Living in the Present

Living in the past means either cherishing pleasant memories while lamenting that there aren’t more of them, or dwelling on missed opportunities with regret. Living in the future is filled with expectations that may not be realized, leading to frustration. Living in the present means enjoying life as it is—at this very moment.

My interpretation of God’s name, Yehove, also points to the instruction to live in the present. Ye in Hebrew means to do something in the future, while hove means present time. So, the name of God Ye-Hove can be understood as “make your future now” or “live your future today.” So, living in the present seemed as a prescription worth practicing, but how?

I learned about living in the present from Yoel, my ninety-something-year-old friend, during our walks. He would stop walking, watch the clouds and trees, take a deep breath, and notice all that is happening around us. I tried that, and it worked while I was walking for exercise. But once I got to work, I forgot to live in the present.  My brain got engaged.  When I was walking, I could live in the present because I gave my brain time off. I could feel and see and notice what was around me.  To experience the now, the present, the brain that takes us into the past or into the future should be in neutral. How?

People decisions are driven by one of the following perceptions:

1. By what they want—They ignore reality and push for what they desire (Type E in Adizes theory).
2. By what they should do—They follow rules and obligations, regardless of their personal desires. (type A in Adizes)
3. By what IS the reality at the time, even if it contradicts their wants or beliefs about what should be done. (the P style)

Perhaps living in the present means ensuring that wants and shoulds do not drive decision-making. They should serve only as boundaries for the actions we take based on what is. To live in the present means to listen to reality and controlling our mind from ordering us what we should or want to do.

I came across a poster in a yoga shop that makes this thought a prescription. The poster says:

If you are exhausted, rest.
If you don’t feel like starting a new project, don’t.
If you don’t feel the urge to make something new,
just rest in the beauty of the old, the familiar, the known.
If you do not feel like talking, stay silent.
If you are fed up with the news, turn it off.
If you want to postpone something until tomorrow, do it.
If you want to do nothing, let yourself do nothing today.
Feel the fullness of the emptiness,
the vastness of the silence,
the sheer life in your unproductive moments.
Time does not always need to be filled.
You’re enough, simply in your being.

— Jeff Foster

Is this a prescription for how to live in the present or to legitimize laziness.

What do you think?