The present is consistently with everyone; it stands beside one like a friend, never flaunting ahead like an inept child one must watch with a careful eye, while never slinking behind where one might think it is an obsessive stalker. However, the present is only noticed a few times before one’s attention returns to the future or past.
How can you stay in the present?
These are three ways to help you live the moment:
1. Breathing.
This technique is the simplest way to stay present and can be done anywhere except in the water (that is just dangerous). When your mind starts to wonder to the future or past, take a couple of breaths and focus your mind on inhaling and exhaling.
2. Be aware of the environment.
Use the five senses. Listen to the sounds around you, notice the way things feel, when eating or drinking pay attention to the flavors, etc.
This awareness includes your body, out and in. Is the clothes making your skin itch? Can you feel the your heart working hard to get the blood circulating or your stomach acid churning?
3. Experience things as if it was the first time.
This ties in together with the previous way. However, it helps when there are difficulties on being aware with your surroundings. For example, when eating a gummy bear. Take the role of someone who has never seen or even heard about the gummy bear. Look, smell, and touch the gummy bear carefully. When eating the bear, instead of chewing it up, let it marinate on your tongue before chewing. There will be new things you will find within the gummy bear or anything else.
The present is like the thin piece of cheese surrounded by the past and future as slices of bread. Though it is the bread that makes up the majority of the sandwich, it is the flavorful piece of cheese that is the real essences of a grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy it.
-Pas