One of the greatest obstacles to staying in the present moment is our inability to stay focused. Staying focused is a skill we can learn.
Machaell Wright* believes if we can focus it will be easier to be in the moment. I recently listened to one of her guided relaxation meditations which I found quite effective. Machaell asks listeners to picture a ball the size of an orange deep in their chests.
Then using focus to picture the ball (she calls it an energy ball), see it becoming larger or smaller. Then, continuing to use your focus, move the ball around inside your body. Relax the part of your body where you place the ball. If you lose the ball, you've lost your focus. Find the ball by refocusing.
You might experiment with Machaell's suggestions when you sense anxiety is about to knock on your door.
Another hindrance to being in the present moment is the feeling of internal rushing. Speeding up internally is a sure way to invite anxiety as a guest.
When I am obsessed with crossing things off my list or when I plan a trip to the credit union and rush off without my deposit, my internal sense of rushing is coming out in my behavior. Rushing keeps me from enjoying my daily activities.
To feel satisfied with life, we need to access our spacious inner landscape we developed last week. Specifically we want to focus on areas that relate to altruism, desire, discernment, and connection.
Our sense of spaciousness is found in the present moment. It is hard to find spaciousness if we are looking to the past. If we are longing for the future, we are not in the present.
Being in the present moment will slow down your experience of time and make it richer. Is that why we call a gift a present?
See if you can discover the gifts of the present moment this week. Work on developing your ability to focus. Let me know how it feels to have a ball of energy in your chest!
*Machaelle has carefully constructed a garden "biosphere" that operates on the principles of full balance in accordance with Nature. For more information visit www.perelandra-ltd.com.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
