How to tell if you’re not being present

I decided to post something today that didn’t relate to A Course in Miracles, but it seems I’m about to talk to you about a topic that’s been covered in the last few lessons! Oh well!

All the time I’m being told by spiritual masters, mentors and the like, that I need to “stay present”, and it took me a long time to work out what that actually meant! I also had a few questions!

Why should I stay present?

Here’s what I have learned…

When you are present, you have quietened your mind. All of the chatter about what happened at work with your boss yesterday, or what could happen tomorrow at that big presentation you have to do, literally disappears.

Being present creates a feeling of calmness, where nothing at all matters in the world, except right now.

Taking steps to be present is also great for reducing stress and increasing relaxation, which of course will have many health benefits.

How can I tell if I am not being present?

There are a number of ways to tell if you’re not being present, and today I will cover one or two, so here goes.

• If you are feeling angry about what so-and-so said to you yesterday, your thoughts are in the past.
• If you are worried about what your partner will say when you tell them you have to work instead of going out for dinner with them tomorrow night, your thoughts are in the future.
• If you are feeling regret about something you did five years ago, your thoughts are waayyy back in the past!
• If you are dreading a public speaking engagement you have next week, your thoughts are in the future.

As you can see, if you’re thinking and feeling emotions about a past event, then that’s exactly where your thoughts are. On the other hand, if you’re thinking and feeling emotions about a future event or worrying about something that may not even happen, then your thoughts are well and truly focused on the future.

How can I stay present?

Staying present gets easier the more often you practise and there are countless ways to get yourself there. Here’s how I get myself present…

1. Set a timer for at least 15 minutes.
2. Find a nice quiet and comfortable spot with no distractions and sit or lie down. If you wish, you can have meditation or relaxing music playing – I often do this as it helps quieten my mind.
3. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and breathe slowly out through your mouth.
4. Repeat step 2.
5. Keep breathing and shift your focus only onto that.
6. Other thoughts will start trying to creep in at this stage, and all you need to do is imagine them coming into your field of awareness, then slowly drifting back out.
7. Keep focusing on your breathing and allow any thoughts that drift into your awareness to flow out again.
8. Repeat this process daily. If you can do it at around the same time, great! Also, if you choose to play music, make sure it’s the same music every time. This trains your brain to remember that this music means it’s staying present time!

What you’re going to notice over time, is that you will begin to notice when your thoughts are drifting into the future or back to the past, and you will be able to bring them back to the present. You will also notice that you’re going to begin to feel more calm and relaxed. You won’t worry so much, and you’re going to start letting the old stuff go!