Tag: Being Present

Ask a Luminary

How Can I Stay in the Now?

"How can I stay present in the now when the world keeps pulling me into one drama after the next?" ~ Krishna, Amherst, MA First off, know that you cannot get pulled out of the Now. Even drama happens now. If you do not believe me, try getting out of the now. You will find that you can think about the past and the future but that only happens now. Life only happens now! If you find that feelings or drama is disturbing your peace in this moment, I would allow yourself to do the following: First off, allow yourself to…

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Is It Possible to Control My Thoughts In the Moment?

"I have been reading the Power of Now and rereading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. So much of what he says resonates with me. I have been trying to apply many of the principles. Because I tend to live so much in my head, it's not an easy task to quiet my mind or simple just observe my thoughts. However, I am working on it :-) The most challenging part for me is with my kids. I try hard not to react but instead respond. When I set this intent, it works for a little while but then I…

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How Can I Calm My Mind in Meditation?

"I struggle with meditation, my mind is always going.  How can I get to that place where I have no thoughts?" ~ Martin, Tulsa, OK   Forget about stopping your mind and all those racing thoughts.  For me, my meditation practice serves the magical purpose of celebrating my life.  It is the opportunity for me to get fully present with the 60 trillion+ cells twinkling inside of me and simply be with my breath. Instead of trying to shut your thoughts off, distract or entertain your mind in a positive way by giving it a technique to focus on. For…

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Harvesting Happiness: Taking In Every Moment

Are you trying to take in every moment, however how big or small, every day? Are you finding happiness in those moments? Here are some things you may find joy in: Take and make time every day to play with your kids. Give some extra love and attention to your pet, if you have one or more. Find at least one thing that was wonderful about your day. Take in the sunset and enjoy its beauty. Savor the loving glances from your spouse, whenever they happen. Enjoy the simple things your kids say and do. Sit on your patio or…

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Today’s Brilliance from Tommy Lichty

What I have learned about life is to never take anything for granted. Always live each day to the fullest and give 110%. Don't let anything or anyone tell you that you can't live out your dreams. Always believe in yourself and know that anything is possible with hard work, determination, and passion. When life hands you a challenge, face it head on with the attitude of coming out on the winning end of that challenge. Just because you have some type of disability, it doesn't mean that you have to "sit on the bench" - get into the game…

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Recognizing Your Breakthrough Moments

There are times in life when if fortunate we experience a moment of utter clarity. We feel wide awake and connected and balanced: everything makes sense, we know exactly who we are, what we want, and why we're here. In that moment, be it one blink or a thousand, our effectiveness is maximal. And yet our actions seem minimal, effortless even, and the experience is consummately satisfying. These are breakthrough moments. These are moments of shibumi. Shibumi is a Japanese word, the meaning of which is reserved for just these kinds of experiences. With roots in the Zen aesthetic ideals…

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The Present of Your Presence

By Gail Lynne Goodwin. In this holiday season of giving presents, let’s not forget the greatest present we can give to another person… that of the gift of being present.  Recently I was in a coffee shop in San Francisco, watching a group of people seated at a table together, all texting on their phones, to someone else. Chances are that if they weren’t with the friends they were with in person, they would have been texting them too. Yet, they were together physically, but still focused elsewhere. What a lost opportunity to connect! We’ve become addicted to being connected,…

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Small Moments, Great Things

By Gail Lynne Goodwin. My father often forwards inspirational emails to me. This morning he sent one that touched my heart.  As with most internet forwards, there's no author listed, so I can't give credit where credit is due. So to the unknown catalyst of inspiration, thank you for sharing your story with us. (And, thanks Dad!) ------------------------------------------- The Cab Ride I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I walked to the door and knocked... "Just a minute", answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After…

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Be Here Now

By Patty de Llosa. Be Here Now. A message that can change our lives! When we hear these three little words from our teachers or read them in books, it sounds so simple. But when we try, the act is not easy. That's because three worlds have to come together simultaneously in us. First, to focus on the body, the house of our Being. To do this, bring the mind’s attention to follow the sensation of your physical self, the breath that comes and goes, the blood that flows, the muscles that tense and relax, and the energy that moves…

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Blessings from a Bird

Recently I was reminded of the many miracles in my life. Interestingly enough, the messenger didn't come to me as a mighty eagle, but in the humble form of a small bird For those who follow me on Twitter, you know that two nights ago, I had a tiny bird fly inside my home in Montana. It was about 8pm, on a dark, snowy, cold evening, when Koda, our 3-year old Samoyed dog wanted to go outside. As I opened the patio door to let Koda out, I was hit by a very cold breeze AND something ran in and…

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The Traveler in Time

There was that search for meaning, that longing, the perpetual longing. How would I make sense to myself? My eventful life never seemed to stop until I just couldn't cope with all its ups and downs. I had successes and failures; I sensed deep love and then the inevitable separation that followed. There was no sanctuary, no peace, no place to call home. I wondered: is my life controlled by me or am I subject to the whims of events beyond my control? One day I felt great and the next I was depressed. My confusion yielded a search and…

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Appreciate the NOW of the Moment

We all know it's important to have dreams and to plan for the future. But so often in focusing on just the future, we miss the magic of what's happening in this moment.  Many times in life we miss the NOW planning for tomorrow. Yesterday I had two perfect examples of exactly this lesson. I'm in the British Virgin Islands, sailing with some friends. We spent the morning hiking through the Baths on Virgin Gorda. The Baths are formed by pools of water between huge granite boulders piled on top on one another on the beach. It looks like Mother…

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