Sleepwalking through Life

When was the last time you stopped - really stopped? When time stood still and past and future ceased to exist for you?

We have choices in life - indeed, life is all about choice - but one of the most important choices we have is whether to live life in a state of active, conscious participation or to experience it in a dream-like state of passivity or even endurance. Few people would choose to have their life like this, but many of us, in fact, are doing a mixture of living in the past, anticipating the future, fearing, expecting, planning, judging, criticising, or waiting for the next event whether it be a meal, Christmas, a family party or the summer. Often this mental activity is negative or even destructive, causing low self-esteem or even depression.

Being present in the Now is when the mind chatter ceases and you are truly in life, able to feel, sense, taste, see, hear clearly and fully what is around you. You are a part of it, able to focus without distraction, have total clarity and discernment as well as enjoyment, whether you are bathing your child, eating an apple or participating in a meeting. Buddhists have done this for thousands of years, and the practice is as applicable in our world today as it was before.

If you can and wish, I encourage you to stop periodically in your busy day and be present in the moment, consciously. It is easy to be carried away and to forget the importance of doing this. They will be periods of calm that will still your mind and ease anxiety, and they will be hugely beneficial to your well-being.