You could easily replace the word Meditation with the word Life. How often do you set out to do something in Life with the highest intention in mind, only to realize you drifted off in another direction?
If you noticed the previous post date in this blog was over a year ago, you would see that this blog is a meditation.
Luckily, I realized I had drifted off. And now I have returned to it.
For me it is about returning to this conscious state as often as possible.
Eckhart Tolle jokingly asks, "Am I still breathing?" Yes of course you are! Because breathing is automatic; it's unconscious! If you ask the question, you have to be consciously aware that you are indeed still breathing and in this realization you have now become conscious.
What if procrastination was automatic? Once you do something long enough, it becomes automatic. After a while it doesn't take any conscious effort to do. So if I've been procrastinating my whole life, this is a lot of practice. It is probably safe to say I procrastinate automatically when I need to get most things done, right?
Does that mean I'm unconscious when I am in the act of procrastinating?
What else do I do automatically, on autopilot, day in and out? Work? Driving to work? Looking busy while at work? Answering email? Buying my latte? Walking the same path? Driving the same path? Doing the dishes? Reading the paper? Worrying about the economy? Worrying about bills? Worrying about the world? Cutting people off in traffic? Surfing the net? Where was I when all of this was going on? I may not be sure but I suspect I was not where I intended to be.
Are you are sleepwalking through life?
By sleepwalking I mean, are you consciously living life to the fullest? I intend to live life to the fullest. I intend to experience every moment in the here and now. This moment is the only thing which is real. The past is an illusion and the future doesn't exist yet. And from this moment all things are possible. The beauty is that it is up to me to decide.
If I am worrying about mistakes I have made in the past, or ones I will make in the future, I am unconscious. If I am thinking about how I am going to control something and change it in a way that suites me, I am unconscious. If I am only following my "plan" no matter what, I am unconscious. I am sleepwalking in that moment. I'm living in a waking dream, which is only slightly related to the truth. It is more fun and sometimes more scary at first, to stay centered in a moment and trust yourself to react accordingly. Sure, have the plan, but just be prepared to toss it out at a second's notice.
I recently found myself the only person in a room not laughing at a joke that was told because I was thinking about something else. Sound familiar? I missed the joy of laughing at a joke which was obviously funny!
Life is simply the act of being present,
and returning to it once you realize you've drifted off.
and returning to it once you realize you've drifted off.
The next time someone is talking I will be engaged and listening. I will really hear what the person is saying to me, not thinking about what I think the person is saying and what clever response I will give. The next time I drive to work I am taking a different route just to see the sights. The next time I. . .you fill in the blank. . .
So here we are, in Life. Where are you?
The truth is, my friend, what happens next in your life is up to you. Renew gratitude for what you have. Take 4 seconds right now and think of one thing in your life you are grateful for. Go on! Do it! Every second is another chance to remind yourself you are only 4 seconds from freedom! Because freedom is a state of mind. Start now!
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