The very first yoga sutra, atha yoganushasanam, translates to, “now, the discipline of yoga,” which reminds us to be in the present moment. The sutra states that the practice of yoga is beginning now, not in five minutes or ten minutes from now, and it didn’t start before we rolled out the mat… it starts in this exact moment. This is an important sentiment to remember not only for the yoga practice, but for our daily lives as well. It can be a gentle reminder to keep us from worrying about the future or stressing and feeling guilt over the past.
How do we keep revisiting the present moment? How do we allow ourselves to quickly pivot our mindset to taking place only in the moment we’re currently in? It’s easy…
How do I become more present?
1. Roll out your yoga mat â Seriously. There’s a reason I opened with the first yoga sutra. Bringing yourself to a physical practice is a great way to get you out of your head and into your body. By practicing yoga, you’ll not only learn how to be in the present moment, but you’ll find a newfound respect for the physical practice (I’m talking about yoga asana when I say yoga).
2. Find something you can see, hear, touch or smell â Sometimes physical sensations allow us to really take in the things around us at that very moment in time. By naming things or putting a conscious thought to things you can see, hear, touch or smell, you’re signaling to your brain that these are real things creating your environment at the time.
3. Remind yourself to be where your body is â Sounds clichĂŠ, but I bet if you can subtly remind yourself, in your head, where you are physically, it will position your mind to put focus in the present moment. Sometimes I tell myself, “this is where you need to be in this moment, and this is all you need to be doing.” It kind of circles back to atha yoganushasanam, but without the physical practice of rolling out a mat and moving your body. Instead, use your feet as your anchor point to remind yourself where you are and what you’re doing, and that’s all you need to be present for in this exact moment.
Reap the benefits of being more present
There’s a lot of positive psychology centered around living in the present moment and how this can be a major advantage for stress relief and living an overall healthier lifestyle. Psychology, as we know it, is anything centered around the studies of the human mind. In this article by Calm, a mental health app, they state that being more in the present moment can actually boost your emotional intelligence, help you live a more mindful life and even help greatly reduce stress and anxiety.
Mindfulness is also a great way to practice being in the present moment, as the core of the practice is being rooted in the present. Many mindfulness exercises require the practitioner to be conscious of their daily life, the choices they make, and to pay attention to the seemingly small details in life, taking time to pause and reflect. By enrolling in a mindfulness certification course, you can not only help yourself to live more intentionally, but you have the resources and tools necessary to spread that awareness and teach others.
Another major benefit of being more present is lessening the space for worry and doubt to creep in. When you are preoccupied with the present moment, you can’t stress about what came before or what comes next; there is only the very moment you’re in. Many spiritual paths link being in the present moment with true peace. In Buddhism and Taoism, they say that if you live in the past, you can become depressed and if you think too far into the future, you may cause yourself to become anxious.
âIf you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.â
â Lao Tzu
Where can I find tools for living in the present moment?
Find a mindful movement practice â Whether you enroll in a gym, yoga studio, pilates, or just simply find joy in being outside by whatever transportation mode, find a way to incorporate it into your daily life. Being mindful of making the choice to actively move your body will help you be in the present moment.
Download an app â Apps like Calm, Headspace, Ether, and Buddhify allow you to dedicate time to being present through different mental exercises.
Explore meditation practices on YouTube & Spotify â The internet is a vast network of online resources, many of which cater to wellness and more specifically, mindfulness. You can find a plethora of helpful meditation songs and videos to help develop a committed practice to being in the present moment.
Talk to your friends and co-workers â Sometimes the best resources come from word of mouth! If you have friends in the wellness industry, ask around for good recommendations on how to be in the present moment. They may recommend meditations, journaling activities, and other methods of practicing mindfulness throughout your day.
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