Going through this tough times that I’ve been going through from this past few weeks, this is one of the things that I had to reflect on and really thought about and had to really dig deep in.
So how do we become more present and alive in each moment? I have some ideas, based on my experience(s).
Practice fully pouring yourself into every act. This is a personal development practice — being fully in every task you do, every act. If you’re sitting in meditation, be fully in your seat, not have your mind be somewhere else. If you’re brushing your teeth, just brush your teeth — and be completely immersed in that. This is a practice, of course, which means we’ll forget to do it most of the time, but it’s an incredibly rich practice. Fully express yourself in everything you do.
See the divinity in the person in front of you or in this moment. When I say “divinity,” it might mean God if you believe in God … but if you don’t, it’s seeing the incredible gift of the world, of each person. Seeing the profound beauty in everything. Seeing the sacredness of the ordinary. When you’re talking with someone, can you fully appreciate their divinity? Can you feel wonder at the world around you, no matter where you are? This is an incredible practice that will help you feel more alive, each time you do it.
Open your damn heart! Most of us move through our days with our hearts closed. We do our tasks, go through the motions, but we aren’t connected to our hearts. (Some people, of course, are able to live in their hearts much of the time — let them be our role models!) What would it be like to be open-hearted today, feel loving toward every person you see, loving and tender toward the world around you?
See, what I’ve learned from my heartbreaking process was that I know that I had the passion of helping others, BUT I wasn’t giving enough love for me, which caused my stubbornness and selfishness acts.
But as you can see, these are not things that you’ll be able to get perfect, immediately or even ever. They are things to practice.
But I can tell you, in my experience, this kind of practice of being fully immersed in each activity, with your heart open, your emotions fully expressed, seeing the good in everything and everyone around you — this will help us be fully alive in each moment.