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Natural Awakenings Twin Cities

Where Do You Go When You’re Not Present?

© djoronimo

An important aspect of enlightenment is the ability to be present.

The question to ask when talking about presence is not, how do you stay present, but where do you go when you’re not present? In other words, what takes you away from a state of being present? An easy way to begin finding out is by considering these four places where most people go.

The Past: When your mind or emotions pull you into the past, you are being pulled out of the present. The past holds many memories and emotions for us and if these are not resolved, we end up reliving the past every time our thoughts or emotions take us there. It’s difficult to stay in the present when our thoughts and emotions live elsewhere.

Even if the past was good and wonderful, you can be pulled out of the present by thinking the past was better than your life is right now. If you are reliving the past because of the warm, wonderful memories it holds for you, it might be because you feel the best of your life has already been lived and your current or future life will never measure up. When you do this, you miss the magic that every moment holds.

The Future: There’s a saying that 99 percent of the things we worry about never materialize. All of that energy—when used in the present moment—can transform your life. Every time you allow yourself to worry about things that may never happen, you are dissipating your life force and the ability to resolve whatever is happening in your life right now.

Fear is another waste of energy. So many people are afraid of the future, including for their children and/or grandchildren. Being overwhelmed by the news and hearing everything that is happening around the world, it’s easy to fall into a fearful state. There are some wonderful things happening in the world, however, our news cycles don’t report these because they don’t sell. One site you may want to subscribe to is OptimistDaily.com. This organization has taken on the task of finding and reporting all the wonderful solutions happening around the world and the people and organizations that are making a positive difference.

Aside from negative feelings like worry and fear that take you out of the present, something as wonderful as hope can bring you back. When you place all of your hope on the future, you are waiting for something to happen that will save you from your today. You may feel you will be happy in the new house you’re saving for or in the new job that will hopefully happen after you’re done with school or the next relationship. If you find yourself waiting to be happy until something changes in your life, you will most likely be chasing a carrot on a string.

This quote by Bil Keane seems quite appropriate: “Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.”

The Teeter Totter Effect: The teeter totter effect takes you out of a state of presence where you compare yourself to others. When you are trying to feel better about yourself, you will look around and feel that everyone has a better life than you. You will see people with more money, better jobs, better relationships, better health and overall better lives. Sometimes, in order to feel better about yourself, you will look around and see others not as fortunate as you. You then feel better about yourself and your life because at least you have a better job, better home and better relationship than those you see. Both ways will take you out of the present moment and out of alignment with your own essence, your own inner light, beauty and spiritual gifts that you alone have brought into the world to share.

The Inner Diamond method has helped many people live in the present moment, stay aligned with their inner light and consciously awaken to their spiritual gifts and life purpose.

Annette Rugolo is a master instructor certified by Marie Diamond and has been teaching Inner Diamond meditation classes since 2002. She is passionate about helping people transform their lives and their environments. Her company, Conscious Life Resources, offers classes, consulting and transformation products to help people align and create a powerful connection with the universe and Mother Earth. For more information, visit AnnetteRugolo.com.