Be Present in the Now

“The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.”  -Eckhart Tolle

Have you ever stopped long enough to feel your breath? To feel the air move into your lungs as you take a deep breath and then feel the air move out of you as you exhale? Your breath is something the body does naturally. You do not even have to think about it. It is automatic. You do not have to stop what you are doing and remember to breathe. We rely on our lungs to do the breathing for us. Our bodies do everything for us unconsciously.

Everyday for most people they wake up, get out of bed, go to work, finish work, cook dinner and run off to the next thing on their list. Over and over and on to the next thing, on autopilot, every single day. Constantly running from one thing to the next and never stopping to take a moment to breathe. Breathing is the most important task our bodies do. It keeps us alive.

Take a moment right now to stop and breathe. Feel the air as you inhale. Hold it for a count of four, then exhale. By noticing the awareness of your breath everything else falls away. There is no to-do list circling in your head. You are focusing completely on your breath. Your breath is happening now. Your breath brings you to the present. The past does not matter. The future does not matter. Your breath is what is happening right now.

Now using your senses, look around. What do you see? What do you hear? If you cannot concentrate simply focus on your breath again. Get in the moment of now. Are there birds outside your window? Take a moment to watch them. Watch how their wings flutter and their heads turn with such subtle movements to look around. How magnificently and effortlessly they fly from one branch to another. Appreciate their sense of peacefulness and grace.

Being present is where we find the magic. To become aware of what is around us and right in front of us. The importance of this recognition is the beauty in every day. This is also the place we go to find stillness, guidance, and direction from God/Source above.