Think of a time where you had no perception of time, no thoughts of the past or future, fully engrossed in what you were doing at that exact moment or fully aware of what was going on and how you were feeling. Now what if I told you that you could live life predominantly in this state? What if I told you that this current moment you have is all there is and ever will be? You generally live somewhat in the past and somewhat in the future, remembering or maybe regretting previous situations and events, or planning and scheduling your busy lifestyle.
How often do you check in? How often do you actually take a moment to look at your life and reflect? I’m assuming not as much as you’d like to, because I try to do it every day and I still feel I don’t do it enough. Now I’m not going to tell you that I’ve mastered this, but I do make a conscious effort to spend the majority of my time in the moment.
The moment is where happiness lies, where bliss manifests and where consciousness flourishes. There is no judgement in the moment, just happenings. The moment is when you are exercising and pushing past your limits. The moment is when you’re talking with someone you love, or listening and dancing to music. All of what you feel you are searching for can be found here. What I’ve found most helpful is that you start to live in the moment; you pursue a purpose you find meaningful.
Once you’re in the moment your sense of self quickly vanishes, you become part of the cosmic dance and work with the universe rather than against it. You let all your thoughts go, all your preconceptions, all your ideas on how you think the world works. This gives way for real creativity and innovation, what you have to offer yourself and the universe.
Now there’s a plethora of different ways one might fall into this state, for example I achieve this most frequently by meditating. The act of meditation is to perceive the present moment for what it is in all its aspects. Once finished my meditation, which is usually no longer than twenty minutes, I feel firmly entrenched in reality. I notice that I appreciate more of what I have rather than focusing on what I don’t. I notice how beautiful this reality is and humility for the fact that I’m living this life as a human.
I also get a strong sense of the moment when playing sport, or playing and listening to music. Now why do you think that live sport and music concerts draw the highest crowds? This is the very essence of what it means to let go of all you think and live your life.
Another way to enter the moment is the pursuit of your ambition or vocation. Doing what you love opens the door to your nature – what really gives you a sense of fulfilment and joy. My purpose is to spread this message, and in writing this piece I feel fully one with myself and all else, it flows out of me naturally and brings my attention to what is happening right now.
See that from any one subjective perspective it only matters what is happening right now? See that the future and past cannot be controlled or changed? What you can do though is live in this one moment we have and make decisions that will improve your current situation, because that’s all you have – right now.
That’s why lots of inspired people tell you to stop putting off what you want to do and do it now. Now is all there is, and the mindset that you’ll do it later in counter productive because there is no later, just like there is no tomorrow or yesterday.
By taking this shift in perspective, you can maximise your potential to get the most done every day. It justifies your daily grinding at a dead end job if you are simultaneously taking steps to improve your current situation.
The psychological benefits of living in the moment are also fundamentally important. You recognise how many thoughts you have per day, and you no longer let negative ones ruin them. Living in the moment allows you to let go of what you think and just be. Once you become who you are supposed to be, the state of being separate from what goes on inside your head, and start identifying with what you love out in the world rather than what you think inside your head – you are free.
From the ashes, you will rise.
Liam