Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Comments on this very moment

I type poorly. I use a hybrid hunt and peck method which takes quite a bit of time and involves much backtracking to correct mistakes. This morning, I noticed that I can often type out passages, albeit slowly, without looking down at the keyboard. It's an interesting and surprising [TO ME!] observation about myself in the current moment.

Existing in the moment is damn good advice, since that's all we can ever directly experience. Worrying about, and being caught up in the past or future, we rob ourselves of experiencing right now. Right now will defy expectations, but that's good. It is surprising, and, as a result, stimulating. By being consistently present in the moment, we can make fully conscious decisions, rather than letting our auto-pilot system make the decision for us, while we daydream.

Do I live up to this ideal? Absolutely not. I let my auto-pilot run way too often for my taste. That's okay, I am not perfect, and recognizing that I do this is part of living in the moment. As I progress, I hope that my auto-pilot will come on line less and less. My journal which I write in each night, when I remember, helps me to assess my behavior throughout the day, and helps me to see where I could have done better, where my auto-pilot got me into trouble.

Meditation is very good practice for living in the moment. In meditation, thoughts unrelated to the present moment come up, and I try to let them go. I am just there, experiencing the world around me, without interpreting it verbally. I find that in situations that arise during the day, I can often pause and relax into it, much as I do when meditating.

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