On a typical day, how many minutes do you spend regretting what you should have done in the past, thinking about what happened last week, how you would look like tomorrow, or imagining the scenario when you achieve something? I guess so many people can’t live in the now and are stuck in the past or future which their physical body is not in at the moment. The fact that everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it any less insane. Wouldn’t it supposed to be let the past go away and BE IN PRESENT to make a better future?
The whole idea of this book is almost obvious from the name, living in the now, not in the past or future. But it doesn’t seem that simple after reading the book. It won’t give you a lot of information, tips, or data which most self-development books provide. I didn’t understand what the author is talking about while reading the first quarter of the book. Since he repeats the same idea over and over and explains it in many different ways, it started to become a bit vivid.
Here are some insights that I understood from the book:
The present moment is all you ever have.
There is never a time when your life is not this moment. When you remember the past, you reactivate a memory trace in the mind, a former Now. On the other hand, the future is an imagined Now, a projection of the mind. When you think about the future, you do it now. Past and future have no reality of their own.
Be present as the watcher of your mind
Try to notice how often your attention is in the past or future. But the important thing is not to judge or analyze your thoughts. Just observe and feel your emotions and reactions. (I tried, but it is easier said than done.)
Use your senses fully
Just look around. Listen to the bird sound. Take a breath. Touch anything and feel the Being of it. Allow everything to be. Everything feels alive and radiates energy. And tell yourself, “You are right here, right now”.
There is no problem now
Your life situation may be full of problems, but ask yourself if you have any problems now. What is wrong with this moment? Not tomorrow or in 10 minutes, but now. When you are full of problems, there is no room for anything new to enter. Make some space for solutions.
Don’t split yourself
Stress is caused by being “here” but wanting to be “there”, or being in the present but wanting to be in the future. The mind creates an obsession with the future as an escape from the unsatisfactory present. Enjoy the flow of energy, the high energy of that moment so that you are no longer stressed, no longer splitting yourself in two.
Go into everything fully
Is there something that you should be doing but you’re not doing it? Get up and do it now or completely accept your laziness if that is your choice. If you are being inactive fully and consciously, you will soon come out of it.
Magic of breath
When you find it hard to get in touch with the inner body, try to focus on your breathing first. Close your eyes, breathe into the body, and feel your abdomen expanding and contracting.
Find peace
Even if everything seems to collapse and crumble all around you, you would still feel an inner core of peace. You may not be happy, but you will be at peace. Beyond happiness and unhappiness, there is peace.
Because it is my first book about enlightenment, it was hard to understand everything the author describes. Even if I understand something, it is much harder to implement it in my life. I am one of the people who ponder the future and past a lot. I waste a lot of time thinking about what should I wear tomorrow or how stupid thing I did 5 years ago. I’m still trying to stop doing it and feel the power of now. I can’t make an immediate change just after reading a book, it will take time and endeavor.
There are still many concepts I didn’t cover in this review, such as surrendering, relationships, inner body, and negativity. I would suggest you read the book by yourself:)
2023.04.14 sleepy nandia
