The Art of Being Present

All around you, everywhere is a Universal Life force of unlimited potential and creativity. Just as fish swim in an invisible (to them) atmosphere called the ocean, we too have an energy field around us that is always there, yet invisible to the naked eye. When we are living in the present moment, our minds open and receive this Universal Life force; we are always guided towards correct action and our lives are fulfilling. If you have ever felt yourself completely in the flow of life, in sync, or inspired then you know the feeling of allowing Spirit to move through you and direct your life. In fact, the word inspired could be translated to in-spirit.

Yet most of us, quite often, block the flow of Spirit and therefore isolate ourselves from the Source, causing distress. When we close ourselves off from the power and flow of Spirit; when we push too hard or act out of fear, we block Spirit from moving through us and close ourselves off from its power. This is what is often referred to as "ego" mind.

Before I discuss further how to better connect Spirit, I would like to remind you of the ways we block the flow of Spirit and revert into ego mind. Perhaps you can relate to some of them:

You:
Worry about what others think about you
Judge yourself by your possessions
Define your self worth by what you do or your achievements
Feel competitive or jealous of others
Feel disconnected from and criticized by God
Fear for the future
Dwell on the past
Compare yourself and circumstances to others

That list was easy for me to make. Ask me why!

So how do we get back to allowing Spirit to guide us and connect to the Divine Will? The good news is since Spirit is always there for you, you don't have to strive to find it. You just need to stop blocking it.

Meditation is a powerful tool for stilling the mind and opening yourself to Spirit. If you do not already have a practice, or don't know how to do it, take heart - it's easy! There are many techniques out there, with thousands of books and tapes on the process. Below you will find a basic technique to get you started if you are not already doing so.

Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor and palms on your lap - or sit on a cushion on the floor. Make sure your phone is unplugged so you will not be disturbed. Mentally, scan your body for any tension. Start with your toes, ankles, legs, etc all the way up to the top of your head. If you notice any tension, release it. Now, breathe in and slowly let the breath out. You may want to count to five on the "in" and "out" breaths until your breath is slow and even. Pay attention to the breath as it fills your body. Breathe in. Breathe out. Feel your breath sink into your body and cleanse you. As you are doing this, you may notice that you have many thoughts that try to steal your attention from your breath. This is natural. For this moment, just let the thought pass without indulging in it. Put your attention back to the breath. Thoughts come, thoughts go. Your breath is the focus. Breathe in. Breathe out. It's easy!

Meditation practice helps to still the mind so you do not indulge in ego thoughts, merely let them pass while you focus your intention on something life enhancing. You may use a mantra, image or affirmation too. Try this for at least ten minutes a day, and you will definitely start to feel more relaxed and peaceful.

But why settle for just ten minutes? What about the other fifteen hours and fifty minutes or so of your waking hours? You do not need to be in sitting meditation to utilize this peaceful technique. In fact, meditation is a practice to help you discipline your mind so you can maintain presence during your daily activities. So try this:

Watch all of your thoughts as an observer. Expand your awareness this week (month, year, life, etc.) during your daily activities and notice when you are reverting back to ego mind. You will know when it happens instantly, and instead of indulging in your thoughts, try to step back from them for a moment and focus on your breath as you let them pass. These thoughts are like clouds that obscure the clear blue sky, yet are not the sky themselves. We can get lost in habitual thinking, feeling as if our life will fall apart if we do not continually try to figure everything out. Ironically, the more you do this, the less powerful you are. True power comes from stilling the mind and allowing the flow of Divine Will - the ultimate power. So remind yourself of this if you are tempted to indulge in your thoughts. Let them pass like clouds in the sky.

As you do this, you will notice that you feel more relaxed, joyful, present. As you continue to do this, your life will indeed start to change for the better as you receive inspired guidance.

Be well. Be peaceful. Have fun.