To Live in the Moment

What does it mean "to live in the moment"? First and foremost, it means to free ourselves by letting go of our regrets and fears. Oftentimes we clutch these so tightly to ourselves that we can't distinguish them from us. We lose sight of who we are because we can't see past our own fears.

In Buddhism there is a saying, "There is no past. There is no future. There is only the now."

If we concentrate on the now, we free ourselves of our regrets and recriminations of the past, and our fears and concerns about the future. The result is an inner peace and equanimity which is the very essence of happiness

Also, we learn to enjoy and appreciate everything and everyone as its own, unique creation, not just what it can "do" for us or how we can gain by it. Not only every person, but everything in the universe, including each and every moment in time, has an incomparable beauty that needs to be recognized. We must realize that every second is precious, and must be cherished and savored as it passes by. When we become aware of this and take the time to cherish each moment, the sheer wonder of life becomes apparent, and our joy in it becomes ever present.

To live in the moment, we must totally involve ourselves in whatever we are doing at that moment. Whether it be meditating, working on some project, listening to what someone has to say, or simply eating or drinking, we must focus our entire attention on that one thing as if nothing else exists.

We must focus on the process without looking ahead to the result. The result is unimportant. It's the "doing" which is important. We must become attached to the process itself, not to the result of the process. If we concentrate on the process, doing whatever it is to the best of our ability, the result of that activity becomes inconsequential.

In fact, the result does not even exist. What we perceive as the "result" of an activity is simply an artificial boundary we create between one activity and the next along our journey of life. We never get to a "stopping" point because the moments never stop. They just go on and on, like an infinite highway. We are blessed to be allowed to travel it, if only for a while.

Indeed, the ephemeral nature of our journey is among the most important reasons why it's essential that we learn to live in the moment. We can never know how long we have in this life, and each moment could be our last. At any time, we could depart this life for whatever lies beyond. Therefore, we must see each and every moment we're given as a priceless gift, to be cherished and appreciated.

Live in the moment...love in the moment.

Much love and happiness,
Kevin