This post is dedicated to Bernard for a message he sent about “living in the moment” after he read my week 15 MKMMA blog about Living in the Now.
The topic of living in the now was covered in the journal Psychology Today in an article by Ian Newby Clark published in April of 2008 and as stated in the article has been researched by Sonja Lyubomirsky, from the University of California at Riverside and author of a book titled “The How of Happiness”.
Living is the now, is described as mindfulness, enjoying what is happening now even if it is a commute to work on a crowded train during a bus strike. Find something to enjoy within the moment. Is there anything, right that instant, that is wrong? No. The whole situation upsets you if you dwell upon it but not the instant of existence you are living.
What is there to savor in a crowded train? You might like to assist me with some great ideas and send in a comment. What occurs to me is that you are alive and that in itself is wonderful when you dwell upon it. You are alive … breathe in … breathe out. Live in the moment.
Are you tired, stressed, depressed, missing a loved one or on the receiving end of bad news?
Become aware of the moment concentrate on your breath, you are alive nothing else exists but now. The First Law of the Mind, the law of substitution, states that we cannot think about two things at the same time. If you wish to improve yourself to become less stressed and less worrisome, learn mindfulness.
The dichotomy is that you cannot have mindfulness as something you will achieve. This is because to think about mindfulness as something you want places it, mindfulness, in the future, NOT IN THE NOW.
The trick is to just be in the moment. Live this moment and be blessed.
Mindfulness is what Buddhists describe as recognising the “spark before the flame”.
Did you hear the one about the Buddhist devotee who spent 20 years in prayer and meditation? Upon leaving the monastery he was asked. “What have you learned in the time you have been within the monastery?” Immediately his reply came forth. “I have learned that I breathe”, he said.
For the link to the Psychology Today article click on Psychology Today.
Maureen Hagerty’s MKMMA blog from February is sensational and inspiring, recommended reading.