Where are you right now?
Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Are you here, or are your thoughts somewhere else?
Did you notice your surroundings on your way to your current location or the eye color of the last person you interacted with?
How present are you now? As you’re reading this, are you doing anything else besides just reading this?
Being present may seem like a simple thing, and it can be, but we regularly overlook this powerful and often elusive state of being. In our busy, modern world our minds are frequently somewhere other than where our bodies are. We are so used to being in this state of split-presence, that it can become challenging to be present, even when we want to be.
If our equine friends weren’t good at being present, they could find themselves in grave danger. If they aren’t fully present in the moment, they put themselves at risk to predators and other hazards of the wild. That’s why horses & donkeys are so good at being aware of their surroundings, being “relaxed and ready” and really seeing what’s going on with each other and with us, too.
The stakes may be lessened for us humans, but not by much. When we lack presence, we are in danger, too– in danger of missing the moment, of misunderstandings, of excess stress, of getting injured, of making mistakes, of lacking focus and of not realizing our full potential.
When we are more present, we are able to establish deeper connections with ourselves and with others. We’re able to think more clearly & focus more sharply. With a less busy mind, creativity, inspiration and ideas have space to come in. Possibility for learning is increased– learning from the moment and the experience. Stress is reduced as we let go of stories about the past and aren’t subject to worries about the future. Life is more simple and at the same time, more full. We can more easily notice and appreciate what’s here, now, instead of longing for something else, somewhere else. Gratitude rises and vision is restored.
We invite you to try these 8 simple steps to be more present:
#1 – Close your eyes – Take a beat & simply close your eyes. Connect with what you feel inside. A simple shift such as closing your eyes can help create the mental break needed to come back into this moment, now. The outside world can be overstimulating, especially if we are not rooted in the present moment. Incongruence arises when our minds roam through scattered thoughts while simultaneously trying to take in all that is happening around us. Close your eyes and focus on bringing your thoughts back to only what’s happening now. Listen to the sounds around you & allow yourself to land in the present moment.
#2 – Look around – Take a look around. Really look at your surroundings. Give yourself the TIME to take it all in. What do you see? What do you notice? Take in the details. Recognize visually where you are and what is going on. Have you ever driven home and realized when you arrived at your destination that you barely remember the drive? So often, we’re not really SEEING where we are or what’s going on around us. Really look and be aware of what you see. Where are you? You are here.
#3 – Just breathe – Are you breathing? Take a deep breath. Connecting with your breath is a surefire way to bring your mind back into your body and to this moment. Focus on your breathing for a few breaths. Allow other thoughts and distractions to dissipate as you reconnect with this simple, essential and usually subconscious act. Most of the time, we don’t notice our breathing and sometimes, when we are wrapped up in thoughts or concerns outside of this moment, we hold our breath without even realizing it. Take a breath and get back to now.
#4 – Use your senses – Connecting with our 5 senses is a great way to get present. Our physical senses only send us information about what’s going on right now, not what happened yesterday or what might happen in the future. Take a moment to check in with all 5 of your senses. What do you hear? Can you smell anything? What about taste? Can you feel the clothes against your body, the air on your skin? Touch something, what does it feel like? Tapping into your senses literally brings you back into your body and into the present moment.
#5 – Ask yourself – Where are you? How are you? Take a moment to check in with yourself. Simply connecting with yourself to ask these questions will bring you back into the current moment. The answer to “where are you?” should help bring you back to wherever you are physically, if you were somewhere else mentally. Taking a moment to truly consider “How are you?” can help you recognize if you are distracted or emotional. Noticing that you may be in one of these mental states is the first step in taking control and directing yourself to a more present one.
#6 – Sing, dance or run– Getting physical is a great way to get back into the moment! Doing any sort of engaged action with your body turns your focus back to the present. Yoga, exercise, hiking, singing, dancing, riding a horse or a bike, and even focused manual labor like gardening or cleaning are all physical activities that bring you back into your body. It is especially helpful to choose an activity that you enjoy and are enthusiastic about because you will be much more likely to get into it and really connect with your actions in the moment. However, even with physical activity you don’t enjoy you can tap into the physical sensations to bring you into the moment. This practice can be more challenging but equally as rewarding if you can master it.
#7 – Let go – When our minds are preoccupied with varied thoughts, it’s hard to be present. Practice letting go of your thoughts, especially if they are thoughts about the past or the future. If you’re rehashing something that happened earlier today in your mind or compiling a to do list for later, your thoughts are not of the present moment. Let go of any extra information that doesn’t have to do with what’s happening right now. Allow only thoughts that arise directly from this moment to hold your attention, let go of anything else that doesn’t have to do with right now.
#8 – Practice, Practice, Practice – Meditation has an incredible range of benefits, from creating new neural pathways in the brain to improving your memory to simply making you feel more relaxed. There are several meditation practices that can help bring you back into the present moment and become more practiced at staying there.
Try this one: Close your eyes and focus on your breathing and/or listen to the sounds that you hear around you and/or notice physical sensations in your body. Anytime a thought comes in, categorize it as having to do with the “past”, “future” or “present.” If you notice that your thigh itches that’s a “present” thought, but if you follow that initial thought into a story about that time that you had poison oak on your legs (past) get off the thought train and come back to the present. Notice your breath. Sit still and be open, but focused on this moment. If a thought comes in about how hungry you suddenly are (present), in response to the smell of popcorn being popped in the next room, notice it and let it go. If you happen to then start thinking about options for what to eat for dinner (future), cut ties to that line of future thinking and refocus to now – the sounds you might hear, the smell of the popcorn, the emptiness of your mind.
For the most part, when we are just being present in our meditation, not many thoughts come in and when one comes it goes just as quickly and easily, like passing clouds. If you find yourself engaged in “past” or “future” related thoughts, cut the strings and allow these thoughts to float away like balloons. Allow the next thought (or no thought) to come in. This type of concentration exercise, can help us master control over our thoughts and become more skilled at being present.
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