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SIEZE "THE PRESENT" to SIEZE "THE FUTURE"

If we recollect our school days and think about the one instruction that was repeated literally a 'n' number of times, it is this - "Pay attention, Be present". Probably we were fed up of hearing it again and again, but little did we know that, in this simple instruction lies the key to living life to its fullest. We may have thought this instruction to be applicable to us only when we were school children sitting in a classroom but this instruction is all the more relevant when we grow up. Let's see how!!

Bypassing the Mind
When we are attentive to life, even simple, little things of life can turn into wonder. In fact, when we are fully present "in the moment", our senses become fully alive, we will start to notice things that we previously never saw and hear sounds that we previously never heard. We will soon realize that "life is just perfect", we missed noticing it, being wrapped up in our mental story.


Most of the times, we are habitually inattentive, being caught up in the constant chatter of our minds. The noise of the mind seems so loud that it overpowers our very existence - colours every aspect of our life. Mind by habit is never in "the present", it is busy, either worrying about "the future" or lamenting over "the past". But the fact is both past and future are illusions, they have no factual existence. They are just figments of the mind. All the more, what we say as "past", happened in the "present" at that time and what we say as "future", will also come as "present", when it comes. So, the only reality is "the present moment". Therefore, the only place in which we can experience life and relish it fully is in "the present moment" and it is only in "the present" that we can hope to find solutions to our problems - not in "the past" or in "the future". As Lousie Hay, author of her International best-selling book - "You can heal your life" puts it - The point of power is always in "the present moment". Just as Jesus Christ was crucified between two thieves, we crucify "our present" between "the past" and "the future". It's time to liberate "the present" so that in turn "it" can liberate us.

A Meditative Life
When was the last time we ate our food by being attentive to each morsel, relishing the fine tastes and being grateful to God and those who cooked it with love and devotion. If we have this kind of mindset, believe me, just a simple act of eating will be one of great joy and satisfaction, even if the food is very, very simple. With attention, even simple food can turn into a feast and without attention, even a feast turns into a dull experience. This kind of meditative eating will not only nourish our body but our mind and soul as well. You see, meditation is not only when we sit to do our spiritual practices - meditation is a way of life. We generally believe that we have to meditate for 1 hour to have the other 23 hours going great. It is true, but it works the other around too. You have to be in a meditative mood for 23 hours, so that your 1 hour of meditation goes great or for devotees in ISKCON - "You have to be in a meditative mood for 22 hours, so that your 2 hours of chanting goes great". This is called - "a lifestyle of chanting".

Just imagine, with "being attentive", if a simple aspect like eating can turn into a miracle, how will life be if every other aspect of it - walking, talking, reading, writing and working becomes a miracle. We will not be able to fathom the kind of positivity and joy we can experience living a life like this. And what to speak of "being attentive" while doing our spiritual practices - the benefits we will reap will be a million fold. And all this magical experience comes simply by adding a little attention into our life. It's that simple! But very often, we miss simple solutions in the vain search for a complicated one. As someone rightly said - "More important than what you do is how you do it".
I have seen all successful leaders, including spiritual leaders having this attitude in common - "being attentive to the work at hand". For some it's natural - for some, it has developed through practice, but in any case, none of them became successful without developing it. The same, applies for us too - we need to seize "the present moment", "get into it fully" and very soon we will seize "the future" and success will be ours - GUARANTEED.

- Achyut Gopal Das

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