Personal Empowerment – Staying In The Present

Lilith
1 July 2009

This week we are going to be discussing the tool of staying in the present. What makes the act of staying in the present a tool of empowerment? When our focus is on the present moment, we free ourselves to see what is there, and to react accordingly. We are not tied to the past, to the things that created the present moment. And we are not projecting ourselves into a future that is not there yet. We are grounded in the reality of the moment.

When we are focused on the present, we are able to notice and appreciate the small things of life. We literally take the time to “smell the roses”. We are able to experience the joy of the moment, without an agenda of any kind, without being tied to any kind of expectations.

Another benefit – and what truly makes living in the present a tool of empowerment – is that when we live in the present we slow down and come into our own powers. We recognize our strengths, the innate skills and abilities that allow us to be who we are, and create a world around us that is in alignment with the person that we are.

A very good technique for staying in the present is meditation – any form of meditation that you choose to use. When we go into meditation, our body becomes relaxed and allows itself to heal, on all levels. We reduce our anxiety and stress levels, and feel more comfortable living in the present. We don’t feel the need to “do” something, or to “fix” something.


An addition that you might want to make to meditation is playing relaxing music. Some people feel that this is not appropriate, because the focus may become the music, and not the emptying of the mind. Others, such as myself, feel that the music becomes part of the background, and is helpful in reaching higher meditative states.

Practicing meditation on a daily basis will help you to stay in the present without effort. All that is really needed is:

1. Find a comfortable place to sit, and sit in an upright position.
2. Close your eyes, and take three slow, deep breaths. As you breath out, feel all of the tension leaving your body. As you breath in, feel yourself filled with a bright light.
3. As thoughts come into your mind, acknowledge them and let them go. Don’t worry – this is a continual process!
4. Focus you attention on your breathing, and take slow, deep breaths.
5. When you have meditated long enough (and this will vary by the time that you have available, and your own personal needs), slowly bring yourself back to consciousness, and go about your day.

When we are firmly in the present, we are mindful of all that is around us. We see the blue in the sky, the green in the grass. We hear the birds tweeting, and the lawnmower two houses over. We see what needs to be done, and we do it. (Yes, the table needs to be cleared, and the dishes done.) We do what needs to be done with intent – we do not rush through thing, so that we can move on to other things. We place all of our attention on each and every thing that we do. We experience the emotion of the moment – and more and more that emotion is joy, peace and happiness.

Another benefit to staying in the present is that we are able to release negative emotions much more quickly. We will still have them – that is part of life – but we will not be anticipating them, and we will not hang on to them. They become part of the flow of life.  We find that we are reacting less to the events of life, and spending more time creating a solid foundation for the future.

If during the day you find yourself moving out of the present moment and projecting into the future – or slipping back into the past – then take a deep breath. Release the energy that is building up within you. Take as many deep breaths as you need to bring your focus comfortably back into the present.  Stop thinking so much, and start feeling. Move out of your mind, and into your heart. Take time during the day to check in with yourself, and see how you are doing. Bring yourself back into the present whenever you start to wander away.

When we live in the present, we live as a whole person. When we allow ourselves to focus on the past, part of us remains in the present, but part of us disassociates and become that person from the past we are experiencing. When we focus on the future, part of us remains in the present, but part of us is projected into the future into whatever scenarios we are creating in our minds. Oh what webs we weave!

To live an authentic life, to life as a whole person, we need to stay in the present, focused on the people, things and issues surrounding us. This is how we achieve our goals, this is how we create the future that we envision for ourselves. We embody our personal power by staying in the present.

Each week, we are going to hear from the voice of one of our oracle allies. This week we are visiting the Sacred Path Cards (Jami Sams & Linda Childers). The card that wants to speak with us is Medicine Bundle. We are being asked to look at that which supports us in life, at those things that are there to act as our allies. These are the things that will help us to heal – spiritually and physically. Our allies open doors to other worlds for us – we need to honor them.

Next week we will be talking about Feng Shui and Spirit – stay tuned!

May your week be filled with joy and peace.

Best Wishes,
Lilith 

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