THE POWER OF NOW - LIVING IN THE PRESENT
We're intended to live in the present moment, never wasting a minute analyzing/criticizing/worrying about things that have happened in the past, nor the things that could happen in the future. I've read many books and taken several classes that reiterate this same message time and again. My spirit council has demonstrated this philosophy to me many times in many different ways. There have been countless times when my spirit guides, passed loved ones, Source has sent me magnificent signs of their constant support and love. More often than not, when I dig my phone out to capture the beautiful message to reflect upon later or share with others, the signs will disappear. As soon as my phone is put back away, they'll reappear. This has been a common reoccurring theme between us. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I fail to capture that one specific perfectly timed pod of dolphins, pair of blue jays, butterfly, or bald eagle. I still want to capture them on film because the synchronization was so perfect. I want to reflect upon it later and share this experience with other people who will have a hard time believing me without the photographic evidence. As I write this, I ask myself why that matters. These messages are for me, and only I will be impacted by this powerful resonance upon seeing them at that specific time and place. Even if I were to reflect on the photograph a month later, it wouldn't have the same meaning that it had at that exact moment. So why do I need to waste this perfect synchronicity in front of me by trying to capture it in a picture instead of thoroughly enjoying it for the amazing moment that it is? To me, it's an automatic response that's been ingrained in me for as long as I can remember; however, I am learning how to change this cycle more and more each day. The times that I choose to fully embrace the moment it feels so much richer, astonishing, and vibrant because my focus is solely on experiencing life as it is right then and not split between experiencing it and trying to find a way to memorialize it. It's not wrong to tell you all about it later and let you believe or disprove as is your right, but the simple truth is that I don't need to capture the moment. This perfect sign, synchronicity, or message is occurring right now for the version of me that it will mean the most to at this particular time. It will never mean as much to me as it does right now, and it's a scarcity mindset to believe that such synchronistic perfection will never happen again. But I keep coming back to this concept of living fully in the present moment. I've heard so many stories of people who've said that they wished they had lived their lives more in the present and been fully in the moments instead of worrying about past experiences or future events and how everything would work out. If you think about it, when most people are told they have a terminal illness and only have a short time to live, they embrace this concept of living the remainder of their lives to the fullest. Truly enjoying that lunch with their loved ones, seeing them smile, laugh, and genuinely listening to what they are saying. They no longer hold space for the background noise of how they need to get to the grocery store, mail that letter, or complete whatever other mundane tasks that run through our everyday busy minds. Do we really need to be facing a shortened lifespan to embrace this concept? I don't think so. I think we can consciously decide to live our life more mindfully at any time that we want. I've improved my ability to do this immensely. I no longer hesitate to stop when the mood strikes to take one last lingering look at the sunrise before getting in the car and heading for work or step outside at night to stargaze and look at the moon while listening to the sounds that accompany the day fading into night. I love stepping outside to soak up the rays from the sun while enjoying the beauty of the landscape, as the birds happily chatter back and forth while going about their daily lives. Or actually putting my phone down when my kids ask me to watch that same Disney movie for the 10th time in a row, to truly sit with them in that moment and honestly experience the moment with them for the bonding/loving moment that it is.
An aspect of the concept that I struggled to understand is how so many resources say that we shouldn't focus on the past or future, yet both are majorly influencing the present moment. For example, if you had a bad experience with being attacked by a dog in your youth and the trauma surrounding that event, never healed. Then you would most likely experience anxiety or fear when pulling into a yard that has two Saint Bernard's sprinting up towards your car. Depending on how the owner reacts to your fear, you may decide that you will never be visiting with this particular acquaintance at their place again. In your present moment, these dogs are triggering memories and emotions that resulted from that past trauma. How this situation is handled in this precise moment could impact your future behavior. I am so incredibly grateful that I have been entrenched in the world of energy healing and spiritual growth in the last couple of years, which have and still contribute to clearing out so many of my own triggers. I've been doing it long enough that, more often than not, I'm able to catch when I have been triggered and take extra time before responding to the situation. I can choose to consciously keep my focus in the present moment while knowing full well that the trigger is from a past event that I can't do anything about right now. Still, I can take time to stop and breathe until I am firmly grounded in the present moment and respond appropriately to the moment before me without bringing the past baggage into the response. I think this is the key to my earlier struggle with this philosophy. Yes, things from the past and future can intrude on the moment you are currently experiencing in life. It's up to you whether you will shift your focus from what's now happening in front of you to the past/future. To me, becoming consciously aware that you've been triggered is step one to taking your power back from this past event. Later, if you want to work on the cycle, emotions, patterns that generated that initial trigger response, there are multiple techniques that you can use to clear this cycle. I've done this process more times than I can count and the feeling you get from catching yourself before you react and reacting more mindfully is beyond rewarding. That feeling grows exponentially when you follow through with the cycle's unpacking and find that you can let go of yet another limiting behavior/cycle because it no longer serves you.
Love,
Yara Rose
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.
Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”