among us may refer to such a moment as meditation, but it does not necessarily have to be that, for meditation is usually described as a state in which you are thoughtless, focusing on one single point while banning all concerns, plans, dreams, emotions, and other activities from your brain, although a more experienced meditator will probably develop the ability to meditate even under less convenient circumstances.

However, the moment of wealth I am alluding to here is one that is achievable for everyone: busy corporate executives, devoted house makers, talented artists, drifting souls, you name it. It merely entails taking a moment to enjoy serenity: sounds off, lights dim, temperature pleasant, and seating comfortable. And although your mind may be racing a mile a minute at the start, you will gradually feel a sense of tranquility embracing you as you engage more into the peacefulness of the moment: you may experience an increased acceptance of life as it is presented to you; an understanding of the possible reasons for your experiences; and a contentment with where you are now.

The difference between such a wealthy moment and the traditional description of meditation may also be explained as such: In your wealthy moment it is perfectly normal, and even expected, that you will think and remain aware of everything around you, whereas meditation predominantly relates to emptying yourself for a little while in order to enhance your future capacity to cope with matters.

As you may consequently conclude, the moment of wealth does not require any previous exercise: no elevated spiritual awareness or secluded lifestyle. On the contrary: it is the perfect way for busy socializers to spend some time alone and to refocus by sorting out their thoughts.

Yet, you should avoid taking your moment of wealth when you are in the thick of your workday, unless you can find a peaceful place right in the heart of everything and create the earlier mentioned atmosphere: no immediate sound, dimmed lights, pleasant temperature, and easy seating.

The moment of wealth should nonetheless not be underestimated as it may bring about ingenuity in managing daily problems of a kind that you might have been incapable of if you just kept pressing yourself without a pause: Thinking is a healthy, prominent, and rewarding activity, especially when done in an atmosphere of tranquility. It may transform you into a less impulsive, more responsible action taker. George Barzan impeccably explained the effect of large scaled thinking by asserting, "If everybody thought before they spoke, the silence would be deafening." F. Scott Fitzgerald once stressed the significance of thinking in the following statement: "Either you think -- or else others have to think for you and take power from you, pervert and discipline your natural tastes, civilize and sterilize you." The great Buddha even compared thinking to being by proclaiming, "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." (Buddha)

It is therefore not a frivolous advice to try practicing this moment if you never did before, regardless of the enormity of your current responsibilities, projects, or emotional pressures. The wealthiest moment of your day, whether it lasts 15 minutes or an hour, may not immediately lead to solutions for your concerns but it will help you perceive things in their relativity: oversee the forest that is your current life and arrange your issues according to importance. Most of all, it will bring you in closer connection with- and fill you with greater respect for- the one that will always stick by you: yourself.