| Living in the Now |
| Eternity is but a Moment, that Moment is Now. We can only live and exist in one place and that place is here and now, in this instant that we are experiencing. We can reminisce about the past, visualise potential futures and even leave our bodies for timeless realms, but, ultimately, we must return to this moment where we actually live, Now. Living in the Now requires us to be consciously aware, on a moment to moment basis, of the space we are occupying and of the effect we are having upon what is occupying the space around us. This involves concentrating and focussing totally on the task we are carrying out and doing it to the best of our abilities. Whether it be sitting down, crossing a room, cooking, washing, interacting with others, working or just plain being, every task must be carried out sensitively and in a way that is Meaningful and with Love. All our actions are Cause and they have the appropriate Effect. Therefore we must exercise much discipline in ensuring that our every movement, gesture, expression is intended consciously. If we react to a situation instinctively, say with anger, it indicates that we have moved out of the Moment and we need to take a "moment" to regain our connection with Now. Removing ourselves to a quiet place and and clearing our minds as in a quick meditation for example is a good way of returning to the moment and also has the added plus point of helping to put things in perspective. Emotions too, can be experienced and enjoyed by applying the "Now" approach. We can make an emotional experience all the more rewarding by consciously intending to experience it fully, even a negative emotion like anger. If we remove ourselves mentally from the situation, remove the cause and just experience the anonymous anger, then we can redirect the energy to a good and meaningful purpose. By consciously experiencing our emotions in the same way as we carry out our physical tasks and experiencing them as they happen,, they become heightened and enhance our awareness of who we really are and so aid our progress along our Path. Living in the Now is not an easy practice, indeed, I personally find it very difficult at times, especially in the hectic and at times, crazy, workplace where I seem to spend most of my time! It is even more difficult to put into words as my efforts above show only too painfully. What I can say is this, once it has been experienced, even if only briefly, then there is benchmark established on which we can focus, thus giving something to aim at. I wish you strength in your efforts! |
 |