Living in the NOW

The focus for 2015 is on being present in your NOW. All of your power lives in NOW, in this moment. It is in this moment that you have the opportunity to create change and make your desires a reality. To do this you must live in the present. What is happening in this moment is simply a reflection of what is in your heart. Love creates love just as fear creates fear.

To illustrate this practice imagine we are floating down a lush, tropical river together in inner tubes. We are a part of a larger group of people floating down the river. It’s a beautiful day. Either side of the river is coated with lush, emerald green vegetation. It is warm. The sun is sparkling on the water. Then, in an instant your peaceful serene journey changes. We have now come upon some rapids. You begin to feel the water pick up speed, rushing by you pushing your inner tube back and forth as the river carries us and our tubes over the rapids and down the river. We have no control over the situation. You feel yourself drop over small rock cliffs. Clinging to the inner tube handles you somehow manage to stay in your inner tube! We can see other tubers being flipped out of their tubes and thrown into the large boulders sticking sharply out of the water. As we watch this our sense of panic begins to grow.

How can we manage this journey? We are trapped in the inner tube with no exit. We are being carried down the river by the momentum of the water, whether we want to go or not. It is too late to turn back. Here is where we turn to the practice of being present in the moment. We begin to focus on the NOW. We stop looking down the river, trying to anticipate what pitfalls lie ahead. Instead we try to focus on the moment. What do you hear in this moment? The bubbling rushing sound of water, the sounds of the tropical jungle on either side of the river, the leaves rustling as the breeze picks up, the sound of birds and other creatures. In the NOW this can sound like calming music. Focus on the vibrant jungle colors that surround you. Feel the cool wet sensation of the water splashing on your legs as they dangle out of the inner tube. Whenever you become distracted and lose your sense of the present, be aware and refocus on what is going on right NOW. Before you know it the river will have slowed and we will be at a shallow tide pool. The guides for this journey will be assisting us out of our inner tubes and we will be headed off for a new adventure.

So this is life, a journey with fast and slow spots, rapids, fear and anxiety and we are all going through it together. In life we often have no control. How can we manage the rapids of life? We can let panic and fear of what we anticipate in the future take over. Or we can choose to be present in the NOW. Appreciate the moment and you will find the journey is surreal, memorable and unique. Make it an amazing adventure and a lot more fun by staying in the NOW.

Set an intention as you move through 2015 to experience life in the NOW. If you find that you are not happy with your NOW, don’t worry, it will change. In fact, your NOW changes from one moment to the next, based upon where your attention is focused. Try these simple steps to help you experience the joy of actively living in the NOW.

Step One: Relax, breathe, and shift your vibration by focusing your attention on what you desire to be NOW. It is your attitude and sense of gratitude for all that has been and for all that is NOW that will allow you to shift your reality and open the doors to experience even greater moments that are more in line with what you desire.

Step Two: Set your intention to savor each moment and affirm: I accept what is, regardless of my opinion about it.

Step Three: Ground yourself by visualizing roots growing out of your feet and into the earth, anchoring you in the present.

Step Four: When your mind drifts away from the present, bring attention back to the present by stating mentally what you are doing/feeling in that moment. For example: “Eating”, “Feeling warmed by the sun”, “Smiling”.

By focusing on the NOW it is impossible to be anxious or fearful of the future as you are only in the NOW. Choose an activity or several activities each day and set your intention to remain present for that activity. Remember that by being in the NOW and acknowledging what is, you can then make a choice to accept it. By accepting what is, you open the doors to change the reality you are experiencing NOW.