Are you thinking about what you have to do later today or tomorrow? Are you re-thinking the past to see if you can rewrite your own history or correct past mistakes?
Well if you are expending any energy at all on any of these, you are completely missing everything! Yes, everything is what we can find available right here in the present. But there is no way to do that if you are looking ahead or behind.
A common allegation lately from most of my friends and family, is that they have no time. Everyone is so busy. Work, Family obligations, meetings, cooking, cleaning, etc. etc.
And I completely understand how easily we can all become overwhelmed with this life. I see these feelings rising in my own mind on a regular basis. But then I am quickly reminded that I have taken the past and the future and infused them into my present. Suddenly, life is too much to handle. It seems there is no time for anything, and most of all none for myself.
But this is such a destructive illusion that we allow to arise. The proof of that, is that you have this moment to read what I am writing, and I have this moment to write it. Which only goes to show that what we lack is the mindful awareness of the empty space that exists for us throughout the day. And with this lack of awareness, it slips away. Leaving us to feel tired and over-burdened most times.
Mindfulness, like compassion, begins with understanding. And the more we come to understand our minds, the more we open ourselves to the possibilities and the richness of this life. And without presence, none of us are able to seize the moment. But look at how easily we can be distracted by the murky waters of what was or what could be in the future. Gone is the moment, your presence and awareness, gone is the loving-friendliness toward the self that is so vital to your own peace and happiness.
Perhaps today you will see the day differently. Perhaps you will see that you are not so busy. Perhaps you will take 5 minutes to meditate and offer yourself loving kindness. And don’t you deserve 5 minutes for yourself?
May you be well, happy and peaceful.
