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Many of us are in a constant rush from one place to another. We are either regretting our past failures or dreading our future failures.
For many the result is a constant state of tension and anxiety.
We feel like we have to be doing something all the time so we can finally enjoy our destination. Wherever that may be.
But the funny thing is that the destination is right here. How do I know what your destination is?
Well, I assume your desired destination is happiness (please correct me if I’m wrong).
And the truth about happiness is that it’s not some magical place that is awaiting you. Well, it is a magical place but not in the physical sense.
It is a place that is right here right now. All it requires you is to be present.
Many people are in a pursuit of happiness their whole lives just to arrive right where they have started.
Sometimes that is what it takes to finally recognize the truth that being happy requires you to be present in life. But it doesn’t have to be.
You don’t have to chase the future in order to find fulfillment. You can start and arrive right where you are, right now.
Why is Staying Present so Hard?
Many of us struggle to stay with the present moment for even a minute.
The only time most people catch a sweet glimpse of eternal presence is when they are engaged in a fun and/or dangerous activity.
When something is fun it’s easy to be with it. When something is dangerous it’s equally easy because not being present could lead to some serious consequences, like physical injuries.
What makes it difficult to be more present is our self-reflective awareness that other animals lack.
As humans, our evolutionary survival mechanism depends much on learning and planning. And learning requires us to live in the past, while planning requires us to live in the future.
Another reason why it’s difficult to live in the present is that our cognition denies the present moment. Our mind views time as linear and struggles to keep up with the present moment.
This means that by the time we have registered something it’s already in the past.
Another reason why being present is hard is that we all create an identity based on past experiences and future expectations. So we use the past and future as reference points to see who we are in the present.
But by doing that we are essentially never really living our present version.
Because your present version, your true inner Self, is unlimited in potential and not dependent on your past or future self.
Despite popular belief, your past doesn’t have to define who you are right now. You can create a new self in each and every moment.
And the best way to do that is to be more present in the moment. And the best way to be more present is to go beyond the mind.
As long as you use the interpretive mind you’ll live in the past or the future.
So let’s turn left at mind and go within and beyond.
Connect With Your Breath
The breath is a magical tool. And it is something that everyone utilizes every day. Some do it consciously others not so much.
If you have never mindfully taken a breath now is the perfect time. Take a deep breath in and release it slowly.
How do you feel? Good? Good!
Now repeat this for the rest of your life and you are well on your way to happiness.
Seriously though the breath is the easiest and most practical way to be more present – to center yourself.
Whenever you find yourself lost in thought, worrying, anxious, in stress take a deep breath in. Immediately you’ll release some tension.
Your breath is also a gateway to higher states of functioning and transcendental states of being. No wonder the breath is the subject of many meditation practices.
The path to the soul is through the breath.
Many languages even use the same word for soul/spirit/life force and breath.
In the ancient Indian literature, the term prana not only meant breath and air but also the sacred essence of life. Similarly, in traditional Chinese medicine, the word chi refers to the cosmic essence and the energy of life, as well as the air we breathe. In ancient Greece, the word pneuma meant both air or breath and spirit or essence of life. And in Hebrew, the word for breath is neshima and the word for soul is neshama. They have the same root.
Being with the breath means being with the soul means being more present in life.
Let Go of the Past
As humans we just like to overthink the past, don’t we?
Well, we don’t like it from an emotional standpoint because it makes us miserable. Still, we do it all the time.
Imagine how much more present you could be in life if you were not ruminating about past experiences.
Now you might be thinking that this is easier said than done. But does it really have to be?
One reason why you are thinking about negative past experiences is that some part of you secretly hopes to make it right.
I’m sure you are already aware of that but I’m going to say it anyway. You can’t change the past by thinking about it. In fact, you can’t change the past at all.
The thing is we can’t think our way out of negative emotions relating to the past. However, the good thing is we can feel our way out.
So the next time you are trying to make the past right by thinking about it, focus on your emotions instead.
Withdraw your attention from your thoughts and move it into your heart. And then just feel whatever sensations are there for you. Even if they are subtle.
