Here And Now

Recently when we bought a new professional camera and were busy clicking pictures of all that is beautiful and exciting around us, I realized the importance of here and now. I could actually see that the world is so beautiful just right now and just around me at this particular point in space and time. Whereas most of the time, most of us live thinking about either some gone by beautiful past or some imaginary beautiful future which is yet to come, forgetting and rather ignoring what all is so beautiful, right here right now. We prefer to live in THERE and THEN, rather than HERE and NOW. But LIFE is only HERE and NOW.

Why do so many personal development experts or 'gurus' place so much emphasis on the here and now? I realized earlier I was living in a constant state of anticipation - I was never actually enjoying the moment or savoring where I was'. Always focused on the future as present would not measure up to my idea about how I want to live my life. Life is in this present moment and if at present, we find our self in a place in our life that we want to get out of, then how shall we live and be happy in life?

Where life is, it is here right now, where you are now. Life can only be lived in the here and now. Sure, we might be striving towards future objectives, but those goals will only be achieved if we do our very best right here, right now. On the other side if we are constantly focused on the past - deeply engrossed in our 'stored knowledge' - the things that impressed us most about life THEN and we are taking most of our decisions based on that stored little knowledge, ignoring the most important facts about the PRESENT, then How can we progress?

More importantly we also develop our own self-image based on the past, our formative years. Because our obsession with the past is constant and because it happens subconsciously, we are completely unaware of this constant backward focus. And yet it is this constant obsession that is the key player in our lives. It's that 'stored knowledge' that dictates the way we feel about ourselves. It is the resultant self-image that dictates the way we act or react - and it is our behavior that determines how we relate to others, how we rise to life's challenges or how, more normally, we simply muddle through each normal day. This self-'knowledge' runs our lives. This depletes the greater part of our mental energy and as a consequence, our current behavior becomes impaired, counter-productive and even self-sabotaging.

The key point to realize is that we, as normal people, can never do our best whilst looking backwards - however, our default settings tell us to constantly look backward. Can you drive your car by looking in the rear view mirror?? Forget about driving, can we even walk looking behind? But that is how we normally drive the vehicle of our LIFE!! And when the accident occurs we are ready to blame the rest of the world around us.

Past and future and far-away places are not ultimate realities; they are instead useful concepts that help us make sense out of our present experiences. The present does not derive its importance from its place in history; instead history itself derives its importance from the present.

The future which we plan for our selves, for it to become a reality and our PRESENT, we need to live in the present taking assistance, help and guidance from God, helping us to achieve our planned future. When we are in here and now, we shall be able to see and hear the God send angels to us, whom we can meet and talk with, only in the present. It is then the miracles happen and our planned future becomes a reality. Have you ever met your God send angel? They are the people like you and me, who meet us in the PRESENT, just at the right time and right place, to make our FUTURE better.

Now how to live in the present? People might say is it a joke we are living in the present!! Of course I agree we are living in the present but we are physically living in the present mentally we are either in the past or future. So to actually live in the present we have to control our mind, our thoughts, which would again try to change the focus, and take you in THERE and THEN instead of focusing on HERE and NOW.

But imagine how much more free we shall be if we have freed our mind from the past and future. We feel much better, freer with loads of additional internal energy to perform better in the present. By focusing in HERE and NOW, I myself could enjoy my food much better, with so much more taste and flavor in it. I could breathe and feel more oxygen in the air around me. Trust me it is to be experienced, and put to the practice in order to feel the difference.

Let us not shrink our soul by limiting ourselves to the little knowledge and little world of our past, world is much more and much beyond that, let us give an opportunity to God, to send us His angels who are waiting to make our future much better and brighter. He is waiting to shower His blessings on us, we have to welcome them in our life by seeing it here right now in our PRESENT. Let us not take our present for granted.

Be present

What does it mean to be present to our lives? We have been habituated to passing through our life with little or no presence. Yes, we are aware of the things; we can focus on things and direct our attention to details or panoramas. But to be present means something more: it means to be aware of the external world in which one is acting and simultaneously observes how one’s inner world is stimulated by the external world.

One comes to understand that without presence there is no real life, only an imaginary life. Presence is divine. It is the divine spark that brings us to that Great Pearl, our Higher Self.

I want to use my past experiences to help me in the future, but not for the past memories to weigh me down. Live as if Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Most of the people have lived for the most part of their lives either reflecting on the past, attempting not to repeat mistakes OR telescoping to the future in a vain effort to make the right decisions. And the irony is most of the time we are unaware and not even present to this fact.

When the present moment gets uncomfortable, scary or dull, we tend to move either in the past or future. Without knowing that if we want to make future better right now is the time to sow the right seeds for it and nurture them in the best possibly techniques. We have to be energetic and enthusiastic for the future right now otherwise don’t expect a better tomorrow, where shall it come from??

But more importantly, being present is undoubtedly the only way to enjoy life to the fullest. By being mindful, we enjoy our food more, we enjoy friends and family more, we enjoy anything we’re doing more. Anything. Even things you might think are drudgery or boring, such as housework, can be amazing if you are truly present. Try it — wash dishes or sweep or cook, and remain fully present.

Let us be present today. Today appreciate what is around you, it may not be there tomorrow, choose to gravitate in your field right now. Take pleasure in the simple things (keep your senses engrossed in them) Practice surrender/detachment (accept what IS, not what SHOULD be), use the Power of Now. Being able to live in the present is a great feeling! I didn't realize how stressed I was before and how unhappy! Today, I enjoy just being.

I remember a story about Gandhi ; He was asked by a reporter if you had 25 words to tell people how to live a happy life What would you say? Gandhi said, "You only need 3 words, Live Life Now."

Have you ever experienced anything done outside the present? The answer is absolutely not. Nothing ever happened in the past it happened in the present, nothing ever will happen in the future, it shall happen only in the present- that is the power of present.

There exists only the present instant... a Now which always and without end is itself new. There is no yesterday nor any tomorrow, but only Now, as it was a thousand years ago and as it will be a thousand years hence.

My past was imperfect, my future is uncertain, but my present is just as it has to be- it is JUST perfect. You can learn from the past and prepare for the future but do not forget to enjoy the present, as it is the one which is the most precious. Be present (stay) in the present (right now) as it is a present (gift) to you, to make you happy and complete.

Be with the present, be with yourself (learn to enjoy your own company), and Be Happy. As we have just enough to be Happy, As we know just enough to be Happy.