Originally published May 4 2013
Three simple ways to enter the present moment
by Mike Bundrant
(NaturalNews) The calm of the eternal present is always with us. Accessing it is deceptively simple. In fact, it is more complicated to escape the present moment than to be in it.
The problem is, we are naturally complicated! We learn early in life to avoid the simplicity of the moment and live inside an entangled mind-mess.
So, back to basics!
We connect to the present through our senses. In this article, we'll review simple ways to use the senses to sweep away the mind-mess and just be here and now. The trick is to avoid making meaning. When you make meaning, you must go inside your mind. It is so easy at that point to make meaning that is emotionally upsetting.
All of us need a break from the internal commotion.
How to access the external present
For me, the external present is the break I need. It is so calm and mundane. When I am fully aware of my immediate surroundings, there is no mind chatter, no worry about the future, no regret, no problem. We cannot spend all of our time here, but spending some time here every day is extraordinarily beneficial.
The key to getting really calm is to pay attention to the consistent and mundane. We can do it by listening, feeling and seeing in particular ways. Here are some examples.
Listen: Choose white noise and tune in fully. The sound of a fan. The hum of the refrigerator. The sound of running water. Mundane, consistent white noise is what you want.
Tune in, just listen and do not try to relax - just tune in fully to the sound. After a few seconds, you will feel yourself "settle." Research has proven that this settling is related to your brain's Default Mode Network (DMN). It switches off when engaged in this kind of conscious task. The DMN is the brain's autopilot - which has been called the "inner commotion machine."
Feel: Feel textures and temperatures in your immediate environment. The feel of the texture of your clothing on your skin. Feel the temperature of the table, or something cool. Feel the rough texture of your blue jeans against the back of your hand.
Put all of your attention on the feeling and forget everything else. You should experience the same settling after a few seconds. When you settle, you have achieved true contact with your environment and have arrived in the calm of the here and now.
See: See patterns, shapes and textures. Don't see what things are. See how they are. Textures, shapes and patterns are everywhere! When you look at your house, see the texture of the siding. See the overall shape of the home and the pattern or texture in the brick, stone or stucco, for example.
The visual is more complicated because we are so used to labeling things, making meaning out of them and getting lost in that meaning. However, when you simply see patterns, shapes and texture, you see the world differently - much calmer.
Again, don't expect to live your entire life in the present moment. You cannot prosper without planning a future. You cannot grow and develop character without learning from the past. You can, however, benefit greatly by giving your mind a break - even for a few minutes a day - in the eternal, meaningless present.
I hope you enjoy these tools. The iNLP Center offers a comprehensive program that turns off your stress switch - the brain's DMN - by expanding on these ideas. Check it out here.
About the author:
Watch the free video The AHA! Process: An End to Self-Sabotage and discover the lost keys to personal transformation and emotional well-being that have been suppressed by mainstream mental health for decades.
The information in this video has been called the missing link in mental health and personal development. In a world full of shallow, quick-fix techniques, second rate psychology and pharmaceutical takeovers, real solutions have become nearly impossible to find. Click here to watch the presentation that will turn your world upside down.
Mike Bundrant is co-founder of the iNLP Center and host of Mental Health Exposed, a Natural News Radio program.
Follow Mike on Facebook for daily personal development tips.
Watch the free video The AHA! Process: An End to Self-Sabotage and discover the lost keys to personal transformation and emotional well-being that have been suppressed by mainstream mental health for decades.
The information in this video has been called the missing link in mental health and personal development. In a world full of shallow, quick-fix techniques, second rate psychology and pharmaceutical takeovers, real solutions have become nearly impossible to find. Click here to watch the presentation that will turn your world upside down.
Mike Bundrant is co-founder of the iNLP Center and host of Mental Health Exposed, a Natural News Radio program.
Follow Mike on Facebook for daily personal development tips.
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