Living in the Present

"Live in the moment" is common advice that all of us give to each other, but what does it really mean? People typically have two responses to this notion; they either talk of it as an impractical concept or use it to conveniently satisfy their cravings by saying, "Ah forget about the repercussions; just live in the moment." But that's hardly so. To live in the moment isn't an escape from any responsibilities, duties, or morally sound actions, and neither is it a merely theoretical concept which can never be applied to "real" life. Although the notion will have different meanings to different people, at the most basic and practical level, living in the moment starts with the mind.

We are constantly interacting with our surroundings with every instance leaving a certain impression on us. If we are late to an interview, our mind races forward and starts worrying. If somebody insults us, we think about the insult long past its occurrence and many times it even affects our actions in the future. Conversely, if we are overjoyed by an event, we will bask in its memory long after it has happened. Events like these are where the maxim of "Living in the Moment" ought to come in handy. Every action is an action, but our minds tend to unnecessarily put different flavors on the actions.

These impressions on the mind are like drawing lines. Some are akin to being drawn in water: the line disappears as soon as we draw it. Others are like lines drawn on the beach: they will last until the high tides. And yet others are like those chiseled in rock: these heavy impressions are very hard to remove and we constantly suffer by losing our present moments. While it is great to dissolve the impressions of the moment immediately, quite often we uncontrollably scribe the heavier lines in our mind. Meditation serves not just for us to become aware of the workings of our mind, but also to dissolve these deep impressions that impinge on our ability to start enjoying the only thing we really have -- the present moment.