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Are You Present?

Have you noticed how often we use up the present moments of our lives, the very precious currency of life, consumed with a longing to be someplace else, doing something else? Or we waste present moments feeling guilty about the past or apprehensive about the future. Slipping away from the present happens because we are living our lives with an attitude of depreciation rather than appreciation. We can ease this dilemma by learning to pay attention to what’s going on in the inner world of our thoughts.

A great hallmark of mental wellness is the ability to be in the present moment, fully and with no thoughts of being elsewhere. Henry David Thoreau said: “He is blessed over all mortals who loses no moment of the passing life in remembering the past.” I would add, “In anticipating the future as well.” There definitely is a past, but not now. And there definitely is a future, but not now.

Our present moment is a mystery that we are part of. Here and now is where all the wonder of life lies hidden. And make no mistake about it, to strive to live completely in the present is to strive for what already is the case. You can either make use of these precious moments in a state of appreciation, which is to be here fully now, or in a state of depreciation, which is to wish to be anywhere but here. When all is said and done, now is all there is, and all there ever has been.

Here are some suggestions for enjoying your present moments:

  1. Notice when you are wishing you were somewhere else and bring yourself back to a state of appreciation for where you are. Remember that not being fully immersed in the present is nothing more than a habit that you have the option of breaking right now, in this moment!
  2. Discard thoughts of depreciation. When you find yourself depreciating anyone or anything in your immediate present moment space, see if you can substitute a thought of appreciation. For example, rather than being bored by a conversation, shift your thoughts to, “I am going to spend the next few moments just loving this person for who he is, and nothing more.”  This removal of judgment brings you back to being fully in the present.
  3. Take time to meditate. Meditation is difficult for many people because their thoughts are always on some distant object or place. One form of meditation is to label the thought as it appears and then choose to let it go. This practice helps you first become aware of your thoughts, which many of us need to do, so that we can return to the present moment.
  4. Practice enjoying each phase of your meal (and your day!) for itself, rather than having your thoughts on dessert while you are consuming the appetizer. The essence of the entire message here is to be here now. Is there really any other place to be?

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Comments

Michele says:

I know this isn’t a discussion, but I have to add to Deborah that it is very hard to live in the moment when someone drags up the past all the time. I am there with you. I don’t have an answer for you, it’s hard when all around is negative, I wish you peace. This probably won’t get posted. 🙁

Astra says:

Gorgeous!

Deborah says:

It is very difficult to live in the moment when a loved one continually drags you into the past. Every minute becomes a struggle to stay afloat in the now. How do you cope with the bombardment of negatives when you are living with a negative being who enjoys being negative.

titisaa says:

about maditation, can we meditate about even our problem. for example personality disorder. thank you

Maria says:

This is why I giggled when my dog delightedly rolled in mud instead of being frustrated that I would have to clean the car later (and him!). 🙂

karin says:

Watching our inhalation and exhalation of our breath is a way to focus on living in the present moment. Yes, the present moment is wonderful, alive and divine.

Ashley Mui says:

All 4 suggestions to enjoy the present moment are brilliant reminders. We often are rushing to eat meals, like monks in brotherhood – enjoy chewing, savor the taste, be mindful of the sun, the rain, the elements that have brought life to the food. Practice being in the present – one moment at a time. Cherish the day.

Leah says:

Dr. Dyer,
I am very excited to become part of your community. I have read your book “There’s A Spiritual Solution To Every Problem” four times. It is very inspiring and full of great advice. Besides I want to thank your for your effective words of wisdom above that are words to live by in the here and now. Thank you.

Rafael says:

Thank you dr Wayne. Very nice ideas and very helpfull message.The only i think you did not mentioned it is how difficult it is to be present.Very difficult can say it is impossible.Only with daily practice can do a small progress but when you leave practicing your mind returns back to its habits again!!so i can say …keep practicing!!

