Notice the moment. Notice that it’s always right now. We spend so much time thinking about what’s going to happen tomorrow yet we never wake up and it’s tomorrow, it’s always today. It’s never tomorrow, it’s never yesterday, it’s always today. It’s never an hour from now or an hour ago, it’s never one minute or one second from now or one minute or one second ago. It’s always right now.
People often talk about living in the now as if that’s something they should try to do but really that makes no sense because where else can we live? Since we can only live our life in the present moment if we are not completely aware in the moment we are missing life.
How long is the past? If we look back at history the past is infinite. How far does the future extend? The future is also infinite. Yet, ironically it’s never the past, it’s never the future, it’s always the present.
So we have the past that is infinite and the future that is infinite and the small present moment which is where life happens. This is very important to understand because this is our existence and has the most important implications for the way we live our life.
For example, have you ever been in a car accident or had a near miss? If so you’ve probably noticed that just as you’re seeing the other car about to hit you or you hit it, time seems to slow down. Some people describe this moment as an eternity and my feeling is that yes it is an eternity but every moment has that eternal nature because it is where everything happens.
Every moment, if we have our awareness in it, is opening up our very being and connection to our higher self. What’s the difference about the moment before a possible car crash? There’s something about the imminence of possible death that catches our attention. Think back to your first kiss, didn’t that seem like an eternity? That’s because you were paying attention.
What do these moments tell us to do? They tell us we should be paying attention and notice the moment. Not get caught in the illusion of the past or the future. When we start to do that, things get clearer, simpler, better, and easier.
For example, how many times have had an argument with someone and you find yourself replaying that moment in your head afterwards? Only now, you are thinking about what you should have said. You find yourself replaying it and trying to edit in different words, trying to convince yourself that is what you really meant. Many people still fight with their parents in their heads even though their parents have passed on.
As long as you are doing these things you are diverting energy that could be used to create a better life for yourself. As long as you keep grappling with the past in such a way that keeps you stuck you will never have happiness and fulfillment in your life.
To a certain degree the past must be dealt with. Sometimes people are closed off from the present because of an event that happened in their past and it has to be examined and dealt with in order for them to move on. Events that have been abusive and traumatic can be easily let go, it can be on ongoing process that takes time but once we have at least in principle made up our mind that the past is the past and it is the present where we live, then we can shift our orientation and we move in a healthier direction.
The future as with the past must be dealt with. We need to have focus on what we want, set our intentions and plan a course of action for the future but you don’t want to get caught up in it and invite the element of worry into your life.
Worry accomplishes nothing. One of my spiritual teachers once said, “There is never a reason not to relax.” I define worry as the agitated anticipation of what we think the world is going to do us at some time in the future.
Tomorrow never comes. The only time we have is the present so make every kiss your first kiss, every meal your last supper; even when you are doing something as simple as parking your car or giving someone a hug you have a real moment experience.
