The Power of Being Present in the Moment

The Power of Being Present in the Moment

Here is your mission for the day. I want you to bring your awareness to your thoughts every hour of the day. I want you to make note, how often are your thoughts in the future? How often are your thoughts in the past? It may be surprising to you, but most of us are operating moment from moment either in the past or in the future.

The only time we truly have is now, in this moment. What we feel and experience is happening now. The past does not exist and the future is not promised. So much suffering is generated by the past and future because we have forgotten how to be present in the now and how to be present within our bodies.

We are a society of avoiding pain, suffering or any emotion that is unpleasant. We are overworked because we are constantly running after a future that never seems to be realized. If we attain one goal, there seems to be another we have to chase after. Then we begin to burn out and run our bodies down. Then we get angry and frustrated because we can’t keep up. Who or what are we keeping up with?

How much suffering do we generate with thoughts of the past? Whether thoughts about going back, wishing we could have done something different or being unable to let go of a situation. Or how often do we replay an event and think of all the possible ways it could have gone wrong, then get angry and anxious over the situation that has already past?

It was interesting for me to note, how often my mind wanders and dwells. It is not until we pause and take a few moments to be present with our thoughts that we can “see” or “sense” more clearly how our mind is operating. So, for example, a few hours before seeing clients I might get this sense of anxiety that I need to prepare and really think about what I am going to do. Not to say this is a bad thing, being prepared, but the feeling of possibly being inadequate does not serve a positive purpose.

What I was able to notice was the “feelings” of anxiety and worry that I might not be prepared enough and therefore I might miss an important exercise or technique and if I did that then somehow the treatment would fail and the client would think I’m not good at my job. It is in this pause that I am able to note my thoughts of the future and see them just as thoughts. And if they are just thoughts, then it is not actually happening and therefore I am not actually in danger of failure or judgment and this allows my anxiety and worry to slowly wash away along with the thoughts.

Presence in the now, allows me to identify this and therefore begin to free myself of this unnecessary suffering. Not that these thoughts won’t come up, but I no longer have to identify these thoughts as part of who I am. I can see my thoughts as if they were a cloud moving through the sky, being pushed by the wind. One moment there is a rainy cloud, sometimes a thunderous one, but it is just a cloud that will pass. It is not part of who I am.

Looking at it this way, begins to loosen the grip of anxiety, worry and suffering that I can actually be present in my environment rather than a future. If I can begin to change my perspective, anyone is able to do so with the right tools and help.

The Pelvic Health Lady