I truly believe that NOW is the only time.
This belief was reaffirmed recently for me, and, more importantly, caused me to ask myself how I would live my life differently given this truth.
The Vision
During a recent meditation, my consciousness was gifted with a vision of what time might be.
I saw the now, this present moment, bright and clear.
I saw the past and future as visions side-by-side to the present, rather then in front of and behind, as we might typically envision and experience it.
And then, the most magical thing happened…
The past and the future melted into the present moment, with past, present, and future existing simultaneously in the now.
What If…
Ok, I know it might sound a bit “out there,” but before you reject this completely, I invite you to open your mind for a moment to explore the possibility.
Really ask yourself, how would I live my life under this truth?
Would I tell absolutely everyone I love that I love them (and even some of those I don’t?)?
Would I let go of worry and regret and embrace all that is?
Would I create from the absolute depths of my soul, releasing what anyone else might think of it?
Would I speak my truth, loud and clear?
What would I do?
What would you do?
Focus on the Now
When I focus on the now, I begin to embrace each day as a gift…even the seemingly painful ones.
When I focus on the now, my body is fed when its hungry, moved when its restless, rested when it’s tired.
When I focus on the now, I have a clearer perspective as to how past experiences have led to my soul’s growth in the present moment and how I’m able to continue to grow through future ones.
“Your outer journey may contain a million steps; your inner journey only has one: the step you are taking right now.” ~Eckhart Tolle
A Way of Life
But living in this body means I also live with this ego; and this ego thinks it’s protecting me when it tries to take me out of the present moment.
Choosing to live in the now becomes a practice…a way of life.
Here are just a few ways that I’ve chosen to keep present moment awareness at the top of my consciousness:
Breathe
The yogis (and dad!) were right on the money with this one; anytime you feel disconnected from this moment, simply take 10 deep breaths.
I’ll admit in this day and age of go, go, go, this practice might seem more difficult to honor, but that’s just because it goes against what society is choosing…so be a rebel, slow down, and breathe.
Meditate
Myth: You must sit for hours on end to create a meaningful meditation practice.
Truth: You can meditate in as few as 5 minutes a day.
Although most studies focus on 20 minutes as that “sweet spot,” consistency is more important than length of time when it comes to this practice.
Show up every day and create the space to remember what it feels like to live in the now, and it will become easier to do so when you least expect it.
Seek Mindful Moments
Our brains are these amazing machines that can produce the most incredible outputs when we simply give them the right inputs.
So each time we come back to the present is one more opportunity to train our brains to stay present in every moment.
A simple way to approach this is to let every little sound from your wonderful world of technology to serve as a reminder.
Each incoming tweet…take a breath and connect to the now.
Each new email…another blissful now moment.
Even an incoming phone call can give us the chance to stay connected with one simple breath.
Your Life, in the Now
There are many more ways to connect to the now, and it’s my intention that the three practices above will serve to guide you if you’re just getting started and if the power of now is a belief you feel would also serve you in your life.
But of course, these aren’t the only ones…what other practices have you found work for you in your quest to stay connected to the now?
And if this is a belief you’ve already adopted, how as the power of the present moment served you in your life?
I am a Soul Alignment Coach, guiding clients to shift from overwhelm and self-doubt to resiliency and flow so that they can create the impactful lives that their souls intended. I live and work in the heart of Los Angeles, but connect virtually with clients around the world.
In the bustle of the holiday go go go, your post is a refreshing reminder to stop, sigh, and be here right now! so tee hee, I am stopping my mad afternoon rush to share some love your way! yay! love to you this holiday season.
YES! Thank you for taking the time to stop the rush for a bit and spend a mindful moment with me here at MyMiBoSo, Claire – happy that the reminder came to you at the perfect time :).
This is so beautiful, and thank you for sharing your guidance with us. I really can see it, that the only time that exists is NOW. Wow. Profound post, mind boggling. Thank you. x
Thank you so much Jia Ni – I’m truly so happy that this message hits you deep within!
And I LOVE when you visit me here on my online “home” – thank you for stopping by!
I love this! Meditation changed my world. I dedicate 15-minutes most days, and it has created a space around me that’s hard to describe…like there are things that happen, but this great space opens up between the thing that happened and how I choose to act. I get to process things that trigger me instead of falling into old patterns. I’m able to stay grounded and calm. And in those rare events that send me spinning, I’m able to recover and come back to center more quickly. I was a HUGE skeptic of meditation, but I have to say it’s the single most important practice I’ve added to my life.
Ellen, no one could describe it better than you…that “space between” is exactly the magic in this simple practice (that rarely actually “feels” magical in the moment). Thank you so much for sharing your experience with mindfulness here…and for overall just being a pretty amazing human being :).
I’d have to say doing improv has taught me to try to be in the now, you cannot plan ahead or know what’s going to happen…
Yes! Improv is a great way to associate being in the now with the RUSH of being ready for anything the world throws at you – I love it!
Yes, and…
Yes! Improv also teaches us the power of affirmations 🙂
yes and indeed! it so works in life in general…
I have to agree with you Ellen! Improv is an amazing exercise in mindfulness.
I’m always so grateful for the “acting” classes that ended up really helping me become a better human being in the process!
Wonderful reminders! I had a very similar vision recently but it was while I was driving…lol! Everything…EVERYTHING was connected energetically to EVERYTHING as well as to me! It was a euphoric moment to visually SEE and also to actually FEEL that connection. No constraints of time or space, or this being or that being…beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful experience with me around that deep connection that you felt Amy! Isn’t it powerful when we step outside of the illusion for just a moment to connect to who we really are?
It makes me so happy that you took the time to visit here at MyMiBoSo and hope to see you again soon!
I love the NOW. When I first read The power of Now I wondered how Eckhart could have spent 6 months on a park bench in total joy. Now I get it. When I live from the now with no though of the past and present my life sparkles and shines in a way I never thought possible 🙂
Tabitha, you said it so beautifully – absolutely, life begins to “sparkle and shine” in a new way when we are simply PRESENT with it! Thank you for sharing this!
I love this! I talk about being in the present moment in order to manifest. The present is all there is. Your post is so timely. Thank you for this 🙂
Jen, I love how you make the connection between living in the present moment and manifestation – thank you for bringing this to the discussion!
Very nice touch using technology as a reminder to come back to the present moment!
Thank you Rog! So happy to see you here on the site today! I personally like your snail tattoo as well – no need to rush when we’re already there, right?
I just recently finally read the Power of Now and I finally ‘got it’ as far as how important it is to focus on the now because really, that’s all there is. Thank you for this beautiful post, Sabrina. And I Tweeted your statement too 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this important message Christina! The Power of Now was a real eye opener – so glad you picked it up!
I love this Sabrina and this is so true and right on! You are amazing! Thank you for the wonderful reminder of how to love your life!
Thank YOU Kari – one of my favorite parts about the message you share in the world is that our future is created by our joy in the NOW!
Sabrina I love how you remind us how easy it is to fit mindfulness into our daily lives! Thanks!
Absolutely Karen! It makes me so happy to see the work you’re doing in the world and how in alignment it is with living in the now!