Why is it that we are in a hurry so much of the time? It is as if we are given only so much time and when it runs out, we are finished. Some people believe that there is only one Earth life and then an afterlife. Some perceive that this is the only existence and we are complete. Others believe that there are many lives. Regardless of our philosophy, there is something missing if we rush through life.
What is missing is the moment you are in. We are often preoccupied with the past or the future and we discover we are at the end of life and wonder where it went. Jon Kabat-Zinn speaks about this in his book “Wherever you go there you are”. He says “we fall into a robot like way of seeing and thinking and doing. In those moments, we break contact with what is deepest in ourselves and affords us perhaps our greatest opportunities for creativity, growing and learning. If we are not careful, those clouded moments can stretch out and become most of our lives. To allow ourselves to be truly in touch with where we already are, no matter where that is, we have got to pause in our experience. We should quiet ourselves long enough to actually feel the present moment, to see it in its fullness, to hold it in awareness and thereby come to know and understand it better.”
We often participate in life experiences without being fully present. This not only cheats those who are in relationship with us but also cheats ourselves out of being totally alive. Many times we experience some form of regret from the past or some form of anxiety of some future event. There is nothing we can do about the past and the future may never arrive, so right now is the only time we can truly experience.
I have noticed that the general public spends enormous sums of money on watching performers. Athletic stars, movie stars, musical stars are famous and paid incredible fortunes. They have learned how to be so focused in the present moment of their performance. And they have dedicated their lives to the singular purpose of perfecting their art! And we worship that dedication.
Instead of taking life one day at a time, take it one moment at a time, even one second at a time. When we focus on the present moment life is intentional. Living this way is powerful and gives our life more depth and meaning. One of the most powerful ways of doing this is to meditate. Find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position and tune into your breathing and heart rhythms. Then allow your thoughts to float by and relax into a peaceful state. You do not need to attempt to accomplish any goals or reach some result. Be still and know that you are one with the Universe and each breath you take is connected to all other breaths. Practicing meditation will create being in the moment more and life will feel more loving and on purpose. From my heart to yours, Thomas