By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: December 23, 2019
“Be in the present. If you are happy now, the past and future will not torment you.” -Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Being in the present can often be easier said than done. Many stories about time travel recount the emotional trauma and tough lessons that occur when constantly going back and forth in time. Some examples include Charles Dickens’ story of miser Ebeneezer Scrooge being visited by the ghosts of past, present and future in “Christmas Carol,” H.G. Wells’ classic science fiction novel “The Time Machine,” the historical drama series “Outlander,” or the movie “Back to the Future.”
This theme doesn’t just show up in literature again and again. In real life, humans are challenged by the temporal relationship between what’s gone before and what’s to come. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar recommends thinking of events in the past as destiny and those in the future as free will. This helps ease the need to feel like we should have controlled events and gives us hope that we can still influence what will be.
To ease the tension further, some may ask how exactly we can control our mental vacillation between past and future? What conditions are necessary for being increasingly in the present?
Memories and plans vs. regrets and worries
It may or may not be necessary to plan your day, week, month, year, decade and whole life ahead of time. But once your plans are made, carrying them out only happens from moment to moment. Your past experiences may come back to you often, reminding you of lessons learned and how to behave and make decisions for a happy future. Acceptance can help you stop fighting the fact that you have a memory.
The relationship between what has happened already and what may or may not happen later seems to be a natural one. It makes sense to try to learn from what has gone before, to make informed decisions and incorporate wisdom gained throughout the ages.
However, when thoughts in the mind get too caught up in past regrets and anxiety about future events, it becomes difficult to see the reality of the present circumstances. You need to detach from the past and future to feel connected to your true self that can only exist right now. That’s why thinking of the past as destiny helps. There’s nothing you can do to change destiny, or the past. And with free will in the future, you can help your future become what you want it to be.
Fortunately, we also have several avenues that we can easily access, without taking drugs or attending therapy. But it may take some learning, attention, practice, and time before you can use them most effectively.
Breathing attentively
It’s only possible to breathe one breath at a time. With your attention on each individual breath, your mind takes the time to feel your own existence. Being in touch with the source of your life makes it easier to slow down your experience of the progression of time, let go of what has already happened, and realize that you can only live in this moment with a fully conscious presence.
This is why yoga, pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation, especially when practiced in an integrated way, help you stay focused in the present moment. As Jay Dixit states, “Focusing on the present reboots your mind so you can respond thoughtfully rather than automatically.”
Sensory experiences
What do you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell at any given moment? There’s the weight of your body on the chair where you’re sitting, the computer screen in front of your eyes, the smell of fresh flowers or your co-worker heating up his aromatic lunch, the sound of the air coursing through the heating ducts, and the taste of nothingness in your mouth as you work. Noticing all of these aspects of the present moment can help you leave thoughts of past and future aside.
In nature, the senses come alive and the present moment can feel even more exciting and rejuvenating. A beautiful sunset, the scent of roses in your garden in early summer, the taste of fresh fruit in the morning, etc. can all bring you into the beauty of the moment. When your brand new sensory stimuli becomes the focus of your attention, any memories that come up become less important, and you feel alive and able to experience everything as if it were brand new.
Physical activity
Each moment that passes brings about a new moment in its place. Your life and the world are constantly renewing themselves, and your activities within your environment also consistently change and grow. Physical activity can especially engage your mind in the present, as your body requires your full mental attention when involved in challenging tasks.
By staying involved in whatever you’re doing, thoughts of the future and past naturally fall away. Whether you’re practicing yoga postures, walking through the forest, typing on your laptop, cooking your own lunch, or shopping for gifts for your friends, that particular pursuit becomes the top priority at the time, and your full attention goes there.
Broadening viewpoints
“The bigger our vision for the world, the less personal worries we have,” says Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Transcending worries about the future and regrets about the past can happen more easily when we look past our own individual life story and embrace a broader vision that encompasses our environment and all of humanity. This is also known as getting in touch with the big mind. Working towards such a vision, and focusing on goals that affect everyone, can help you forget about your own past and future problems.
The Art of Living Foundation offers programs to help you easily access each and every one of these avenues for calming your mind more effectively. The specific methods can make being in the present moment practical and usable for you in everyday life. Find a Happiness Program near you to understand how each aspect of life mentioned here can help you increase your connection to all the moments in the constantly changing present.
Elizabeth Herman writes, offers writing support to clients, teaches, and volunteers for a better world. She has a PhD in Rhetoric, Composition and Literature. Find her on Facebook or Twitter.
