Tune in to the present moment

YES, YOU CAN DO IT!

DAAJI shares 4 simple practices to tune into the present moment and bring about a joyful, contented lifestyle. Doing these regularly will create sustainable peace.

Dear friends,

Take a moment to review your day so far. Has your mind been busy with thoughts? Were they full of what to do next, or what has happened in the past? Were you rushing from one task to another, feeling overwhelmed? Did you spend hours scrolling on your phone? Were you multitasking while eating, unmindful of the food? Did you take time to breathe and feel your surroundings, aware of that moment of stillness, rejuvenation, joy and gratitude?

As Thích Nhất Hạnh once said, “We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, or a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive.”

For many of us, being aware in the present moment is a rare occurrence. So, how can we make it happen more frequently? It takes some effort, but once we practice, it becomes second nature to us. 

Here are a few short exercises to help you tune in to the present moment: 

Relax

Turn off your phones and other distracting devices, and sit comfortably with eyes closed. Relax your body, from your toes to the top of your head, so that pain and tension melt away. The Heartfulness Relaxation is an ideal method and it takes just a few minutes. You can also find it on the Heartfulness App, which is free to download on your phone or iPad.

Breathe

Left nostril breathing is a simple technique that activates your parasympathetic system. It brings clarity and calmness.

• Relax your body and mind
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb
• Slowly inhale through your left nostril and exhale through your left nostril, breathing deep into your abdomen.
• Smile while you breathe
• Repeat 9 more times

Relax your body, from your toes to the top of your head,
so that pain and tension melt away.

Eat with awareness

If you eat at your work desk, grab a quick snack while rushing, or eat while texting on your phone, you probably do not really appreciate what you are eating. You’re also compromising your digestion by multitasking, as there is not enough blood available for proper digestion. Most traditional societies take time to pray or say grace at the beginning of a meal, allowing us to activate the current from the Source that is woven into the fabric of Nature, including every atom of the food that has been prepared for us. 

So, before eating, have the thought of being happy to eat in constant divine thought whatever you receive, and hold that subtle connection while eating. 

The subtle vibrations will filter down into the food and spread throughout your system. This promotes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. 

Before walking, clear your mind,
focus on your heart, 
connect with your meditative state, 
and walk in that state.

Walk meditatively

Before walking, clear your mind, focus on your heart, connect with your meditative state, and walk in that state. 

Then, spread that inner state to everything you come across, being aware that everything around you is absorbing peace – including the sky, the oceans, the trees, the people, the wildlife, the buildings – and everything is radiating peace.  

Awareness of the present moment creates a sense of being unlike any other. And over time, such a state of awareness cultivates peace. This in turn fosters an expansion of our minds and hearts, which enriches our thoughts and feelings, and enables us to live a life of contentment, compassion and joy.

All the best,
Daaji