Picture this: you’re walking down the street, and someone catches your eye.

There’s something about them - something familiar and unknown.

You strike up a conversation, having no idea who they are, where they’re from, or where this might go. And then—suddenly—you’re both somewhere else.

You begin to see their heart, their struggle, their softness, their strength. Time loosens. The moment shimmers. You barely notice the buzz of people passing around you, glancing curiously at what’s unfolding. They can tell something is going on.

And when it ends, neither of you can fully explain what just happened—only that something sacred passed between you.

That’s why I do what I do. I’m chasing glimpses of the divine—in the other, in myself, in the world. And when I catch a glimpse, time freezes, joy abounds and everything feels right.

Not every conversation goes that deep. You can’t force the divine. But you can create the space for it. You can prepare the soil, open the window, light the candle…

Here are three postures I try to carry with me into every encounter:

1. Curiosity

I know I talk about curiosity a lot, but honestly—I think it’s a superpower. It’s the energy of wonder, a desire to know someone for who they are.

The Latin root of curiosity is curare, meaning “to care.” So baked into real curiosity is care. Love, even.

When I’m curious, I’m present. It guides my questions, helps me follow the invisible thread of the conversation, and oddly enough, often awakens curiosity in the other person too.

You can’t really fake curiosity, but you can hold a posture of it. You can let a little spark of wonder lead the way. Sometimes that spark sounds like:

“What’s their day been like before this moment?”

“Is there something they’re not saying that matters to them?”

“What’s underneath their smile—or their quiet?”

2. Openness

Stay open—to who the person is, whether you instantly click with them or not. Stay open to their thoughts, their emotions, their story.

Openness means noticing the judgments and assumptions that naturally arise, and holding them lightly. Because here’s the thing: most of our quick reactions aren’t about the other person—they’re about us. Our fears, our old wounds, our inner knots.

We often judge others for the very things we quietly judge in ourselves—a dynamic known as the “mirror effect.” Psychological research suggests that the traits we criticize in others often reflect unresolved aspects of our own identity. In projecting these inner conflicts outward, we avoid confronting them within.

It is what it is, we’re human.

But the holy thing—the transcendent move—is to notice judgements and not allow them to inaccurately color a person.

What do you do when you catch yourself judging someone? Return to presence. Return to listening. In doing so, we create space for something unexpected to bloom.

Side note: This is also why I think conversations with strangers can feel more freeing. We have less baggage with them. No past to project onto. Nothing to protect. It’s easier to just… receive them.

3. Purity of Heart

There’s a verse I love:

I used to think that purity of heart meant moral perfection, but since that’s not possible in humans, I’m starting to believe it’s more about inner clarity, peace, and honesty.

For me, purity of heart means, at a deeply emotional and spiritual level, being clear and honest about how you feel towards a person and your intention with them.

It’s noticing feelings of envy, attraction, fear, anxiety or competition. Maybe you want the person to validate you. Maybe you’re subtly performing. Or maybe your own self-focus is sucking the life out of the interaction.

Is there something I need to let go of? Affirm in myself? Be patient with?

It’s checking in with yourself before an interaction - what your overall intention is with a person. How do you want to move along the moment, the conversation, or the relationship? Anything you need to address.

Because when you have that clarity, that peace and honesty…people sense it, the world senses it, and they open up to you. Because the world is hungry for people who are real, clear and certain.

Be curious. Stay open. Be true.

These postures won’t guarantee a sacred moment. But they’ll make you more ready to recognize one when it arrives.

And when it does, it’ll feel like time bending. Like life sharpening into something eternal.

It’s what makes life worth living. And it can be found in the most ordinary encounters.

With curiosity,
Eric

P.S. 

I’ve recently started two fundraisers that are close to my heart. If either speaks to you, I’d love your support:

▶ Support schoolchildren in the slums of Kibera, Kenya https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-st-martens-school-in-kibera 

▶ Protect and empower abused women in Afghanistan https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-mahbouba-seraj-protect-afghan-women

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