In the Present

So good to be with you again. As a writer, I often need stretches of time to live the work in order to write it. Which means I may not be as "present" in your inbox or post as frequently. Thank you, as always, for receiving these words as they come.  

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Meditation for today:

Over the past few years, mindfulness has become part of our social lexicon. Modern life has edged us into slowing down, breathing in and remembering our senses and the gifts we have right in front of us. "Be present" is our new mantra.

Each day I walk past a framed poster of these words in my home. For years I have read these words as: Stay focused. Live in the moment. Watch your thoughts. Don't think about the past...or the future. Just be. 

Today I saw something different in their meaning.

In truth, there is a more powerful and resonate instruction embedded in these 2 simple words. They encourage us to not only live in the now, but to no longer need to live in what was. Being in the present suggests that we should not think about the past (or future) too much, but I would argue that when you are free from the emotional wounds and worries of your past, you free up the bandwidth to give life and others your full attention and grace. To be fully present to one's life requires this.

As I cleanse away the old emotional debris and gain clarity, the more easily I can identify this lack of presence in others (and myself) - I see it in their eyes, in their behaviors. For many years I entered relationships with people who were not available, who seemed a bit distracted and self absorbed, and it always triggered me. Lack of presence stirred up feelings of frustration and loneliness. I wondered, why do I keep attracting this dynamic? Over time I learned that life holds a mirror to something within you. A quality you dislike in others might be something you hold within yourself. Recognizing this, I was able to begin a journey to free myself from my past and step into a vibrant now.  

Many of us don't realize that energetic patterns and unhealed stories from the past -- perhaps from a childhood event or difficult upbringing -- can keep us searching for answers, for resolution, deep within our subconscious. Playing like background music as we tend to our everyday. We don't recognize that we are still processing, still being energetically tied up, in the past, often years or decades later. Old resentments, anger, sadness, disappointment -- all those less than perfect emotions we try to tune out with things like food, over-scheduling ourselves, and even mindful meditation at times. 

It is amazing what can happen to the quality of your life when you give yourself time and space to fully process some of these emotional wounds and negative programming. Cultivate not only a practice of being in the present moment, but also present to your past, your pain, your programming, and then move through them. Ask for help, because often times we need another perspective to help us see ourselves in the mirror more clearly.