Benefits to Being Present in the Moment - Rachel Devine
Life unfolds in the current moment. Yet so often we mentally time-travel back to the past or into the future, missing the gift of the present. We look back on the past with regrets or look towards the future with worry. The one thing most of us forget is that the present moment is really all we have. The future is not promised to anyone, and the past is just an illusion in our minds that no longer exists. Being present in the moment has scientifically validated benefits for physical and mental well-being, as well as spiritual awakening. Let’s look at ways to practice being present. The present is the place where dreams become our reality.
Being present lowers stress
Stress often arises when attention fixates on regrets, future worries, or trying to control circumstances or problems. Research shows present-moment awareness activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing anxiety and lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
As Eckhart Tolle, the author of The Power of Now, advises, “The key is to have your attention on the now—not the problem, but the result you want.” Transform life’s moments by awakening to the richness available in your senses whenever you redirect focus to the present.
According to Eckhart Tolle, “Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there.’ Centering in the now neutralizes stress by aligning how you feel with where you are. The present is all there ever is.
Boosts in Joy and Performance
Mindfulness boosts the production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Brain scans reveal happier people exhibit more present-moment focus. Heightened attention also drives excellence by enhancing productivity, focus, and creativity.
"Wherever you are, be there totally." Eckhart Tolle
Immune System and Cellular Health
Studies link present-moment awareness to improved immunity and telomere length, a biomarker of longevity and health at the cellular level. Mindfulness appears to slow cellular aging through positive genetic changes influenced by decreased psychological stress. Anything you can do to decrease stress will benefit your health and wellness. Staying in the moment seems like a good option. However, it isn’t easy, and it does take some focused effort. But the benefits far outweigh the energy that you put into it.
Spiritual Awakening
Most mystical traditions teach that enlightenment unfolds in the ever-unfolding now. Being immersed in the eternal present brings glimpses of timeless consciousness and cultivating non-attachment. And one very important factor is this: The only place you can access your higher power, or God, is in the moment. God’s Spirit is never in the past or the future. God’s Spirit dwells within all of us, and connecting to that Spirit happens in the moment. When one connects with prayer, they are in the moment, in a sacred place of power. The power of prayer is beyond anyone’s scope, and yet it only happens in the moment.
As Louise Hay teaches, “A powerful way to stay conscious and present is to constantly remain aware of the energy in your hands.” In other words, bringing awareness to the sensations in the hands—slight pulsing, warmth, and tingling—gives you an energetic focal point to keep you present. By continually returning focus to actively noticing the "energy" or aliveness in the hands, it gives the busy mind something specific to pay attention to right now.
And all of this will make your life so much happier.
Ways to be Present
According to Dr. Wayne Dyer, "Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different." Refocusing on the present is a skill developed through practices like the following:
Meditation: sit quietly, noticing your breath and sensations.
Yoga: synchronize movement and breath together in the moment.
Nature immersion: absorb sights, sounds, and smells fully.
Conscious walking: feel each footstep, sync to your rhythm, and gaze at nature.
Mindful eating: savor flavors and textures intently.
Listening to music: be absorbed in the melody and beat.
Arts and crafts channel focus into the creative process.
Observing thoughts: watch them arise and pass without attachment.
Daily routines: make activities like brushing your teeth mindful.
And remember, “This moment is all we have. Don’t believe me? Try to capture the previous moment or the future moment and change it.” Rachel Devine from The Third Road.
Life is too short to live in the past or worry about the future. Grab onto each moment. Moments turn into hours, hours to days, days to weeks, and before you know it, years are squandered away. Start living in the now.
Rachel Devine, The Third Road
Devine Intervention Inner Healing Center
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