It is a fairly common view these days, that one of the keys to happiness is the ability to be able to remain “present”. To not worry about the past or the future and instead focus on and enjoy the present moment. It’s the journey, not the destination, is a common mantra! However familiar we may be with this way of being as an intellectual concept in reality, it can be easier said than done! It is also fairly widely accepted that meditation is the tool to calm the mind, allowing us to make choices about what it is we would like to focus upon.
Although meditation can be a helpful tool, long hours of meditation and/or a devotional lifestyle are not required to maintain a state of presence. In this state we are automatically connected to our state of inner peace and love. Opportunities to learn how create a calm mind and connect to our powerful energy source are everywhere.
Ways in which we can practice maintaining a state of presence include:
- Giving our full attention to someone when they are talking to us. If we find our mind wandering from the conversation, consciously bring our attention back to them and really listen.
- Fully concentrate on our driving. If you are driving your car on automatic pilot, bring yourself back to what you are doing in the present moment.
- Give your full attention to brushing your teeth. If your mind wanders, bring it back.
- Focus on chopping vegetables with our full awareness.
- Focus on our breath.
- Focus on the senses in our body, what we are: feeling, seeing, hearing, touching and smelling.
When we start to tune our mind to the present moment, we will bring a sense of quality and peace into our life. Rather than doing things by half measure we will do things well. Learning to focus our mind is an important step in learning to let the mind know it is us who is in control. This ultimately will enable us to transcend the suffering the mind can create. With a clear mind we will begin to notice the natural order and beauty of life. Next time you look at a tree, really look at it and you will appreciate how beautiful it is. Next time you are with someone, giving him or her your full attention, without judgement, and you will notice his or her inherent beauty.
When you are fully present, you are more aware and intuitive. This allows you to feel a genuine connection with people, beyond the intellectual concept. In an intuitive state, you actually embody compassion, love, and kindness towards yourself and others. You just know things and tune into other people when they are tuning into you. For example, you may telephone someone just as he or she is telephoning you!
Presence allows you to be in conscious contact with The Universal Intelligence Field—connecting you to the power of creation and the field of unlimited possibilities. To be truly empowered and to create the life you desire, once you are in tune with The Universal Intelligence Field, you need to take action in relation to what you are hearing. This may mean taking a course, changing jobs, finding a new relationship, or developing new skills.
It is possible for anyone to develop presence or live in a state of awareness. In fact it is very easy because it is the most natural thing in the world (A Course in Miracles, 1975, 64). Our beliefs determine our reality. If we think something will be hard, it is hard. If we think it is easy, it will be. For thousands of years, many people have had us believe that it is difficult for us to live in a state of expanded awareness, or that you have to go through a series of steps, follow a specific person, that it is only for a chosen few, or if you are special. If you believe this, then that is how it will be for you. However, if you believe that your state of presence flow from within and is always with you and can be contacted anytime, anywhere, just by tuning into your intuition, that will be your experience.
