Back in the day when my Ishayas’ Ascension meditation teacher had only a few students I would get the chance to talk to him by phone.
This was awesome. A supremely wise expert, on tap. I remember, as is often the case with the advice of the wise, it took a while to filter in through the various stages of cotton wool that seems to exist in between my ears.
We would be chatting and I would say, “you know, I really have trouble staying present and using the techniques you taught me when I’m on the computer”.
“Are you on the computer now?” he would ask.
“No, but this morning I was, and it’s a real problem because I get stressed about this and that and when will I get good enough blah blah blah …” I would prattle on.
“Are you present now?” he would ask.
“Of course I freaking am, I’m talking to you” I would THINK, but because I don’t like to swear too much: “Absolutely boss, certainly, incredibly, there’s no one more present than me right now, apart from your good self of course” I would actually SAY (or something similar).
“When I get present and manage to end stress and negativity I wonder how cool my life would be? What do you think?” I would enquire.
“Can you choose to be present now, make the most of this and let the future you sort itself out?” he would say.
And so on, and so on. I just wouldn’t get it. Sometimes the truth is so simple it's easy to miss. But fortunately he stuck in there, kept saying the same things in different ways, and now, I do. I do get it.
This is the only moment you can do anything. Here it is. You can ponder about all manner of things, you can wonder how you might live this moment better, but ultimately what beats all of that is simply and absolutely just showing up to now.
This is it. Doesn’t matter what happened this morning, doesn’t matter what you did last night, who cares what you will be like when you’re enlightened, the moment you have is now.
Now, now, now, now. Oh - and now.
This is the path and the destination. Just now. Keep it simple and soak in it.
Alright?
Go well! Arjuna
PS. I have some free guides and a Facebook group that - if you liked the above words - and also want to live forever present, will help you in numerous ways. Head this way: