“Mindfulness is a matter of paying attention to your life as it’s happening. Wake up and see the awesomeness!”
The word itself comes from Buddhist teachings, however, the concept of being “Present” is discussed in most spiritual teachings, and is expressed different ways:
“Sleep not, you know not when the master comes,” The Bible
“Be present, be not identified,” is an underlying principle in Fourth Way teachings, based on the work of George Gurdeijf.
“Remember: Be here now,” is the theme of this classic 1970’s book by Baba Ram Dass
The message of being present is carried on and on throughout history.
More recently, Eckhart Tolle, author of “The Power of Now,” has, once again, reminded us of the importance of living in the present moment.
Whether you call it Mindfullness, Zen Mind, Present Time Awareness, Being in the Now, or something else, when you learn to be more present in your life, all manner of good things being to happen.
For starters your stress level decreases. Much of our everyday stress stems from lamenting about some past mistake or worrying about some imagined future.
Here’s a thought for you – if you’re going to imagine (make-up) some future event, why not make it a fantastic outcome? After all, you’re making it up, anyway.
It’s been said that, “worrying about the future is praying for what you do not want.”
Being present gives you clarity of mind and a sense of peace as you accept what is happening in the “here and now.” That doesn’t mean you have to like it, but if it’s happening, it’s happening. Period!
When you accept that fact, you get back the mental and physical energy you were wasting trying to resist “what is.”
How much time and energy do we waste talking about the weather, wishing it were different, instead of simply accepting it?
How much time and energy do we waste blaming, complaining and justifying why something did or did not happen or why something is the way it is?
Who cares, it’s over. Move on.
When you give up blaming, complaining and justifying you gain back your personal power and and are more likely to see possible solutions to your problem; solutions that were being obscured by your focusing on the past mistake.
We’ve learned to accept something not being right so long as we can place the blame somewhere. It doesn’t matter who’s “fault it is,” what matters is making it right again.
Of course we can, and hopefully, do learn from our mistakes but beating ourselves up over it is an absolute waste of time. Learn what you can and get back to moving in the right direction.
When you view something in the present, as it truly is, you’re no longer focused on the negative effect of whatever happened. By being present, you are now able to take a positive approach.
By asking positive questions like, “What’s working” (my favorite question) you’re now in alignment with the law of attraction and will, as a result, start seeing possibilities.
How to be more mindful in your day-to-day life:
The fastest way I know to anchor yourself in the present moment is to sit, stand or lie quietly for a moment. (If you’re driving, pull over and stop for the duration of this exercise).
Take a few long, slow, deep breaths, feeling yourself in the “here and now,”
As you’re watching your breath flowing in and out, feel the Universal energy moving through your body. By starting with your hands and feet, you can begin to feel this energy as it vibrates through your entire being.
Practicing this for short periods throughout your day is a great way to quickly feel better and begin to live more and more in this present time/space reality.