Living in the present is to be aware of what is happening to you, what you are doing and what you are feeling and thinking. It is being conscious of your thoughts and focusing them on the present. In this way, you look at situations as they are, without coloring them with your past experiences. Living in such a way makes it easier to deal with whatever you are doing at the present moment. You see things as they are, without being influenced by fears, anger, desires or attachments. Living in the present means concentrating on what is happening now, enjoying it and making the most of it.
Next time you catch yourself thinking idly, watch the thoughts that flow through your mind, what are they? Are you trying to relive the past? Maybe you are reassessing past behavior or events? Even thoughts and daydreams about the future are colored by past experiences. If your past experiences of relationships were pleasant and positive, that is how you are going to think about your future relationships. If the experiences were negative, that is how you are going to visualize your future. It is always the past recreating your life.
By becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings, it becomes easier to be a little more detached. When you are detached you become able to choose how to react to people, events and circumstances, which can save yourself a lot of inconvenience, trouble and embarrassment. It is a matter of the right attitude. Life becomes a happy and enjoyable trip when the attitude toward it and its events is positive, and the present moment is used in the best possible way.
Remember, the present moment is very brief. It always turns immediately into the past. The future has not happened. Live in the present. Constant living and awareness of the present develop a new kind of awareness consciousness.
Stop reading for a moment, and remind yourself of several occasions, when you were engrossed in what you were doing, and believe me, there were a lot of these moments. Did you ever read a book and forgot for a while about everything else? Were you engrossed in a pleasant movie, enjoying your hobby or eating very delicious food? In these moments, you did not think about anything else. You were happy, calm and content and free from futile thoughts. You were concentrating on what you were doing. This is the great power and meaning of living in the present.
This is a story about two friends traveling by train. One was very nervous, restless and full of complaints the whole trip. He was impatient to reach his destination and disliked every moment of the trip. He did not pay attention to his surroundings, as his mind was full of impatient, restless and grumpy thoughts. His friend, on the other hand, enjoyed the scenery, drank a cup of coffee, ate a piece of cake and chatted with the other passengers. He enjoyed every moment of the trip. He lived in the present moment and made the most of it. On arrival he was fresh and felt good. His friend, as expected, arrived exhausted, tired and unhappy.
It is awareness of freedom, of being alive, of happiness and joy. You come to realize the peace, calmness, joy and freedom from thoughts that the mystics talk about. You find out experientially that what they are talking about is nothing mysterious, mystical or out of this life. You find that this is a most natural and positive state.
Enjoy the present moment! Find the positive, good and useful in each moment!
