~ Reflection on Being Present ~
"Be here now."
- Ram Dass
If your mind is anything like mine, it's rarely in the present moment. Most of the time it is filled with thoughts and emotions that arise and then pass away only to be replaced with more thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, my mind is lost in the past, re-hashing what happened yesterday, last week or decades ago. Other times, it is off in the future, planning what I'm going to do or say, or fantasizing or catastrophizing about what might happen. And at yet others, it is running a commentary on what's happening, judging or comparing or trying to fix whatever I deem to be a problem. Wherever it is, my mind is rarely in the present moment.
One problem with this is (and I think it is a problem) is that I am missing out on life. Whenever my mind is not in the here-and-now, I am oblivious to what is actually happening and I am not taking in the miraculous experience of being alive. I am missing out on seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling life as it truly is. I am missing out on opportunities to connect with others. And I am missing out on what it means to be fully human. So long as I am lost in my thoughts and emotions, I am not present. Descartes said "I think therefore I am", but it may be more accurate to say "I think therefore I am not present". To me, this is like living half a life, or less, and it feels very unsatisfactory.
Another problem with not being present is that it is very difficult to make wise or skillful choices about how to act. If we aren't fully present, we are likely to respond out of our habitual patterns rather than out of a sense of what is most appropriate in the moment. For example, if I am engrossed in my thoughts and fail to notice that my neighbor's house is on fire, I won't call the fire department or check if anyone is inside and needs rescuing.
So the more present we are to life, the more alive we will feel and the easier it is to make wise and skillful choices. With this in mind, here are five simple ways of being in the here-and-now:
1. Look at your surroundings - wherever you are. Whether you are inside or outside, notice where you are and take it all in. What exactly can you see?
2. Pay attention to any sounds you hear. People talking, birds singing, cars honking, or the absence of sound. Silence. You don't need to interpret anything or give it a storyline. Just listen.
3. Let your awareness be drawn into your body. How does your body feel in this moment? You might do an on-the-spot body scan to get in touch with the physical sensations in your body right now.
4. Become aware of your breath - the actual sensations of breathing, wherever you feel them most easily. Perhaps it's at the tip of your nostrils, at the back of your throat, or in the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen. Notice what breathing feels like.
5. Take a moment to check in with your mind. What are you thinking about in this moment? How are you feeling right now? It may help to label your thoughts and emotions with a single, simple word. For example, if you feel angry, you might say to yourself "feeling angry" or if you notice you are daydreaming, you might say to yourself "daydreaming".
These simple practices can help you to be more present to life and to what is actually happening in the here-and-now. Your experience may be pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. But whatever it is, I guarantee that you will feel more alive and alert.
Thank you.
One problem with this is (and I think it is a problem) is that I am missing out on life. Whenever my mind is not in the here-and-now, I am oblivious to what is actually happening and I am not taking in the miraculous experience of being alive. I am missing out on seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling life as it truly is. I am missing out on opportunities to connect with others. And I am missing out on what it means to be fully human. So long as I am lost in my thoughts and emotions, I am not present. Descartes said "I think therefore I am", but it may be more accurate to say "I think therefore I am not present". To me, this is like living half a life, or less, and it feels very unsatisfactory.
Another problem with not being present is that it is very difficult to make wise or skillful choices about how to act. If we aren't fully present, we are likely to respond out of our habitual patterns rather than out of a sense of what is most appropriate in the moment. For example, if I am engrossed in my thoughts and fail to notice that my neighbor's house is on fire, I won't call the fire department or check if anyone is inside and needs rescuing.
So the more present we are to life, the more alive we will feel and the easier it is to make wise and skillful choices. With this in mind, here are five simple ways of being in the here-and-now:
1. Look at your surroundings - wherever you are. Whether you are inside or outside, notice where you are and take it all in. What exactly can you see?
2. Pay attention to any sounds you hear. People talking, birds singing, cars honking, or the absence of sound. Silence. You don't need to interpret anything or give it a storyline. Just listen.
3. Let your awareness be drawn into your body. How does your body feel in this moment? You might do an on-the-spot body scan to get in touch with the physical sensations in your body right now.
4. Become aware of your breath - the actual sensations of breathing, wherever you feel them most easily. Perhaps it's at the tip of your nostrils, at the back of your throat, or in the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen. Notice what breathing feels like.
5. Take a moment to check in with your mind. What are you thinking about in this moment? How are you feeling right now? It may help to label your thoughts and emotions with a single, simple word. For example, if you feel angry, you might say to yourself "feeling angry" or if you notice you are daydreaming, you might say to yourself "daydreaming".
These simple practices can help you to be more present to life and to what is actually happening in the here-and-now. Your experience may be pleasant or unpleasant or neutral. But whatever it is, I guarantee that you will feel more alive and alert.
Thank you.