NAMASTE TO ALL
This is just a quick blog laying out the importance of living in the present moment.
Eckhart Tolle taught me many things about the realities of life in a book called "The Power of Now" which I highly recommend to all as it applies directly to each and every person who has ever experienced even a fleeting moment of distress rooted in the mind.
His main statement is that the time-lapse of a human life in made up of 'present moments', moments which we lose through the over evaluation of the past and anxieties of future events. We expend significant focus and energy on the past and future events and therefore extract the possibility of immersing ourselves into the PRESENT and the NOW. How much do you spend worrying throughout the day, often about the same topic you worried about yesterday, a week or month before?
The Dalai Lama lays it out here quite clearly. It really hit me when I first read this quote.
It's quite remarkable how much slower the day goes when you divert all your attention into the NOW. You also begin to notice the subtle nuances of your every day and divert yourself away from the typical monkey chatter that has kept so many of us prisoners within our on minds. One of the easiest ways of entering the present is to focus on your breath, perhaps only for 2-3 minutes a day to begin with. Focus on the contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm. After prolonged and conscious practice you will begin to subconsciously enter this state of tranquility and timelessness. People who practice extreme sports also experience the joys of the PRESENT moment. When you're 2000 feet up the side of a cliff are you going to be worrying about your mortgage? Debt? Or what someone thinks about that shade of your eyebrows? It's unlikely. These states of bliss can be achieved in any activity, even in a game of chess. Find an activity that you can simply lose yourself in and sacrifice everything for it.
It is often noted amongst the care providers of the elderly that this exact claim of the Dalai Lama is one of the greatest regrets of the elderly clients. They had no clarity to see that the end would ever come and therefore never acted upon their lives with any haste, passion or strong desire, casting away childhood dreams. You may also hear stories of car accident survivors who suddenly get blasted with a realization of wasted years, drastically reevaluating their perception and attitude towards life and continuing with a life where not one more moment is lost.
Enjoy the rest of the day in the PRESENT. And again I really recommended "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. It has been an invaluable resource for me and I'm sure it will be for many of you.
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