Some of us may find it necessary to look back at our pasts, in therapy or some other way, so that we can learn why we possess certain deficiencies that seem to limit our happiness and well-being in this moment. We may be wired so that we require many spiritual and psychological practices to prepare ourselves so that we will be OK with this moment. So, if you are not presently OK with yourself, read the rest of the posts on this site and find a good psychotherapist or other mental health professional as you try to practice being aware of the here and now. This site is designed to help people be happy but you may not find every post helpful, at least not right away. If you are basically OK with yourself but could use some help being happier and more peaceful, then learning to be awake or aware in this moment should do wonders for your spiritual and mental states. Once you become accustomed to being aware of life as it is, you may discover a peace and contentment that you have never known.

There is a formal sitting meditation called Vipassana or Mindfulness Meditation. The type of awareness to which I am referring is similar but it is not practiced while sitting on a cushion but rather as we go through life. It is actually quite simple as all we need to do is to be with this moment as it is, not attaching any of our own thoughts or feelings to it, just simply being aware of it. This awareness includes being aware of our thoughts and feelings as they are in this moment. We unfortunately spend much of our time thinking of the past and worrying about the future which detracts from out experiencing so much in this life presently. However, such thoughts and feelings are actually happening in this moment, aren’t they? So, being aware of our thoughts of the past and future and their corresponding emotions as they exist in the here and now is also awareness of this moment. When we are aware of our mind and its thoughts and our emotions as they are in this moment, we are training ourselves to live in the awareness and not our thoughts and emotions. The more we practice being aware of our surroundings, thoughts and feelings as they are in this moment, the better we’ll become at it. The better we become at being aware, the less we will get caught up in the ups and downs of life because we are seeing life as it is through awareness, which creates acceptance of the way it is. We can learn to take refuge in this awareness by trusting in the way it is as opposed to attaching our selves and our desires to life thinking that we need to control it and shape it to our liking. Sure we need to make decisions and try our best to do the next right thing, but we only have so much control in this life. We often show aversion to the unattractive and unpleasant so even when your thoughts and feelings are painful or unpleasant, it is important to be aware of them as well. It is when we accept, not avert, that we find peace within.

Remember, if you are not accustomed to living in the moment, it may take practice before you get good at it. You may only have moments of awareness throughout your day, at first, as you may still be running and chasing after that which may temporarily satisfy you, paying little attention to life as it is. You may continue to live in the past and future in your mind and only periodically realize that you are not being with the present moment. But keep practicing. All you need to do is be awake in the here and now. Just be aware of what is happening now with the people around you, your surroundings, your thoughts, feelings and emotions as they are in this moment.

There are still those sad cases of people who just do not seem to ever change. Maybe they don’t want to change. Perhaps it’s because they haven’t yet attributed their unhappiness to their unsuccessful way of thinking and living. Or maybe their way hasn’t caused them enough pain yet to give up their way of living. Some may believe that it’s a simple lack of God’s grace. What’s perhaps most unfortunate about these people who remain stuck is the negative affect that they have on others, usually those closest to them.

Interesting questions, no? Whatever the source of this awareness, we’ve been blessed with it. I say it’s a blessing because it allows us to detach from our thoughts and feelings not having to react to them, causing us emotional ups and downs. For example, if you’re feeling angry, you can be aware of this feeling yet not react emotionally to it. You can just be aware that there is anger without attaching your self to it. It doesn’t need to be personal. Feelings exist. They do not need to be personal, we all have them. They are not my feelings and your feelings, they are just feelings and we can choose to react to them or not. Why does everything need to be about us? Why do we need to possess everything? Feelings are part of existence. They were here before us and will be here after we die. Back to the anger… notice the anger and how it feels. Be aware of the arising and the inevitable ceasing of the anger. You can experience all of that without attaching to the anger, from a place of awareness. The awareness is not self, it is not you. The awareness is aware of you and your thoughts and your feelings, so it cannot be you.

Do you see the separation between what you may have considered to be you and the awareness? It may be as if this awareness is watching over you, somehow separate from your body, thoughts and feelings. We can learn to take refuge in this awareness. It can be a place of comfort and peace. This may be a very different philosophy from what you’re accustomed. Open your mind and try to experience this awareness. It is there… can you find it?

*Inspired by the teachings of Ajahn Sumedho