Acceptance Of The Present Moment — Why Is That So Hard?

In several of my previous articles, I spoke about the importance of the acceptance of the present moment. The reason for this is that living in the “now ” is the entryway into all of our power and grace. It is poetry in motion.

Even though we may begin to become aware of all its advantages, there is still an inner resistance to letting go of our linear time frame, which insists on past and future emphases. There are a few reasons why we tend to find it difficult at times to just relax into the moment, and “let go” of all of our past and future thinking. Let’s explore this vital space within the time continuum a bit.

Acceptance Of The Present Moment — Paralyzed by the Uncertainty of Change

We all find comfort in the memories of days gone by, and the way things used to be. Also, envisioning a brighter future is quite appealing. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with setting goals and moving toward a destination that we are passionate about. The challenge is not to dismiss what is going on right now.

One reason that we may tend to avoid the present, either consciously or unconsciously, is that all “change” is initiated there. This is where all the action is with no excuses. It’s either change or don’t change. Our hideouts in the past and future cannot shelter us in the Now.

“For me, looking back is akin to being on a tightrope and looking down. It doesn’t help you in the present moment to deal with what you have to deal with in order to move forward.” — The Edge — (David Howell Evans)

It’s the uncertainty of what may or may not happen which prevents us from breaking free and fully embracing the present. We are quite capable of doing this right this moment if it were not for the many years of habitual thought and limiting beliefs that have constructed a wall that obscures our sight.

This uncertainty resides on a foundation of fear that “seems” so real and frightening that we much rather experience our current pains and hardships, than risk the possibility that things might get worse. Eventually, we realize that we have nothing to lose, but it may take a while to convince ourselves to take those first few fearful steps to freedom.

Getting Out of our Heads (The Heartfelt Way to Freedom)

We all tend to get stuck in worrying about this or that, what may happen if we do this, what may happen if we don’t, and the merry procession goes on and on. Each day is a brand new opportunity to not only break free from all this nonsense in our heads with which we get caught up with but to see beyond ourselves to how we may serve and contribute to others.

This is not about doing a bunch of good deeds so we can feel better about ourselves, but it is about connecting with our heart center, which is just dying to express the love and tenderness which we all keep buried within to varying degrees. This emotional heartfelt stuff is more difficult for guys to buy into, but it does not have to be that way.

Regardless of gender, race, beliefs, or anything else which we “think” makes us different, we are all on this journey together. At some point we realize it’s all about cooperation rather than competitiveness. We are here to support each other in a Win-Win fashion where there are no losers.

When we follow our hearts, we “know” we are on the right path, and all uncertainty simply fades away. We are not trying to figure things out because we “know that we know”. But the paradox here is that before we can embrace this state of certainty, we must accept all that we “don’t know, but think we do”.

Acceptance Of The Present Moment — Rejoicing Our New Awareness

Getting to the point of actually understanding that we have bought into a lot of concepts and ideas about ourselves, others, and the world in general which may not be true is very liberating, but it is only the first step on our journey. At the same time, it is a most important first step because we have now become humble enough to question our assumptions and beliefs.

This in itself is something that many will continue to avoid for quite some time. The fear and guilt which make up the foundation of these ideas are so strong that we are afraid we will be annihilated by even looking in that direction. The resistance to change can be very intense, but that’s okay. We are aware of it now, as it is no longer hiding out of sight.

What we want to do is just experience this resistance without adding any thoughts or labels to these uncomfortable feelings. Just allow them to flow and to be. We can then remind ourselves that right this very moment, regardless of feelings and circumstances, all is okay as it is, because we are truly alive and secure in the present moment where nothing else matters. We have entered The Gap where all true security lies.

This is when we can rejoice in the Now, and see it for the “present” or “gift” that it is. This reveals to us that all we have ever really wanted is here right now. All joy and happiness is here now, and not dependent on things or feelings being a certain way so that we can then “allow” ourselves to feel good and be happy.

This is a monumental first step that should not be overlooked or unappreciated, as it is the vital first step on our journey beyond fear. Let us rejoice.

Our Power is Right Here and Now

We can do whatever we want to avoid change and deny our magnificence, but that will not change things one little bit. We are merely prolonging the inevitable. We are all here with special gifts to share and to assist in awakening others to their true Essence.

“We have been endowed with the capacity and the power to create desirable pictures within and to find them automatically in the outer world of our environment.” — John McDonald —

The exact same power which is now fueling our present circumstances can be used in any way we choose. It all begins within ourselves and being able to recognize that the pictures and images we call reality are projections from within ourselves. Our states of mind have been perfectly out pictured for us to see. Being cognizant of this is no small feat. We have spent the majority of our lives believing what is out there is real and unchangeable. This is the difference between victim and creator status.

Now the next step is to realize that we cannot create from either the past or future. So when our focus is in either of those two (2) directions we are dis-empowering ourselves, and accepting the false witnesses that we see all about us which are not shy about telling us we are powerless to change.

When we realize this, we can then use the present moment in which to create our desired objectives. We become conscious creators, rather than unconscious victims. It is our state of mind that needs our attention; not the circumstances and players without.

It does take quite a bit of practice to stay present long enough to create effectively. Our tendency will still be to drift away into the past and future because that is what we learned to do, and have practiced so much over the years that it is now effortless to do so. The present moment is untouched by the memories of the past or the promises of the future.

Let’s now review a few simple tools which we can use on a daily basis to keep ourselves present more often. At this point, we can use as many reminders as we can get to stay awake within this dream we have created for ourselves.

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

This is no different from learning a new language or a new sport. It is necessary to practice the things which will get us to where we want to go. For instance, I play golf. If we just go out to the practice area and swing away without first understanding what it takes to swing properly, we will just be ingraining a lot of bad habits which later need to be corrected. We are making a lot of extra work for ourselves as well as adding a lot of needless frustration to our overall experience.

It is the same thing here. We have been practicing a lot of stuff over the years which has become ingrained and which now require correction. It is necessary to learn the correct fundamentals. This will seem hard at first, but it is consistency and determination which will get us there. We can all improve in any area of our lives with perfect practice based on these correct fundamentals.

Now perfect practice just means using techniques that get you going in the right direction. It does not mean you won’t make mistakes along the way while learning new skills. It takes time and effort to learn anything new, and mistakes from which we learn are good.

The first thing we can do is write out each morning a few sentences which will inspire us to stay present. There are plenty of sites with positive quotes where we can pick up one or two phrases to recite to ourselves during the day. This sets the stage for forming new constructive habits which will contribute to our staying present.

After we do this, we then ask ourselves as much as we remember to do so, “Am I present now?”. This will wake us up after we have drifted away, and get us back focusing on our current tasks in the now. Just by asking this question, we have assured ourselves of being present for that moment. We won’t stay there, but that’s okay. This is a process and journey within ourselves.

This is a process of learning to forget all of the “borrowed knowledge” and misperceptions with which we have been living, and which have been responsible for our current state of reality, although we tend to blame people and circumstances “out there” instead of taking responsibility.

For now, that is all that is necessary to do. Being awake to Who we truly Are is our natural state, and the simpler we make things the better. When things get complex, we know we are moving in the opposite direction of where we desire to go.

Always remember, precious is the moment.

In a later article, I will discuss a few other ways to stay awake as we approach that very special moment which is quite beyond words. It is an experiential state which takes place in the Now, and it is where all of our happiness and joy resides. But it all begins with accepting the present moment “As Is”.

May we all slow down enough to recognize the splendor and glory which is within ourselves just a mere “moment” away.

In Peace and Love within the Light,

Joseph

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