How to stay present? How to stay alert? How to stay aware?
Your mind is never present, it always moves to either past or future. No matter how beautiful the memories from the past are it is going to become painful by dwelling in them. Move away from the past and stay present. Don’t follow the mind into the future; it is just imagination at play and will give you anxiety not knowing what will happen. Stay in the present because you cannot change the past and you cannot control the future. If you see past and future as time, then see present as a continuous moment. Present is something continuous – no more time, it just is – this is existence, just being.
We keep missing existence because we are continuously thinking of what has happened or what might happen.
For example, if you go outside to look at the sunset and while admiring you begin thinking “this is so nice” – you just missed it. The moment the mind starts moving you are not present. Just look at the sunset and enjoy it. If you are alert and present, you just “are”. You just are one with the existence. And this is being present; this is beyond time.
Below is a beautiful, simple tool you can use to keep you alert throughout the day from the Zen tradition:
Whenever you are not present – call your name! And answer! By doing this you become present on the spot. It has to be your name otherwise it’s not going to work.
Example: “COSMIN.” – “Yes, I am here.”
Use this technique often when you catch yourself moving into past or future. It’s very simple and it works right away. If you are not present you are missing the whole life!
If this helped you, please share these yoga and meditation videos with your friends and family.
Blessings!
