Tuesday, July 1, 2008

LIVING IN THE MOMENT




" Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." Buddha



"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment." Henry David Thoreau


Living in the moment is one of the quickest routes to inner peace. If you find yourself struggling with negative emotion in any way, you will likely find that you are resisting the present situation. It is very easy to revisit the past or worry endlessly about the future. Our minds are conditioned for this type of thinking, which often results in tremendous discomfort. The good news is , is that it's fairly easy to live in the present moment. I find that the simplest way to become grounded in the present is to pay attention to my breathing. Yesterday, while chatting with my dad's neurosurgeon, I did a quick body scan and realized I was holding my breath. Taking shallow breaths is one way to avoid the present moment and avoid unpleasant feelings. By becoming more conscious of my breath I was able to deal with an unsettling situation with a clear and focused mind. What are you doing right now? Are you open to this moment or are you resisting it is some way?

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