Have you ever been surprised by a moment of happiness? Haven't you wished that these rays would come through more often and stronger?
The present is like a small island in the middle of the ocean. It looks like it is alone, but under the surface, the island is connected to the rest of the world. Like the island, you may seem separate from the rest of life, but on a deeper level, you are one with God, Truth, or Reality, and no storm can break this connection.
Awareness is a secret that has been known for thousands of years. It's like the letter that was well hidden by being put in the middle of the table in plain sight. It was often overlooked and not appreciated because of how simple and beautiful it was. For instance:
- In his book, "In Search of the Miraculous," P.D. Ouspensky writes:
- "When asked, "What do you and your followers do for a living?" He replied, 'We sit, we walk and we eat.' But, sir, everyone sits, walks, and eats, the person asked. "When we sit, we know we're sitting," the Buddha told him. When we walk, we know we are walking. We know we're eating when we do it.'"
"It's always a good idea to try to remember who you are. Try to be aware of what you are doing, no matter what it is. The most important thing is to try to remember who you are, because without that, nothing else is important. This must be the basis of everything. This is the only way to go from being mechanical to being more aware."
When you remember what a deeper part of you already knows, your awareness grows. This happens in all kinds of situations and events, both good and bad, simple and complicated.
You only need three simple words to unlock the happiness of the present. "I am Here" is what they say. These three words bring you back to the pleasantness of the present moment as soon as your mind starts to wander. They can be used many times a day, silently or out loud, to teach the mind that the present moment is the most important thing.
Saying "I am Here" will remind you to notice as much as you can about your surroundings, like the colours, the breeze, your posture, your voice, the room and the things in it, the car you're driving, and the passing scene. Wake up to the quiet! There is no better time to be rich than now.
"I am here" gives your mind the power to stay where your body is. Why not join your body, which is always in the present moment? This is a classic tool for growth that has been taught by some of the best teachers in history, including Vernon Howard, J. Krishnamurti, and Idries Shah, all of whom lived in the 20th century.
It's amazing how much saying "I am here" lets you feel the happy breeze that flows through NOW. There is no force or hard work in these words. They are just an acknowledgment. "Now is happiness, now is intelligence, now is where I really want to be," the wise realise more and more.
