Healing Through Presence: Living in the Here and Now
Being in the present moment simply means keeping one’s mind in the here and now. It also means being able to observe one’s own thoughts and not totally identify with the mind chatter. Many eastern cultures practice being present through meditation or some other means. Ironically many of these cultures don’t suffer from the same diseases that Americans do.
When someone is totally present they are aware of how their body feels and the environment around them. They are able to be the observer behind the mind. They are able to feel the sensations within their body, and hear the thoughts within their mind. Depending on how those thoughts and feelings feel they are able to view them as simple mechanisms that just happen. When I say just happen, I mean they are natural occurrences like breathing and digestion. After awhile a person starts to realize that the negative thoughts and feelings that they are experiencing are not who they really are. They start to see that these negative thoughts are coming from some place else and that there is no need to react.
Once the person is fully living in the present moment they are able to drop all past grievances, and future worries they may have lingering in their mind. ( All of which serves absolutely no purpose but make them miserable in the first place! ) Why make yourself miserable over things in the past? Why stay focused on a future outcome that may or may not happen? There is no justification big enough to cause one’s self suffering over such worries. Though most people’s egoic minds tell them otherwise, the present person understands that all that matters is the present moment. This is because everything happens in the present. You were born in the present, your life has unfolded in the present and you will die in the present. Everything in a person’s life takes place in the present.
When a person is not present they are in constant thought. They often find themselves worried about things that either took place in the past or what might take place in the future. People who are not enjoying the present moment also usually find themselves having a hard time going to sleep at night because the mind chatter often gets them up. At worst people who are plagued by their thoughts relive the situations with bouts of anger or fear ( depending on what as being thought about ) as if they are living it right now. This is because the mind doesn’t no the difference between a thought and what is taking place outside of it.
When the mind starts to be bombarded by negative thoughts it starts to cause stress on the body. Any good doctor will tell you that stress is a key factor in illness. This stress causes your body to secret hormones that aren’t good for it in prolonged stretches.
People with cancer and anyone for that matter can benefit greatly from living in the present moment. One of the things I noticed with people who have cancer is that they tended to be holding onto past hurt that was intensely negative. ( Whether they knew this consciously or not. ) Being in the present moment allows one to totally drop all past baggage and except the current moment. Many people who practice living in the present moment say they experience a feeling of being “lighter.” As if they lifted a heavy burned from their body. Once the stress of worry and negative thought is alleviated the body is able to heal itself much faster.
Another benefit that comes from learning how to be present is being able to stop certain addictions much easier. If you find yourself addicted to cigarettes or alcohol you will see the benefit in being present as it with greatly curb the cravings if not totally stop it all together.
If you can take anything of great value from this article this is definitely something you should start living by everyday. Learning how to observe the mind and be consciously present is actually very obtainable. It’s important to be present as much as possible especially if you find yourself upset about something. (Whether it’s in your mind or happening to you in the moment. ) Being present will allow you to enjoy life more. When you, try and follow the instructions below but keep in mind that the egoic mind doesn’t understand this process. That’s because the ego is like a computer that always needs some kind of problem. When you are completely satisfied in the present moment this shuts the ego down momentarily. It’s better to just feel out the how process I’m about to explain to you below.
Practicing Being Present:
Pay attention to your breathing. Feel the air coming in and out of your lunges. Feel your feet against the ground, and the air against your skin. Try to focus on something that puts a smile on your face. Listen to the thoughts and emotions that arise in your body. Try not to judge anything that comes up. Just listen to it. Allow yourself to simply witness the emotions and thoughts coming and going but not really reacting to any of it. After you’ve observed some of the thoughts and feelings arise you may than replace them with something more constructive. For example you might have a thought that comes up that says, “I’m not healthy.” You would simply just allow the thought to be and than gently say, “I am healthy. All is Well.” Remember to calmly and gently do this. Your not fighting your thoughts here. Your simply going with the flow.
I have only briefly touched on this subject. I highly suggest doing in-depth research on this subject to derive even more benefit to yourself. This article your reading now is by no means the be all, but is an extremely great aid to point you along the way. Two really great books on living in the present are “The Power of Now” and “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle. He is one of the leading authorities on how to live in the present moment. In these books you will receive in-depth information on what it means to be present and how to go about it in your life. Again there is a vast amount of information on this subject I strongly recommend purchasing those books. As of right now Oprah.com has done online seminars with the author of these great books. Each seminar is 90 minutes long and there are 10 of them. Each covers a chapter in the book. Her seminars really put the entire book into an understandable perspective and I highly suggest checking it out. The seminars are FREE so you’ve got nothing to lose.
Honestly, I recommend purchasing “A New Earth” first and then “The Power of Now.” Only because A New Earth is much easier to follow at first. Once your done reading that The Power of will make much more sense. After you read the first two chapters in a “New Earth” I strongly recommend checking out Oprah’s online seminars (web cast.) You will literally be blown away if you allow yourself to keep an open mind when watching them
Frequently Asked Questions: Being Present
Question: Is being present teaching me to become a passive person?
Answer: No. Learning to be present actually enhances all of your abilities because you are now pooling all of your energy into every moment. You actually become a much more effective person by learning how to be present.
Q: Is “A New Earth” book by Eckhart Tolle a religion?
A: Nope. In fact it actually enhances whatever religion you are from. If you keep an open mind and read the entire book it will enhance every last area of your life.
Q: I find myself wrestling with a lot of negative thoughts, and being present seems to be difficult. What should I do?
A: Give yourself sometime and understand you will eventually be able to do it all the time. When you find yourself getting frustrated simply just observe that emotion and the thoughts behind it. Try not to even fight against it. Just look at them and then gently tell yourself, “Everything is Well.” If you gently do this you will feel yourself starting to feel better.
Q: What else can I do that could help me become more present?
A: Spend time in nature. Go to a forest with some friends and just hang out observing all its beauty it has to offer you. Nature has an ability to bring someone down into the present moment because of its beauty. It has a way of captivating one’s self, and this is extremely healthy for the body mind and soul. Pets have this effect on us as well. Spending time with a pet just appreciating their beauty is a good place to start.
What is this stuff?
