Keeping your MIND in the Present

Much has been written and about bringing your MIND to the present moment.

What does it feel like (attempting to bring your mind into the present)?

 Initially, it feels a bit like boredom. Just getting bored, doing nothing. Things change quickly, though.After some practice, this is what it should feel like – each MOMENT on the universe, arriving at YOU.

The Ocean Wave Analogy

Imagine you are waist-deep in the ocean (by a beach) – and the waves are arriving and  splashing your body every few seconds. You have to do nothing except sit and wait for the next splash to arrive. It is the same with staying in the present. You do nothing, the Universe keeps arriving (moment after moment) and hitting you with its waves.

Once in the present, you start noticing things more – especially other people and their actions. People will seem to move a lot faster and do everything faster than yourself. This isn’t because you are doing anything slowly, it is because you are doing things mindfully. It becomes possible for you to notice actions that are not mindful – since you yourself have a good idea of what mindful actions feel like.  Of course, you should not use this as an excuse for JUDGING anyone’s actions. You are merely more observant – not more judgemental.

How long does it take to bring your mind into the present?

Usually, if you attempt it starting in the morning, by evening (early evening), you should feel everything slowing down – and your mind becoming clear. During the day, there will be several attempts to KNOCK you off balance. You must accept these as gifts – as opportunities – overcoming these challenges help you become mindful faster. No one, not even the practicing Buddhists wake up every morning with their mind in the present. A certain amount of effort has to be expended. This can be in the form of powerful, focused meditation (sitting meditation)  – or it can be through performing daily activities.

What is the whole purpose of staying (mentally) in the present?

The whole idea is actually to eliminate the mind (the thought process) from INTERFERING with day to day activities. The actual day to day activities need to be handled by ‘feel’ as if on autopilot – this is the desired goal anyway. Any conscious involvement of the mind usually interferes with this goal. Hence, it is essential to try and subdue conscious thought as much as possible. One of the ways of accomplishing this is by bringing your mind to the present. 

Another benefit of doing so is to attract a more benevolent Universe. A lot of the negative events that we attract (the irritating traffic jam, the difficult boss etc.) are – to some extent created by our own selves.  The nature of the Universe we attract is dependent on our own state of  mind. A calm mind attracts mainly a calmer,  more peaceful Universe.  A chaotic mind attracts a hurried, sometimes unpleasant Universe. If we can calm our own minds, the benefits extend beyond our own self – and to the extended Universe at large.

Practice – especially during difficult times

Hard core runners tie weights to their feet to improve their performance when they are running normally (without weights).  In the same way, certain mindful practices will help you become mindful in DAILY, NORMAL life – if you can do them with the ‘weights on your feet’, so to speak.  The next time you face a difficult curve in life, try and prevent your mind from racing ahead. Your mind WILL paint horrible scenarios  – that’s just what a mind (influenced by fear) does. You may not be able to stop the mind from doing this. However, you  CAN recognize that this is what the mind is doing. And that recognition is often enough to slow the mind down.

Summary

Mindfulness is about quieting the mind so that it is able to become more in-tune with the universe – just as a floating log is in tune with the waves on an ocean. The benefits of doing so extend to everything that one experiences. As with everything, practice helps to familiarize oneself with what it takes to attain this state. Practice during difficult times is an especially good trainer. Once you try becoming mindful in the really low periods of your life, your mind will be trained to attain the mindful state in everyday life.