The Power of the Moment

Culture of Consciousness and Mindfulness

The only reality is the present moment. Everything else is a memory of something that once was but is no longer, or just the imagination of something that might be in the future. If the present moment is the only reality, then now is also the only "time-point" in which I can actually do something and have an impact. Because I can only have an impact in the reality. What I am doing, thinking, or deciding right now, or what is absorbing my attention now, determines how my life flow will continue into the next moment - and then into the next, and so on. Each moment arises from the previous moment and the "decisions" I make in it. These decisions are either conscious and intentional, but for the most part also involuntary and automatic. We "surf" through our day on an uninterrupted stream of conscious and unconscious moment-to-moment decisions. I call these micro-decisions because they refer to such a small time horizon as the present moment. Should I press the power button on the remote control now or watch the next program? Should I have another piece of cake now? Click on this link now? Should I say something now or not? What should I do next? etc. So, everything I do or focus on in this moment. These are the micro-building blocks that make up my whole day. So, each day consists of a finite "string of pearls" of interconnected present moments. By intentionally cultivating the quality of my consciousness in the present moment - towards being present, relaxed, and determined - I simultaneously cultivate the quality of how my whole day unfolds - and more. Many individual awake moments ("consciousness pearls") connect to form a good day. Many good days become the building blocks for an overall good life. Thus, a good life is based on awareness in the present moment. And this is the essence of mindfulness practice in daily life and meditation practices as a formal daily exercise. It is about being as awake as possible for the present moment and acting calmly from this wakefulness. "His actions were characterized by a calm consistency that deeply amazed me" Student about his mentor Everyday Life as Practice The practice is not that difficult. You can start with small things and experiment and explore how it feels and affects you today, for example: * Occasionally perform everyday small actions and movements with clear intention, that is, with conscious intention, such as picking up the phone receiver; grabbing or placing a cup or glass; opening a door; taking a file folder out of the cupboard and opening it; opening or closing the laptop; turning on the smartphone, etc. * Make "small" decisions consciously rather than automatically more often, such as ending an ongoing activity a few minutes earlier than usual to arrive at a scheduled appointment on time and without rushing; decisions at the supermarket; decisions regarding media consumption (e.g. television), etc. * Take a few minutes daily to completely detach yourself from the daily routines, disconnect entirely from the drive to do, achieve, or accomplish something, and simply observe from moment to moment "what is happening right now," what you are perceiving at the moment, now, within you and/or around you. Who are you aware of right now? It can be helpful to offer the mind an "object of attention," as an anchor, so to speak. This could be, for example, your body posture and the sensory sensations associated with physical self-awareness. Another popular object for focusing the mind is to consciously feel the sensory sensations of the rising and falling of the chest and abdomen while breathing. If you don't get distracted by the natural wandering of thoughts, but patiently and calmly redirect your attention back to the present moment, you may find that consciously staying in a present experience for a few minutes can calm the mind. For more information about our Top 100 Trainer Gerd Metz, click HERE