RETURNING TO THE NOW
THE WISDOM OF PRESENCE
There is a story we have been telling itself for centuries, a false belief that happiness awaits us just out of reach. We mistakenly believe peace and fulfillment are meant for the future, beyond the next achievement or milestone. We spend so much of our lives reaching forward or looking back that we often overlook the quiet truth in plain sight—all we really have, all we experience, is the present moment. It is the only place where life is ever truly lived. The past exists as memory, the future as possibility. Right now is only moment that our soul encounters reality.
But something extraordinary happens when we begin training the mind to return to the now—we feel more clear, more aware, more at ease. By accessing the sacred space between past and future, we align ourselves with the frequency of life itself. We feel the divinity in all things, and in doing so we hold no resentments or judgments. In this state we are free from both suffering and desire, existing in what the ancients identified as Transcendence, Nirvana, Bodhi, or Bliss. In returning to the now, we enter the vesica piscis, the womb of creation, where consciousness becomes manifest. We become one with all.
“In today’s rush, we all think too much, seek too much, want too much, and forget about the joy of just being.”
~ Eckhart Tolle
one breath at a time
Where practice becomes presence…
Returning to the present moment is a practice. It isn’t easy to do, especially with all the input of our media-heavy culture. Even without screens constantly demanding our attention, the mind will naturally wander on its own. Out of habit, we are drawn to worry, plan, remember, and imagine. Rather than judging ourselves when this happens, we can gently return with patience and kindness. Every conscious breath and every moment of stillness strengthens our capacity to live with greater clarity, compassion, and peace.
Living a mindful life is all about where we put our attention. Once the soul opens to the understanding that the present moment is all there is, mindfulness becomes a practice of keeping the mind clear. It is not always about those extraordinary moments of enlightenment we see in movies, but in the quiet moments were we recenter and tune in, again and again. At first, tuning in requires intention and focus—the mind wanders, we become distracted, and must gently guide ourselves back to the present, one breath at a time.
Eventually, our ability to remain in the present simply becomes a way of being. We realize we are no longer trying to be mindful—we are simply more grounded and aware. We pause before reacting. We listen before speaking. We notice beauty in the ordinary. Every breath we take reminds us we are alive. As we continue to practice mindfulness, we feel this presence while preparing a meal, chatting with a friend, walking the dog, or during quiet moments of contemplation. We notice our attention is no longer divided between yesterday and tomorrow, but centered and engaged.
Perhaps this is the quiet miracle of mindfulness. One conscious breath may seem insignificant, but helps deliver us back to our truth. Instead of existing in the memories of the past or the anticipation of the future, breath work acts as a tool to keep the mind focused on the now. It strengthens the pathways of awareness within us. Like a river gently shaping stone, mindfulness transforms us through rhythm. Breath by breath, moment by moment, we discover that the destination we have been seeking was never somewhere else. It was always hidden within the simple act of being fully here.
OPEN THE SOUL TO MINDFULNESS
Expand awareness by developing a practice of presence…
open soul mantras
RESONATE MINDFULNESS
I choose to be fully here.
Mindfulness brings clarity in my thinking, acting, and being.
I am the observer.
My mind is free from judgment, expectation, or attachments.
I release the need to hurry.
When my mind is clear and present, the decisions I make are deliberate and purposeful.
I am awake. I am aware.
I awaken to what is already here. As I walk with intention, I am open to growth, learning, and expanded awareness.