Christopher Wayne says:

Our hearts emit electrical and magnetic frequencys that manipulate the enviroment. When we “act as if” we feel now the love, joy or peace that we want to manifest. Wishing to be some where else, even for love and peace still produces discontent because that is where the heart is. When we live greatfully the universe reciprocates the heart feeling.

Hilary says:

I have found the new post-religion faith: in it there is no hell, there is no original sin, you and I are God, and heaven on earth is real and right around the corner. No one is denied entry and there is nothing more any of us has to do to be ready to go there. Join me on Graduating from God on Facebook.

Eric says:

God is in the moment. Time is only a creation of man. Eternity is in the moment.

John says:

Living in the “moment” A fantastic feeling, but lost it when I started back to work and in my mind began to live in the future “what was to come” or what I was to do the next day or the next job. Actually I was “working” in the future instead of appreciation Now your blogs resets my mind of what life is really about and I thank you for that

Lynn says:

Thank you, I so needed to meditate on this. I feel like I’m in a crossroad in my life… I am going to make the decision right now!!! I am going to live in the present not in the past or in the future. Thanks again Dr. Dyer

Phil says:

Wow, what a great reminder from what you’ve said in your books, and especially to be always AWARE of what you are thinking, doing and saying so you can make better choices in the present.

Kenneth says:

I’ve always worried about the future, trying to plan it so it would work out the way I wanted. Needless to say, it never worked out the way I wanted. Then I looked backward, to all the time I wasted and regretting it. I had no time for now. It’s never to late to start living in the moment. Thanks to you, this is where I am.

jigna says:

thanks.for making me live in the present

Abhinav says:

Living in present is very important to stay Happy 🙂 Thanks Dr. Dyer

JAMES FONTAINE says:

For me this is the ultimate prescription of happiness, if you are in the present moment, happiness will rise with being.
Thanks Dr. Dyer

parvin says:

Never look at your watch when you are late on your way to a very important meeting . Concentrating on your present moment is the most enjoyable and constructive action that you can do. Life is made of enormous moments that all belong to you. YOU and only you can make them beautiful, memorable, and desirable.

Linda Cordes says:

Thanks, Wayne.
I was feeling guilty about straying from my morining online tasks until I thought about what I was reading here.
I decided to enjoy the message and share it with my own clients and followers. Now I am enjoying this moment of gratitude for the nugget I found here in your words.

lee says:

Thank you for this post, Dr. Dyer. I kept on worrying about my future in the past years. Thank you for your insightful words, I completely believe in that God or the Dao helps me to do what I really want. Two little miracles happen in my life these days, I feel so grateful.

Willam says:

Live each moment like the last one and enjoy it like if you were a baby. namaste

Penny says:

Our present moment is a mystery that we are a part of…….sometimes it’s a sentence, sometimes just a few words….but you always find my heart! All my love to you.

Christopher Wayne Richards says:

Nothing exsists but your awareness of the now. Past and future are a thought. Thought is energy produced by the brain. Can you hold pure thought in your hand? On a quantam level mater is an illusion also. So, what do we have? The now and our awarness of it, that is all there is.

Mucunda says:

Reallly great expose
Congratulation
namaste

Joseph Wadas says:

We cannot change the past. We are not promised a future. All we have is the Present moment. This moment is God’s gift to us. That is why we call it the “Present.” Namaste!

richard cook says:

Now feel at one with who I am. The more I recognize this the more peaceful I become. There is a sense of wonder with it. A place that I seem to know. This precious present seems to give so much more as I unwrap life’s obstacles and be it. Thank you!

Helene Sinclair says:

Wonderfullly said! Cheers to the present moment of you sharing this with us Dr. Dyer!

Dennis says:

Illness too relies on beliief in the past as having power to make the present.

Vicki says:

Boy this is a big one for me. I even found myself wandering off while reading these very powerful words. I will stop wishing my life away on past and future moments and just living in the present. Namaste.