Living in the present moment

05 Apr 2017 Comments Off

Dear Fellow Journalers,

What does living in the present moment really mean? Remember when you were in school and the teacher was calling the roll and you had to answer “I’m here?” Is that the same as being ‘in the moment’? Nope, not really.

Everyday and in every way we are present in our life but maybe our minds aren’t really with us. For example, it’s Sunday and you’re in Church and your pastor is speaking and you try to listen but that grocery list of things to do/buy/go is rattling around in your head and you drift off. Are you present in Church?

Our minds have been programmed to think we always have to have something to do or somewhere to go even if we had planned to relax. We always have to be in control. Some of us, feel that we have to control others too. Have you ever just stopped and let go? You have to give up the unwillingness to let go of control and everything else that you’re hanging on to be in the present moment.

WOW! If you’re like most of us, giving up the idea of control is scary. You think to yourself ‘if I lose control of the situation what will happen?’ Maybe the outcome will be better than what you’ve been working on for so long. In any case, giving up of the actual control and the illusion of control can be life-affirming. Once you start experiencing freedom the world begins to change in front of you. Everyday is a new canvas. Everyday is a new journey.

There are thousands of relaxing techniques. I discussed some of them in my Mindfulness posts. Here is a quick guided meditation to help you practice living in the present moment:

Sit in a chair that supports your back.

Put both feet on the floor.

Relax you face and neck.

Let your arms rest comfortably in your lap.

Feel your breath going in and out of your body.

Focus on the silence.

Do this for 5 minutes. ( I use a silent timer to do this.)

Now whatever comes into your mind, brush it aside to deal with it later.

Do this for 5 minutes.

Bring your mind back to stillness and open your eyes.

Give yourself some time and then, if you wish, write about your experience of your moment in your journal.

‘Til next time,