And it is called Present for a reason!
I remember the first time I decided to 'catch' the Present Moment... I used to walk to a spot in Nature, 5 years ago... and tell myself: " I am going to chant Om and make miracles." However, during the process, I expected a miracle to occur... Little did I know I was this miracle...
Being in the here and now, why is it challenging?
Being in the Present moment is so simple that it is not surprising that it is so simple. This is a bit tricky for those who, like me, begin to explore the Here and Now.
The tricky part is that our brain makes noise, just like every other part of our body. And we can hear it, obviously, since it is between our ears !! When you decide to take a calm moment, the thoughts get louder and this is okay!! Your body begins to itch... and this is normal! And you feel the urge to jump and resume all of the tasks that suddenly seem so urgent. These are the kind of tasks that you have to complete but you still end up scrolling reels on social media kind of urgency. And this is normal!
We are trained to live in a rush. Sadly, we used to think that doing nothing was unproductive. As a result, when we decide to stop time, our subconscious mind runs those programs.
How to be in the Present Moment?
First, we have to take it slowly and in baby steps! Second, we make it constantly, at the same time, and in the same place. Third, we begin with 5 mins and expand them gradually.
Before taking this moment, make sure to tell your body/subconscious mind: " Hey buddy, my moment, my rules! For this X time, I ask you to remain calm. Later on, I will comply with your request. You are safe with me!"
You train your body that at this moment, it is your moment. It might get louder at first and show some resistance. And that is ok! Be patient.
What to do?
In these precious 5 mins (at the beginning, since you will increase them), Just be silent and feel your body! Feel your breath, feel your heart, your skin, your toes, your fingers. Scan your whole body.
When the thoughts rush into your mind, just bring your awareness to your breath!
You can do a simple breathing exercise.
For example the box breathing: 5 in. 5 hold. 5 out. 5 hold. In a loop. For 10 cycles.
And then you go back to your body and your surroundings. You can listen to music and light up a smudge or incense, setting the intention of enjoying the present moment.
What to expect?
Waking up and seeing your house clean, laundry folded, dishes washed and all those tasks are done. Just kidding!
Trust that once you begin to make it a constant practice to be in the Present, to be calmer, and to enjoy even more the little gifts that Life gives us. Trust that you will get addicted to tapping into this beautiful state of consciousness. And trust that from there you begin to innerstand how to bend your Reality even more.
I will be elaborating on this last part very soon. Until then, let's honor our lives... even if it is not so obvious! And remember how unique you/we are!
Read More
Any and all given moments we have the choice to be Present or to simply run on our programs!
The smudging practice and creating rituals are powerful tools to assist us in tapping into the Present Moment:
- The 4 main purposes of smudging
- Rituals - The Golden Rule and a Comprehensive Guide