By feeling your emotions you are letting go of pent-up energy. Eventually, this will be followed by lightness. And suddenly the thoughts that bothered you before will no longer be there because you have let go of the underlying emotion.
Feeling your emotions is the best way to deal with past experiences in the present.
As a result, you’ll not only be more present while dealing with your past but being present in life will become easier and more joyous.
Feel Your Feelings
Before I have already touched upon how feeling your feelings can help let go of the past.
But feeling your feelings is in fact the best way to let anything go that bothers you.
The reason why so many of us are troubled by a constant barrage of unwanted thoughts is the underlying emotional pressure.
Think about it.
One feeling can be connected to thousands of thoughts. You keep thinking about this past event because there are some feelings that you have not dealt with.
With distractions just one click or swipe away we became masters at suppressing, repressing and escaping our feelings.
But not feeling your feelings can wreak a lot of havoc in your life.
You start to project your emotions onto others which sabotages your relationships. The pent-up emotional energy can even manifest in the form of diseases.
And of course, you are trapped in your mind constantly thinking about your negative experiences. Which in turn intensifies the negative emotions.
But because you are not allowing yourself to feel those feelings they are never fully released. And by releasing your feelings I don’t mean dumping them on someone else.
The process is simple. You allow the feelings to be there without trying to change them in any way. Just feel whatever wants to be felt.
All it takes is the willingness to stop resisting them and surrender the desire to own your feelings. And the same is true for thoughts.
To support this process it helps to shift your awareness from your head into your heart.
If you have never allowed yourself to feel your feelings this might be uncomfortable and unfamiliar. You might even start to overthink it and start to doubt if it is working.
But stay with it regardless. This is without a doubt one of the most liberating practices you can do.
And the natural side effect is that you will be more present in the moment.
Engage Your Senses
Another practical way to be more present is to use your senses.
Whenever you find yourself wandering into the past or the future connect with your senses.
What are you feeling?
What are you hearing?
What are you seeing?
What are you smelling?
What are you tasting?
Use whatever sense feels the most accessible in the moment to open your awareness. You can touch an object that is close to you and feel its texture.
Or you can smell a flower. You can observe the intricate surface of a tree bark. Or you can listen to birds or other sounds close and far.
And you can even create a multi-sensory experience.
Using your senses is a powerful way to ground yourself in the present moment and connect with the natural world.
Meditate Daily
Meditation is hands down the most beneficial daily practice I’ve ever started. And if you are not already meditating, I suggest you start meditating today.
The benefits of daily meditation are numerous. Among them are less stress, lower blood pressure, better emotional help, better sleep, and spiritual growth, to name a few.
Although these are all fine benefits at some point the meditation itself will be the greatest reward. Or to put it differently:
We practice the practice to practice the practice.
With time the meditative state will start to spill over into your day-to-day activities. Because that’s what meditation is for. To be more present in your life.
And eventually you’ll become so comfortable with quietness and “doing nothing” that just being will be a joyous experience.
And isn’t that something we all want?
Being happy, calm and peaceful right here without any specific reason.
I am a firm advocate for meditation and in my opinion, everyone should have some form of meditation practice.
You can check out my simple guide on how to start meditating here. Or if you are already meditating and want to get deeper check out my step-by-step guide on how to experience deep meditation.
Using The Tools Available to Us
The human being is a truly fascinating organism. We are physical, mental, and spiritual creatures.
And we each have so many helpful tools built into our blueprint that are available to us in every moment. Yet, few people use these tools consciously.
Most people rather use man-made tools to distract themselves from their inner experience.
But when you get accustomed to your inner life, you’ll start to enjoy it. With time you’ll enjoy just breathing and observing your experience.
This is exactly the key to being more present in life. To embrace whatever the present moment has to offer.
And what the present moment has to offer is exactly everything because it’s the only moment that has ever existed and will ever exist.
So be here right now because there is nowhere else you can be.
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“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time — past and future — the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.”
– Eckhart Tolle
Luka
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