Living in the Moment

"Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

A cliché that we hear regularly is: “Live in the Moment”. ?

What exactly does that mean??

Does that mean we should not follow any social norms, drink ourselves into oblivion, use drugs with abandon and have multiple sexual encounters??

While that may be the meaning of living in the moment for some individuals, that lifestyle choice leads to a great deal of suffering for all concerned. ?

What living in the moment means from an inside-out perspective, is remaining present in your current life situation and not longing for the past or hoping for a future utopia as a means of changing the present moment,?which is keeping you from being attentive to what is going on NOW.?

I have heard many clients and patients express to me that they “wish they had their life back”.? I have had those thoughts myself when my life suddenly took a different and painful turn.?Unfortunately, all the wishing and hoping in the world, cannot change what already IS.?The present moment IS what it IS and is as certain as gravity, magnetic fields,?and electricity. Just as we cannot wish gravity, magnetic fields,?and electricity out of existence, we cannot change what already IS in this moment right now.?

We can only adapt to our current circumstances as they are now, to maneuver optimally through life with all of the direction we need arising from within. If we are distracted by thoughts of longing for the past and wishful thinking for a different future than our current situation, we will not have the capacity to listen to the Universal Wisdom within us for guidance right now.

Blocking that wisdom with unhelpful thoughts of sadness or anxiety, can have significant consequences and add even more suffering to our lives. We will make choices out of fantasy instead of based on current reality, often with a poor outcome.?

The present moment IS your life.?

While each of us has a past, the past is not our current life situation. We all are subject to change and aging. We grow, we experience loss, happiness, raise children, have love relationships, and develop friendships along the way. No one remains exactly the same over time. ?

We can only cherish each moment as it comes, when it comes. After that moment, it is only a memory.?While memory of happy moments in life can remind us of who we were, memories of painful events can be realized as being only that… a painful memory with no real power over our present or future any longer, unless we allow the past to prevent us from our current life.?

So, how do we live in the moment??

The short answer is to focus on the present moment exactly as it is. Whether it is a pleasant experience or a difficult one, accepting it as it is as if you had chosen it, is the key to accessing the deeper wisdom within, to know moment by moment, how to work WITH the situation for an optimal outcome.?You will not be able to access the inner calm and wisdom that arises from the inside-out, by remaining in an angry state at the situation, denying what already is your current situation, or wishing you were somewhere else.?

Accepting the present moment, pausing for wisdom and direction on how to respond to it, then choosing to act based on that wisdom, is living in the moment.?Acting as opposed to reacting is the desired outcome of living in the moment.

Living in the moment is the key that unlocks the door to happiness and inner peace.?

It is not always easy to do, but with practice, you can more easily return to the present moment mentally, to step out of unhealthy future thinking or past longings, in a futile attempt to try to change what already IS.

The present moment is the only life you have.?

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• Subscribe to digital magazine:?Magnificent Metamorphosis Magazine?contains quarterly issues with inspiring articles that support your transformation, available on your phone, tablet, or desktop browser. Each issue contains insights and impactful mindfulness-based content by a variety of global thought leaders and topics.?
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