What smacks you in the face every moment of every day? You can’t avoid it. And yet, you often do anything and everything possible to escape it. My reference is to presence. You can go from here to there, eat, sleep or play. Nevertheless, it is always now. Still, most people usually don’t actively participate in the space of here and now. Often, people want to avoid the presence within this moment.
Nevertheless, sometimes details within a given moment do make us joyful. But, the mind generates this joy. And, it is temporary. The moment is now, although even to label this moment in any way is not wise. Of course, this is also true of any detail within now. To consider this blink of an eye as good or bad, joyful or sad is to overlook its essence. Presence is the simple, undefined act of being. Nothing more and nothing less.
Presence vs. Impermanence
The foundation of living, everything within and without, is based on now. This must also be accurate in regards to life. Life is always in this moment. Thus, meditation and the practice of conscious living are beneficial stepping stones to aware presence.
Accordingly, the superficiality and impermanence of our existence, with practice, become less and less distracting. Focus on the moment itself. Accept the details of any moment. I meditated outside yesterday. There, were first distractions of the mind during the meditation.
Birds chirping, a dog barking, a lawnmower and planes flying overhead. And, the mind focused on sounds and internal thoughts about these sounds during my relaxation. However, suddenly I was the center point of everything. There was no actually change in the situation, except my acceptance of the moment. Hence, thoughts and details within the moment came and went. Suddenly, it was obvious that, ultimately, any details within the moment were part of the act of being. But, presence, in itself, was something different. Thus, within a heartbeat, I was free of mind barriers. The birds, dog, lawnmower and planes were still there. But, now were a conscious part of my being in that moment. The wall of separation dissolved away. Thus, I realized my essence as a simple state of unattached presence.
I wish you a joyful day.