Right now, this very moment that you are reading this, is all you have that is real. Now that you’ve continued reading, that previous moment is gone and you’re in the next moment, a brand new one. Pretty deep isn’t it? Understanding this concept is at the heart of understanding real living.

Where do we spend the majority of our time? In the past or future. Very few people engage in a present moment and enjoy it. Their mind is usually racing into the next moment before this one has completed, or remembering something of the past as a reference point. So let’s dig a little deeper into this, especially since it is core in life.

When we have an experience, particularly something unpleasant or hurtful, and if it is not confronted and released, it remains in our cellular memory and is stored there. Although it may be buried in our subconscious, it is very much alive. And often we recall the experience and recount the story that went with that experience, reliving the feelings. That of course proves it is still very much alive, and is in fact, controlling our present now moment.

People spend so much time reliving the past. It’s nice to remember wonderful memories of childhood and memorable moments in our life – this is good. But the trouble comes when we focus on the pain, hurt, anger and suffering of the past so that we bring it into the present. I imagine you’ve been in the company of people who continuously relive all the pain of time gone by and it probably brings you down, becoming uncomfortable or annoying after a while. Individuals who do this are seeking empathy and sympathy, and are living in the victim mindset. Living as a victim is a life of smallness, and totally overshadows the wonderful now moments as they slip away forever.

However, living for the future, something that hasn’t happened just yet, is not a real life either. I’ve often heard an individual state that when they get that perfect job or find their soulmate, they will then be happy and excited about living. But what these individuals are actually doing is putting their life on hold, waiting for the dream to manifest so they can be happy. What if it takes 5 years to come to fruition? Or perhaps even longer? So do they stop living as they wait for their dream to appear? Or what if their dream appears in a slightly different form, even though it’s better than their initial desire, and they miss it entirely?

So if the past is gone and cannot be changed, and the future hasn’t arrived yet, what does it mean to live in the present moment? Basically, it means to engage in the moment so completely that things past or future are not in your mind. Here’s a couple examples. You’re eating breakfast hurriedly while you’re making out your grocery list, then remember you need to plug in the iron to iron your outfit for that day so jump up to do it, returning to the table for another bite as you add another item to your grocery list. No wonder so many individuals suffer with indigestion! What if you ate your breakfast quietly, savoring the flavors of the various foods you are eating while you chew each mouthful thoroughly to avoid indigestion? Once you’ve enjoyed your meal you begin writing out your grocery list and paying attention to exactly what you need to purchase later that day. What a different experience you would have! That would be living in the present moment.

Or perhaps you are driving home from work, a CD playing as you talk on your cell phone while you watch for your exit, all the while thinking you need to drop off the dry cleaning before you arrive home. Okay, you’re multi-tasking, but you’re not really engaged in any of the tasks. Of course we know that talking on your cell phone while driving is a definite safety hazard, even if that was a main focus. How much better would it be if you quietly drove home, watching for your exit, as you peacefully listened to enjoyable music? And suppose you had your pile of dry cleaning already placed on the front seat so you wouldn’t forget to drop it off? And if you talked with your friend after you arrived home, just think how much better you could listen to what she/he is saying and think more clearly about your comments.

Living in the present moment means being engaged completely in an experience or happening, and enjoying it. Have you ever focused so completely on what one person is saying to you that you are oblivious to anyone else who is present, even if they are talking or laughing? Or have you been focused on watching birds at a feeder or bird bath so intently, marveling in their sounds, flurry of activity and beautiful colors, that you do not hear someone entering your space?

Meditation is a great example of focusing in the now moment. What happens when you sit quietly to meditate? If you’re like most people the minute you get quiet a host of thoughts called mind chatter flood your mind, and it is difficult to get quiet and focus. That’s your ego attempting to squelch your spirit, but with practice you can quiet that ego and allow spirit to step into the foreground. This simply shows how powerful your ego is in distracting your focus, steering you away from what’s truly important with all kinds of mundane things. Spirit likes us to pay attention to every detail of life, enjoying it to the max and treasuring those special moments. Once you can quiet your mind, you enjoy the experience of meditation.

I remember planting a rose garden by the driveway and house at one of my homes. With 5 children I was constantly zipping in and out of the driveway, and I remember noticing a blur of color during spring one year. I continued to see this blur of color as I drove in and out of the driveway until one day I became engaged enough to actually glance at the area of color. I then noticed the beautiful array of colors from my roses that were in full bloom. When I stepped out of the car I went over to those roses and even stooped to smell the luscious fragrances they emitted. Immediately I went inside, returning with scissors, and began cutting a large bouquet of those beautiful roses to enjoy in my house. As I stopped long enough to notice the roses, smell them, and then cut some to enjoy in my living space, I became engaged in a present moment and was completely living in the now.

So what roses do you need to stop to see and smell? What things do you walk or drive right by day after day and only see a blur? Life is really precious, an amazing gift, even if things in your environment aren’t exactly the way you want them. How about checking out the good things, the valuable things, which are precious to you if you take the time to notice them? Especially right now, in our present turbulent times, we must be even more mindful of our treasures, taking time to enjoy and appreciate them. Start every day in gratitude for all you have and are so that these gifts are constantly in the foreground of your thoughts. Remember that your thoughts create your next moment in time, so pay attention to what you are thinking. That last thought has created this moment, and is now creating your future!