The only time that matters is now. The now creates the future and releases the past.
This isn’t rocket science, but wow, it’s quite a concept. You would think it IS rocket science, for most of us do not live in the now nor really have much concept of what that would even feel like.
I’ve been reading, and listening to, Eckhart Tolle’s THE NEW EARTH. Blew. My. Mind. When I stopped and really paid attention to how much of my thinking was either in the past or in the future, it kinda made me sick. How much of my life have I been missing out on because I am either running through thoughts of things that have happened, that now, I have ZERO ability to change, or, fretting, planning, thinking, worrying, chewing on and about the future, most of which I fret and chew about NEVER HAPPENS. What if, like WHAT IF, we were SO invested in the now, the present moment, that we actually created our amazing future from what we are thinking about NOW. Sounds simple enough?
What I’m suggesting is not that we all walk around with our head in the clouds, not planning ahead, just going willy nilly into each day. It’s more the concept of that what we are planning, now, for our future, is based on what is happening in this moment, not a reboot from past failures or trying to implement protective mechanisms to keep us safe in the future.
If you think about what’s happening in your world right this moment, like this second, how much of it is really threatening? This doesn’t mean that we don’t have some real challenges in our lives. And some have more than others. But, if you have food on your table, clothes on your back, and a roof over your head NOW, you are in pretty darn good shape. From that, can you create a possibility for a bright future, that includes letting go of past hurts and not buying into fear about the future? If we recreate this feeling over and over again, each time reminding ourselves, THIS is now, THIS is now, THIS is now (see where I’m going with this? Each moment is NOW.) Crazy, right?
I mentioned in my past blog that I have never ever been into meditating. Like, really? Sitting around, OOOMing seemed like such a waste of time. No more my friends, no more…I finally committed to a regular meditation practice. And the emphasis on the word PRACTICE here. It is a journey each time. But, in those rare golden moments, usually early in the morning before emails are flying and it’s light enough to venture out to the driveway to get the newspaper and read about what shit has gone down since the last newspaper, I can actually slow my busy brain down just enough (thank you HEADSPACE!) to BE. And, really trying not to judge myself on when the mind wanders, because lordy it loves to wander….if wandering minds could be measured in miles, well, I’d be putting down at least a marathon each day. At any rate, the beauty of meditation is it is supposed to be gentle. No judgement. Of course the mind will wander, but in that moment of surrender, when it just kind of peters out for a bit and I can actually focus on my breath, like the guy is telling me in the guided meditation, I can actually really see the beauty of what it is like to be totally and completely in the now. Beauty!
Want to chat about this? Let me know!