Now?
Present?
We are so often reminded to "be here now," to stay present, but what does it really mean? It's obvious that I am here, now, writing this article and now you are here reading it……. what is not obvious is how mindful we are in this moment, how much we see and hear, how aware we are of our outer environment… as well as of our feelings, of our inner worlds…
Not only are we distracted by the clutter and activity, the busyness surrounding and in us, but we waste much of our time and our power in looking back, at what we perceive as our past mistakes, and looking forward, worrying about how to ensure a happy and comfortable future….
Yet our power is in the present…. from the present we can in a sense change the past, and we can certainly change the future.
Being present in your life, living in the now is about mindfulness, noticing, listening, attending to the task in front of you as well as to the people around you and your surroundings. You are involved in what you are doing with your whole self… Being present is about being focused on what you are doing in the moment, but not so focused that you don't see, hear and feel the movement of energy, or lack of, around you.
There's a roundness to the words "I am present…" it says not only am I in tune with what is happening inside me, the thoughts and feelings, the joys and heartaches that can absorb my consciousness, but I am also aware of what others around me are feeling, what is happening around me… I am aware of my impact on my world — as well as its impact on me.
In the natural world, all is present, in tune with the currents of energy moving through the air, the water, and the earth, each entity responding exactly when ready without thinking if it's ready…. the hawk doesn't worry about when he should hunt, where or how… he responds to an inner clock that tells him it is time for dinner… and then he doesn't worry whether he can catch his dinner, he hunts in the full expectation that he will eat that day. And so he will.
To be present, mindful, is to be like the hawk, alert, conscious… all senses active, inner and outer senses taking in the fullness of the moment.. in the now, we make the most of the potential in the moment. We see the purpose in being exactly where we are… In this way we are able to change the past by making it work for us, applying the lessons learned in the present…. and in so doing, we also empower the potential for happy outcomes, a future that springs from and ultimately rewards our present mindfulness.
Continue reading here: Colors Have Meaning and Power
Was this article helpful?