Mindfullness and practice of presence
Our life comes down to that. This brief moment between the past and the future.
The ability to be resilient and get rid of a problem, lift your head and move on is not an easy task. In our mind, it is impossible to separate problems. Family, financial, love, or work situations are together and appear at any time.
Often, even though we are concentrating on the present moment, different thoughts will pass through our mental "screen." These flashes arrive without asking for permission, attract attention and take us out of the present moment. When that happens and our attention is taken, we lose control and become hostages of thoughts that come and go... Many live that way, on autopilot, being taken away by mental screens.
Try to focus only on what you are doing in the present moment, whatever it is. If you're walking, notice your surroundings, feel your footsteps on the ground. If you are washing dishes try to feel the temperature of the water, the touch of the sponge, the smell of the soap. If you are talking to someone, look in the eyes, listen carefully to each word. Just be present. Before the whirlwind of thoughts that will try to get you out of this instant, do not let yourself be carried by them, stand firm at this moment.
If you are reading this text, enjoy every word. Perceive the senses that come from reading, the format of letters, whether something does or does not sense... But do not be disturbed by coemergencies of the mind, be here. If this state in the present moment does not arise naturally, try to pay attention to your breathing for a brief moment. Perceive your breath and return to your activity of the moment.
This training of returning to the present moment and living it, taking the reins of life itself, is constant and only ceases when we die. Be here and now, always.
Thanks for reading!
Monkey mind does seem to be the status quo for us humans in the world. I also work at the practice of being present and know the feeling of peace and centeredness that comes when I am really mindful, even if it is only briefly. It is a practice that is constant, but so worth it.
The other thing your post brings to mind for me is the experience of engaging in an activity that causes one to become present. In my experience, playing an instrument can initiate focused presence, a state that bypasses thought and goes straight to flow. Love those moments!
Thanks for the answer. With practice we try to fit the mind into each activity. It is not easy and the expected result of all this is empty. Simply living the moment, life as it is. The only thing we truly have is this brief moment between the past and the future, the rest is delusion.