I think what Needleman says is profound. To be truly present is to be consciously bodily attentive to what is happening. To be is to be consciously present, aware in the here and now. I think it is the same as mindfulness, being aware of my thoughts, feelings, actions as I am doing them. Consciously attentive being, or being with awareness, is being in the fullest sense. The less consciously attentive and aware I am, the less is my being. There have been times in meditation that I have been consciously present and attentive to breathing, my body, and my being. There have been times in relationship with another that I have been consciously attentive to what I am experiencing in the moment and processing and utilizing at least some of that in relating to the other. The practice of conscious attention to myself brings a fullness of being that is special. Being without conscious attention is diminished being.
On Dec 26, 2015 david doane wrote :
I think what Needleman says is profound. To be truly present is to be consciously bodily attentive to what is happening. To be is to be consciously present, aware in the here and now. I think it is the same as mindfulness, being aware of my thoughts, feelings, actions as I am doing them. Consciously attentive being, or being with awareness, is being in the fullest sense. The less consciously attentive and aware I am, the less is my being. There have been times in meditation that I have been consciously present and attentive to breathing, my body, and my being. There have been times in relationship with another that I have been consciously attentive to what I am experiencing in the moment and processing and utilizing at least some of that in relating to the other. The practice of conscious attention to myself brings a fullness of being that is special. Being without conscious attention is diminished being.