Be in the Present

We lead our lives mostly ignoring the precious moment of ‘now.’ 

We perform all the routine activities with perfection, but many a time in the midst of the happenings, we purposefully take our thoughts either in the past or the future.  For this reason, the rate of success which you deserve or anticipate does not come into full force. 

For example, you appear for a competitive examination to get the uplift in your educational career, and you are putting best efforts.  In the midst of these efforts, it happens that you miss the present situation means instead of focusing on the studies of the subject you require to study,   your mind takes you to dwell on your past accolades, or a not so useful thinking about the future what this study will make you accomplish.

It is the nature of the mind; it drags you to the deeds of the past or compels you to think for the future. 

But happiness and peace of mind can come only if we are anchored in the ‘now.’  It is tough to explain the concept of ‘now’ because when we wish wholeheartedly remaining in the present, under waiver pattern of mind, we take ourselves in the memories of the past. 

Einstein, the masterpiece architect of the concept of ‘now,’ professed that we don’t understand the importance of ‘now,’ and we know and cling to the past and the future. 

As per him, it’s hard to comprehend the importance of now, and we fail to achieve the goals stipulated by ourselves.  When we cannot manage, either we don’t bother to try, or we bury our desires to fulfill the said goal and set a new goal.

Ultimately, the life follows this sequence and the journey ends. 

For all practical purposes, we must define ‘now’ as work in hand and must live moment to moment on the daily basis.  Many academicians believe that one must think about the future because we lead our lives based on hope. 

This concept is correct, but while setting the future goals or targets, you must not overlook the sanctity of the present moment. 

The idea of hope thinking or goal achieving thinking should not engulf you; rather it should be your benchmark on your study table or your office desk. Being in the present moment all the time, if you follow the future reference, that is laudable.

Nature achieves equilibrium with the forces at a given time; then the next steps of evolution takes place.  It is quite logical for life, and its time and effort to remain anchored in that period. 

Suppose, it is not possible for the time and efforts to remain confined in the present moment, then the time and efforts pass away and ultimately, wither away and die. That means you are not able to achieve the result for a particular target envisaged by you.  Contrarily, if you think in the ‘now’ by coming in equilibrium with forces which surround you, you will be in a position to settle various conflicts and lead a sustainable and happy life.  Too much of thinking for the future will not only bring anxieties and frustration but put you in a descending path of prosperity. 

Against this odd, if you live in ‘now,’ path to the future will be clear, and your plan will be foolproof.  It is also an observing thought that evolutionary forces are so powerful that no matter how much we continue to think of the future, we are all swept away by the plethora of evolution. 

When you live in the ‘now,’ it shows you the right path to grasp the opportunities that knock your door. Your progress will be then sure shot as all the opposition, and negative forces will be exhausted to touch your will power. 

It will enlighten your mind, and you will become aware and delve deeply into the work at hand. It will give you better insight. Your ability to focus on the ‘now’ will prevent from dwelling on the unusual events of the past. It is the essence of getting peace of mind and solace. 

When you reach this stage of life, you are full of peace. You will let go many mundane issues of life, namely showing jealousy for others, shout with derogatory words to your colleagues and family members.

And, more importantly, you will learn to remain calm and quiet in the most stressful situations.

Nevertheless, it is not that easy to distract your attention not to dwell on the past or not to imagine the fantasies of the future, because it is the natural phenomenon of each of us. 

Why? 

The brain is a powerful entity and its ability to churn various internal and external inputs and visual guidance always makes you produce continuous thoughts, most of the same are meaningless. 

In this way, our brain is engaged and is known as “brain chattering.” To come out from this syndrome is difficult, but not at all impossible.  To stop this chatter, you need to stay focused on the work at hand or to remain engrossed in a constructive thought for a long time. 

Also, you need to practice Patanjali’s Yoga Darshan. 

Through this practice, you will allow the brain to function which will enable you to see the opportunities present at that time.   The whole idea behind this yoga practice is to make you anchored in ‘now,’ to understand the importance of the same.