Presence

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” ~ Buddha

Early in my exploration of spirituality, I learned about “showing up” or being present in my life. Our daily lives are a gift and in order to experience the excitement of that gift, we must be present to receive it. Being stuck in the past with worry and fear over thoughts, such as, ”I should have…” or, “I could have…” or, “Why didn’t I….” rob us of the present moment. The past is history, and as of yet, we are unable to go back and change it. Alternatively, looking for the gift we received from past keeps us focused in the present moment.

The future is not here yet, so worry and fear over what might happen is futile. Think about how many times you have pondered the scenarios of perceived coming attractions. 99 % of the thought and worries never come true. We really have no control of what will happen.

What we have control of is our choices in the present moment. Our intentions guide us toward those choices. In other words, we must be aware of our intentions to make good choices. This is how we shape our destiny without all of the worry and fear of what might happen.

What gifts can you expect to receive from showing up in the present?

Clarity of mind: We experience thoughts and ideas that seem to just flow out of us. We have better focus on the things that are right here, right now.

Positive attitude: When there is little fear, negative thoughts and ideas become non-existent. We show up being the person that we really are.

Ease and Grace: In the presence of others, we will show up in a state of calmness. Fear does not hold us back from our endeavors in the present moment.

Showing up and being present is a practice, and over time, it becomes a habit. Those thought loops that whirl back and forth through our memories and fantasies will come up, but we become aware of how they are distracting us from being present. We then HAVE THE POWER to choose our thoughts.

When it came to practicing all this, what really worked for me was finding that third-person in my mind that could witness my thoughts and throw the flag when I found my mind pondering the past or contemplating the future. Then I focused on my breath, an excellent way to become present. It has been proven that focused breathing through the nose has a great calming effect. This is a great place to start.

Namaste my friends, and pass it on. You won’t get to keep it unless you give it away.

Todd Alan