Sometimes I like to take a piece of toast and slice it lengthwise, like a bagel. It’s a very nice way to make a light sandwich.
There’s a lot less bread and I don’t have to use as much filling to be able to savor the mixture of flavors. The other day, I had thinly sliced roast turkey breast with pepper jack cheese – always a winning combination in my book. I was excited to taste this scrumptious sandwich.
The toast popped up, I took it out and started to cut. Now, you may think it’s important that I concentrate on the cutting and the sharp, serrated-blade knife in my hand. I would think so too. For some reason, though, that morning I didn’t. I wasn’t there, mentally. I was flying off someplace in my head, thinking about who-knows-what. I’m a Gemini, this happens sometimes.
Unfortunately, this is a recipe for disaster, as you might imagine, even for Gemini’s. So, yeah, the sharp, serrated edge of the knife slipped off the crisply warm upper crust of the bread and, amazingly, found the meaty flesh of my middle finger. “Ouch!” Doesn’t begin to describe it. I sliced my finger lengthwise from the tip to about the middle of the pad. Fingers have a lot of blood in them. Did you know this? I think I cut through all the dermis layers!
Luckily, I’ve been a Reiki Master / Teacher for about 15 years and my ability to heal myself (and others) is well-developed (as anyone’s can become). I was able to stop the flow of blood quickly and stop the pain. In fact, didn’t feel any pain until the next day when I bumped my finger on something. That’s the wonderful part about practicing Reiki, I can heal myself quickly and, for the most part, be free of the pain that usually goes along with injuries.
But, what happened to make me cut my finger in the first place? I wondered the same thing, too, then I figured it out – like the V8 slap on the forehead – I wasn’t present in the moment. “What’s that mean?” You might say, “That sounds like some kind of new agey BS.” Well, in a way it’s “new agey” but it’s definitely not BS. When it comes to things we call New Age, I’ve noticed that almost everything has roots in the ancient teachings – all of them. New Age thinking seems to have taken what could be considered the best of everything and repackaged it with today’s terminology. I suppose this might make it more palatable to some and more understandable to others.
Whether or not you agree with anything new age isn’t really relevant, though. Being in the present moment is all about being fully focused on the here and now. Paying attention to what’s going on right now, in my face – or your face. It’s a notion and state of being that’s been described and emphasised throughout the ages and has a lot of clout to back it up. See the quotes at the end if you want some evidence.
Being aware of your present, being fully focused on where you are and what you’re doing makes a huge difference in the outcomes you end up with. But don’t just take my word for it, or the advice of those I’ve quoted below, don’t just take this notion in blind faith.
Do your own research. Experiment. Consider it in the context of your life. Identify a time when you were fully focused on what you were doing and consider the outcome.
Conversely, think about a time when you knew you weren’t fully there, focused on what was going on around you. Were you as effective, as involved, as aware and interested as you could have been? Did you achieve the outcome you really wanted at that time.
Keep looking and searching and find your own answers, those are always the ones you remember best, anyway. See what works best for you and then apply those findings purposefully in your life. My bet is that you’ll notice a positive difference when you apply your focus and attention to the present moment. You’ll notice your life will begin to work better for you. You’ll begin to feel better, more at ease and less stressed.
Let me know what you find and how you’re doing. Email me at gia@giacilento.com, or click here to leave me a comment on my Peaceful Places website, giacilento.com.
Quotes about being in the present moment, old and new:
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.”
Matthew 6:24, The Bible – Jesus Christ
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
– The Buddha
“Don’t be anxious for tomorrow, look at the lilies of the field, they don’t spin and yet even Solomon was not robed as beautifully as they.”
Matthew 5-8, The Bible – Jesus Christ,
“This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it”.
Psalm 118:24, The Bible
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.”
– Henry David Thoreau
“The art of life is to live in the present moment, and to make that moment as perfect as we can by the realization that we are the instruments and expression of God Himself.”
– Emmet Fox
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, that’s why we call it the present.”
– Joan Rivers
“The more I give myself permission to live in the moment and enjoy it without feeling guilty . . . the better I feel about the quality of my work.”
– Wayne Dyer
“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.”
– Abraham Maslow
“The heart surrenders everything to the moment. The mind judges and holds back.”
– Ram Dass
