Meditation: The Beauty of Here and Now

I've been a close follower of world politics, world events and an avid researcher of what lies behind them. But after a while, it gets exhausting. It's not so much an emotional roller coaster as it is a bungee jump from Macau Tower. The thrill of the wind, the long hazy look down. The nervous elation of the fall. The stomach turning bounce back into the sky. Eventually though, after the ever decreasing length of the rebound, it just leaves me dangling. No movement. The kinetic energy depleted. Burnt out.

It almost seems as if there are two separate universes. Politically speaking, there is the left vs. the right. Both moving further away from each other. However what I've come to learn is that we are a richly diverse mosaic of human perspective, forced to choose sides. It's exhausting because it's not natural to be pigeon holed into categories and labels. It creates a constant tension with it's opposite counterpart.

The Illusion of Mind

The external world demands your mind's attention. Circumstances that are brought about by living in this world demand your mind's attention. Eventually, even the best of us loose touch with who we really are. You begin to believe the mind is what makes you who you are. That your anxiety is you. That your sadness is you. That your pride is you. That your tribe is you.

This is "maya", or illusion.

Who you really are is much more subtle at first. It's that still, timeless observer. It's the awareness of your mind, not the mind itself. It provides a necessary function without your conscious attention, like the breath or the beating heart. It doesn't have political or religious beliefs, it doesn't have a favorite food, it doesn't even have a personality. But it's at the very heart of your being. And it's always here and now.

People in the World Need More Beauty

One of the most effective things we can do in order to truly see the beauty around us is to meditate. This will help you begin to rediscover your natural state of just "being". It's like seeing the world again through the eyes of a small child. Being fully present and really noticing how blue the sky is or how inspiring it is to see the leaves twirl in the wind. That's what it means to be here and now.

The Beauty in the World Needs More People

We are meant to create, to manifest the world we desire. Not to react out of fear or anger. If you feel overwhelmed. Take some time away from social media. Take some time away from the TV. The most impactful thing you can do to make a difference in this world is to begin within yourself. There is unrealized beauty all around you and it wants to be noticed. It wants to be created. Write music, paint, plant flowers, smile at someone.

By doing this, your reality will slowly shift. The stillness within you will turn to joy and fear itself will cease to exist.