I have written several times this time of the year how August is like Sunday. Just as Sunday is at the end of the week, August is at the end of Summer. Just as on Sunday, most of us take time off from work, so in August most of us take time off from work.

For many, Sunday is a day of worship. August can be, too. With the temperatures dropping and the amount of daylight diminishing, we realize we better enjoy the time left before summer ends. We behold the value of each moment. This is a form of worship.

Last August, I wrote:

Reverence for the present moment is a spiritual practice. All the world’s religions teach us to realize that the opportunity each moment brings may not come again.

In some spiritual practices, being fully aware in the moment is known as “practicing the presence of God.”

God is always present. The question is: are we being present? Too much of the time, we are in our head thinking, worrying, planning, regretting, ad infinitum. We are far removed from the present, and we miss out on what beauty or joy might be unfolding before us. More importantly, we miss out on the opportunity to bring more beauty and joy to others.

Yoga says still your mind. When the mind becomes still, a revelation occurs: the revelation of our own Divinity. We not only experience the Divine present within us, but also present in every moment and every being.

That’s practicing the presence of God. It brings joy, frees us from worries and regrets, and fills our hearts with a ton of gratitude. As a result, we have more to give — and we want to give more. May August bring the best to us and bring out the best of us.