Living with Presence

Experience a greater presence and joy by living in the now moment. Getting rid of day-to-day worries and focusing on the task at hand brings the present moment into focus. Being present in the moment may sound simple, but it takes persistence. If practiced, a sense of well-being and peace can be achieved.

Constantly thinking of past events and about the future robs us of the present experience. It is the present that is our only real experience. The past and future are illusory. The past can seem transitory and the future elusive.

Focusing on the moment brings ordinary daily experiences alive with vivid reality. Sounds, colours and things we normally take for granted take on new meaning. By fixing our attention on the moment, the mind can de-clutter itself and become aware of things we would normally not notice.

The effect is nothing but positive. Removing worries and concerns and being ever present to the moment increases our alertness and brings peace and contentment. By not worrying about the past or the future we are taking a great deal of stress away. This is beneficial for us and enhances our experience of healthy living.

Easier said than done? It can be a challenge to remove thoughts of worry and to control the tendency of our mind to drift to the past or the future. It takes discipline to achieve living in the now. The first step is awareness. We have to learn to be conscious of the mind and what its focus is on. With awareness comes the next step: consciously focusing the mind on the experience known as the ‘present moment’. When the mind strays from the present we can gently steer it back to the present.

Don’t be discouraged. Keep practicing being mindful as part of your daily experience. Notice how the sun reflects off the landscape, listen to the delicate sound a robin makes and give your undivided attention to the task at hand. Enjoying these details of life gives us a sense of the greater presence within us.

Buddhism teaches mindful meditation to centre oneself in the here and now. Being mindful means being aware of our actions, thoughts and environment. In this type of meditation, we are taught to let go of judging our thoughts and to be one with our circumstances. This meditation grounds us in the present and teaches us to enjoy just being.

There are times that we have all experienced mindfulness where we become so focused on the present activity that nothing else wanders in. Living with presence means that each day we commit ourselves to being present in the moment and letting our worries melt away. With each day that we practice living in the moment comes less stress, greater peace and realizing the joy of living. Through our grace we come to the understanding that each moment is precious and should be experienced to its fullest.

Being present does not mean that you can never visit the past or look to the future. However, when you do access the past or the future, do so with complete awareness. We often look to the future by imagining what the future may hold. Imagination is a great gift that we all possess. Through our imagination we can direct our creative energies. When we use our imagination we should do so with conscious awareness. When we fix our imagination on the areas that we wish to enhance in our life we can bring into existence positive experiences and conscious creation.

We should also access the past with care and conscious awareness. The past is a source of memories both positive and negative. We should use the past as a means of learning, healing and with our imagination to direct positive experiences for the present. If we can look at the past and future without attachment to the result, we will be more grounded in the present.

The present is our only real experience. Live with presence and truly participate in this beautiful dance called life!


“I have arrived, I am home,
In the here, and in the now.
I am solid, I am free,
In the ultimate I dwell.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

Namaskar