The Higher Self increases awareness by becoming aware of one’s automatic self. The Higher Self realizes you can create space –even in brief moments of spaciousness.
Observe your thoughts. Just observe. Some people follow their breath. Be aware of the air as it enters your body through your nostrils. Deepak Chopra suggests silently repeating the word “just” while you breathe in, and the word “this” while you breathe out. Just… This…
Thoughts are naturally based in the past and the future. The present moment however, is the actual place from which Life is lived. Life is right now. Our minds wander in the past –whether rooted in past trauma, loss, situations, regret, or memories. Our thoughts of the future keep us preoccupied with upcoming bills, unmet goals, responsibilities, fear, hope, dreams… visions.
I feel like I’ve posted about cultivating presence in numerous entries. Note that these writings are mostly reminders from my Higher Self to my automatic self. A gentle nudge to snap me out of where my own thought patterns take me. The stories we create. The chatter. Perceptions. Unanswered questions. Uncertainty. Shoulds and should-haves. But all thoughts take a back seat to the spaciousness of Presence. And so I keep writing about this because I, like most of us, struggle to really live in the Here and Now.
So how do we cultivate presence? Try this:
- Create a time and space dedicated to your spiritual practice
- Join a sangha or community space that feels like a spiritual home
- Don’t beat your self up when you struggle with being present
- Create a journal about your experiences with cultivating presence -what works for you
- Eating Meditation – Eat quietly, being aware of where the food came from (labor, sunlight, rain, etc.), and how it sustains your body and your life
- Have your own 1 Day Silent Retreat – change your voicemail and notify your friends that you will not be communicating in any way (this includes reading, writing, internet, etc), for the designated time
- Clear your mind before you sleep
- Self-massage with massage sticks to help move stagnant Qi and release pain. Mentally release the pain in the places you carry stress and trauma.
- Do chores mindfully. Start with one: washing dishes.
- Use stretching as a time to breathe mindfully
- Be self-aware of reactions
- Be self-aware of wrong perceptions
- Be mindful of cell phones interfering with face-to-face conversation
- Change your cell phone notifications to a long, peaceful bell sound
*This entry and others are influenced by Daoist and Buddhist teachings.
December 27, 2011
bloomingsoul
